Seahawks C Justin Britt Making Strides in ACL Recovery
Among several Seahawks rehabbing from serious injuries this offseason, center Justin Britt appears to be making positive strides in his return from a season-ending torn ACL.
Posting several images on Instagram, Britt can be seen sporting a brace on his surgically repaired left knee while lifting weights. It's a significant step in his recovery nearly four months after going under the knife.
Britt, 28, suffered the injury during Seattle's opening drive in a 27-20 win over Atlanta in Week 8. He was placed on injured reserve and underwent reconstructive knee surgery in November, failing to play in 15 or more regular season games for the first time in his six-year NFL career.
At the conclusion of the season, coach Pete Carroll indicated Britt was "making very good progress," but still faced a long road back to full health and didn't offer up an assessment on when he could return to the field.
"He’s very active in here, so we know that he’s working hard at it," Carroll said. "He should be able to get back on normal schedule. After you get about five or six months into it, you have to kind of figure out what’s going on. So, I don’t know how that’s going to turn for him.”
Coming off a severe injury with one year left on his current contract, there's been plenty of speculation about Britt's future in Seattle. Set to earn a base salary of $8.25 million in 2020, he will carry a cap hit north of $11 million if he's on the roster next season.
Prior to tearing his ACL, Britt had been one of the Seahawks most durable, consistent players, having missed just one game in his previous five seasons. He's also a widely respected leader in the locker room and along the offensive line, making moving on from him far more difficult.
However, even though Seattle already has nearly $50 million in cap space, an additional $8 million in cap room would be created by cutting Britt, which could aid in helping the team address other needs such as signing a top-tier pass rusher or a right tackle.
If Britt continues to progress and looks to be on track to return to action by training camp, the Seahawks could also explore an extension or restructuring his deal to lower his cap hit. Regardless, his status with the team will be a story line to monitor closely over the next few weeks heading into free agency.
