With defensive end Michael Bennett due to become a free agent and determined to get a contract far more lucrative than the one-year, $5 million deal he signed last year, the Seahawks plan to create some cap space by parting ways with another defensive end.
Alex Marvez of FOX Sports reports that the Seahawks are expected to cut Red Bryant. The cap space would be then used to help keep Bennett.
Bryant has a cap number of $8.5 million, coming from a $4.5 million base salary, a $3 million roster bonus, and $1 million in signing bonus allocation. Cutting him without the post-June 1 designation would result in a cap charge of $3 million, creating $5.5 million in immediate cap space. Cutting him with the post-June 1 designation would require the Seahawks to carry the $8.5 million until June 1, at which time $7.5 million in cap space would be created. The remaining $2 million in dead money would hit the cap in 2015.
Bryant, a fourth-round pick in 2008, started 15 regular-season games and two playoff games in 2013. He had only 1.5 sacks for the entire year.