Seahawks C Justin Britt Tears ACL, Out for Remainder of Season

As initially feared, the Seahawks will have to continue their playoff push without the services of center Justin Britt.

According to coach Pete Carroll, an MRI confirmed Britt suffered a torn left ACL in Sunday’s 27-20 win over the Falcons and will miss the rest of the 2019 season. The 28-year old will need reconstructive knee surgery to repair the injury.

During Seattle’s opening drive in Atlanta, Britt’s left knee buckled on a run play and he dropped to the turf writhing in pain. He managed to limp off the field to the medical tent before being escorted to the locker room and the team quickly ruled out his return.

Fourth-year center Joey Hunt replaced Britt in the lineup and barring an unexpected trade before Tuesday’s deadline, he will take over as the starter for the rest of the season. Carroll didn’t rule out Ethan Pocic eventually returning as well, though he’s several week away from being eligible to be activated from injured reserve.

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In the meantime, Seattle will need to be proactive seeking a backup for Hunt. Kyle Fuller could be promoted from the practice squad or the team could look to sign a veteran free agent such as Marcus Martin, who spent time with the Seahawks in the preseason.

While it may be far too soon to consider such a scenario, there’s a chance Britt may have played his final game in a Seahawks uniform on Sunday. In the final year of his contract, his cap number will balloon north of $11 million and cutting him before June 1 would create $8.75 million in cap space.

Coming off a severe injury, Seattle may choose to go a cheaper route at the center position and use the money saved from cutting Britt to help fund extensions for players such as Jadeveon Clowney or Jarran Reed. That’s the harsh reality of the business aspect of the NFL.

If Hunt plays well in his eight-game audition over the next couple of months, he could position himself to retain the job in 2020. He’s three years younger and will be a restricted free agent in March, making him a far more affordable alternative for the organization in the short-term.

There’s also a possibility the Seahawks and Britt, if able to fully recover from surgery, could agree on extension that would significantly lower his cap hit for 2020.