Preseason Cut/Trade Candidates for Seahawks to Track in NFC North
The Seahawks have a history of adding significant talent late in the offseason, at the end of the preseason, and even during the season. John Schneider may have done most of his heavy lifting already, but the esteemed general manager will not sit idly. Seattle still has needs to address and if the Jadeveon Clowney trade last August has taught us anything, it's that they'll be aggressive to make it happen.
Every preseason, veterans are cut and or traded, giving teams an opportunity to make late improvements to their roster. In this series, I will look at one player from each of the other 31 teams that could come to Seattle via a late trade or as a free agent castoff. Continuing our eight part series, let's look at the NFC North.
Green Bay Packers
The most obvious cut/trade candidate on the Packers right now is running back Jamaal Williams. The power runner will likely be usurped by second-round pick A.J. Dillon and cutting him could save the Packers $2 million. However, the Seahawks already signed Carlos Hyde, who runs with a similar style, and Chris Carson is expected to be ready to go by the start of the season. If there is an injury in the preseason, Williams could then make sense.
Aside from Williams, one other name to watch might be Lane Taylor, who began 2019 as the starting left guard for the Packers. But he was passed by Elgton Jenkins in Week 3 and he never got his job back. Taylor isn't a world-beater by any stretch, but the seven-year veteran has 49 starts under his belt and is a serviceable interior lineman.
Minnesota Vikings
Riley Reiff is set to earn $13.2 million for Minnesota this season and is their second-highest-paid player. But the Vikings can save $8.8 million by cutting him, and Vikings coach Mike Zimmer apparently considered moving Reiff to guard last year, according to Chad Graff of The Athletic.
Those whispers are sure to ramp up again after the Vikings selected Ezra Cleveland in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft. Reiff isn't a sure bet to be cut, but if Zimmer is happy with Cleveland and Pat Elfein, Reiff could be a solid alternative to Brandon Shell at right tackle and affordable if he hits the market as a free agent in early September.
Chicago Bears
The Bears have a few salary cap issues to work around, but they don't have an easy way to open up space. Allen Robinson could net the Bears another $11 million, but they aren't going to move Robinson this preseason. One wide receiver who might be available in Cordarrelle Patterson, a return specialist who could save the Bears $4.75 million in cap space.
Tight end Adam Shaheen is likely to be cut after the Bears signed Jimmy Graham and spent a second-round pick on Cole Kmet. But Shaheen hasn't been productive in three seasons and doesn't represent an upgrade at an already loaded position group for Seattle.
Detroit Lions
The Lions are a fascinating team to watch. Matt Patricia is coaching for his job and is largely viewed as a lame-duck coach. If they struggle early, names like Marvin Jones Jr., Duron Harmon, and Kerryon Johnson could be traded in October and may interest the Seahawks as midseason acquisitions.
But for now, they'll try to compete, meaning most of their talent will be sticking around through the pre-season. But one name to watch is a former first-round pick Jarrad Davis. The ex-Florida Gator linebacker hasn't blossomed as much as Patricia would have hoped and the Lions invested heavily at the linebacker position.
Pete Carroll loves players with a first-round pedigree and Davis can do a bit of everything for the defense. He recorded 196 combined tackles from 2018-2019 and even recorded 6.0 sacks in 2018. Davis was poorly graded in 2019 and struggled with injuries along the way. Seattle has flourished with "change of scenery" acquisitions and if Davis is one the chopping block, don't be surprised to see the Seahawks sniff around despite their loaded linebacker room.
