Where Seahawks Stand With 2022 Salary Cap Ceiling Revealed
In yet another sign the NFL is pushing towards pre-2020 normalcy, the league and NFL Players Association reached an agreement on a $208.2 million salary cap ceiling for the 2022 season on Wednesday.
It remains unknown whether or not the salary cap will come close to approaching this number, which would be nearly $30 million higher than the $182.5 million cap set this year after the NFL primarily played without fans in 2020 due to the COVID-19 virus. But the expected hike in revenue is a positive development for teams, players, and agents as they look towards a brighter financial outlook after the pandemic subsides.
What does this latest revelation mean for the Seahawks? While general manager John Schneider and the front office have some big decisions looming in the near future, they should be in pretty good shape regardless of what the cap number winds up being next March.
According to OverTheCap.com, after navigating a challenging offseason with a shrunken cap, Seattle has only $160 million on the books with 47 players under contract - including quarterback Russell Wilson and linebacker Bobby Wagner - for the 2022 season. If the NFL reaches the projected cap ceiling, this would leave the franchise with $48 million in cap space, the 11th most among 32 teams.
That number is bound to change, of course. The Seahawks have several high profile players set to become free agents who need new contracts, with star safety Jamal Adams being the most notable. The fifth-year defender will be entering the final year of his rookie deal and has made it well-known he intends to become the highest-paid player at his position.
Coming off a strong first season in Seattle in which he broke Adrian Wilson's record for the most sacks by a defensive back in just 12 games, Adams views himself as a defensive "weapon" rather than a safety. Holding ample leverage with the draft now in the past, he will likely command $18-plus million per year on a multi-year extension, which would blow Cardinals safety Budda Baker's $14.75 million per year deal out of the water.
Assuming Adams gets the deal he desires from the Seahawks - the expected influx of revenue league-wide and a rising cap would help their cause - his new contract would eat up a significant chunk of the team's remaining cap room. But Schneider still should have plenty of money to play with to address other contractual roster-building obligations.
Among other top priorities, Seattle will need to decide what to do with Adams' running mate Quandre Diggs, who is also scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent next March. Only 28 years old and coming off his first Pro Bowl selection, the ball-hawking safety may be a coveted target in free agency if the team doesn't negotiate an extension and allows him to hit the market.
In addition, the Seahawks will have to determine whether or not long-time starting left tackle Duane Brown remains in future plans beyond next season. Though the 14-year veteran bounced back with a stellar 2020 campaign and earned a top-five grade from Pro Football Focus, he will turn 36 years old in August and has dealt with injuries in recent seasons. Fellow starting tackle Brandon Shell will also be a free agent, creating significant questions on the offensive line.
If Diggs and Brown both receive new contracts on top of an extension for Adams and/or a new deal for Shell, cap space will inevitably dry up quickly, depending on the cap hits associated with their respective deals. But the good news is that Seattle doesn't have any other big name stars or key contributors entering the final year of their deal.
To this point, punter Michael Dickson has been the only player from the Seahawks 2018 draft class who has played at a high level consistently and stayed healthy, and he should be affordable to re-sign. Other players from that class such as running back Rashaad Penny, defensive end Rasheem Green, tight end Will Dissly, cornerback Tre Flowers, and guard Jamarco Jones will all be playing for a second contract and none of them should break the bank if the team wants to retain them.
As for the 2019 class, receiver DK Metcalf will be eligible to begin negotiations for a next contract after the conclusion of the 2021 season. If he matches or eclipses his All-Pro production from a year ago, Seattle will have to open up the checkbook to lock him up long-term, as he could push for north of $20 million per year as one of the highest-paid players at his position.
If there's a silver lining to a new deal for Metcalf, the ramifications of a lucrative extension wouldn't be felt until 2023 when the NFL expects the salary cap to grow exponentially due to a new television deal and gambling-generated revenue.
Summing things up, Schneider will have some challenging negotiations on his plate over the next 12 months and beyond. In the event Wilson becomes discontent again next spring and trade rumors somehow resurface, that would throw another giant wrench into future plans.
But compared to most teams, the Seahawks should be able to retain most - if not all - of their critical stars on expiring contracts. With whatever money is left over, they should also still have enough financial flexibility to sign players such as Metcalf to extensions and potentially pursue other upgrades via free agency and the trade market to fortify their roster.
