Seahawks Restructure Quandre Diggs Contract, Free Up Cap Space
Continuing to open up cap space before the start of training camp on Wednesday, according to the player himself, the Seattle Seahawks restructured safety Quandre Diggs' contract, converting his base salary into a signing bonus.
The move marks the second restructure orchestrated by the franchise this offseason, as they changed receiver Tyler Lockett's base salary for 2023 to a signing bonus in May.
While terms of this latest restructure have yet to be officially announced, per OverTheCap.com, Seattle could create as much as $6.162 million in instant cap relief if his entire base salary is converted to a signing bonus. Doing so would increase Diggs' cap hit in 2024 by the same amount, however, putting more financial burden on the team in the final year of his contract.
Coming off his third straight Pro Bowl season, Diggs has been one of the NFL's best free safeties since being acquired by the Seahawks prior to the trade deadline in 2019. In four seasons with the franchise, he has registered 17 interceptions in just 55 games, the third-highest total in the league during that span behind only J.C. Jackson and Justin Simmons.
Last season, despite not picking off a pass in Seattle's first 10 games after recovering from a fractured ankle during the offseason, Diggs returned to his ball-hawking ways with four interceptions in the final seven games, extending his streak to six straight years with three or more picks. This included a game-saving interception against Baker Mayfield and the Rams to help seal a victory in the season finale and clinch a wild card berth.
According to Pro Football Focus, Diggs ranked first among qualified safeties in completion percentage, coverage yards allowed, and receptions allowed last season, continuing to be a force taking away seams and post routes from his centerfield post. He also tallied 71 tackles, a forced fumble, and three pass breakups, eventually receiving a handful of All-Pro votes for his efforts.
Following Diggs' announcement, the Seahawks have made two significant cap-manufacturing moves in less than 24 hours. On Monday, the team locked up pass rusher Uchenna Nwosu on a three-year, $59 million extension, tying him to the team through the 2026 season.
The timing could not have been better for Seattle, as rookies Devon Witherspoon and Zach Charbonnet have yet to sign their rookie contracts and without Nwosu's extension or Diggs' restructured deal, the team would have been close to plunging into the red salary cap-wise. Now, they should be able to sign both players before Wednesday's first practice and in addition, they have enough financial flexibility to add a veteran or two to the roster.
Most notably, defensive tackle Shelby Harris, who the Seahawks acquired as part of the Russell Wilson trade before the 2022 season, remains unsigned after being waived as a cap casualty back in March. One of the team's more productive defensive linemen last year, he generated 30 quarterback pressures and four pass breakups. His leadership value cannot be understated either, as his effort and passion for the game made him a popular presence in the locker room.
With more than $11 million potentially created in cap space, bringing back Harris would now be financially feasible. Seattle could also choose to go a different direction signing or trading for another veteran at a position of need, but the timing of these moves suggest another domino could fall in the near future.
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