Important Deadline Lurking as Seahawks Try to Bolster Pass Rush

If the Seahawks want to pursue a second pass rusher such as Everson Griffen to team up with Jadeveon Clowney, they'll need to make cap space. To get the job done, some tough choices may need to be made on Friday.

Free agency has slowed to be a bit of a lull over the past 24 hours, but a deadline may spur action from the Seahawks heading into the weekend.

Still involved in ongoing discussions with free agent Jadeveon Clowney about a new contract, Seattle also has its sights set on veteran defensive end Everson Griffen, who announced via Instagram he won't be returning to Minnesota. In a perfect scenario, general manager John Schneider could find a way to pair Clowney and Griffin as starting bookends in 2020.

However, aside from Clowney, Griffen is the only other top tier defensive end left and now that he's declared his availability, there's a good chance he's going to get strong offers from other teams. The Seahawks currently don't have much financial flexibility, as OverTheCap.com lists them with $18.296 million in cap space currently.

For Schneider to be able to double dip with two top veteran rushers, he and the front office team led by esteemed numbers cruncher Matt Thomas will have to make some tough choices. Seattle has several veterans who could be released to create ample cap room, including center Justin Britt.

The problem? Well, if the Seahawks can't agree to terms with Britt on a restructure and decide to release him to open up $8.5 million in cap space, they would want to do so before 1 PM PST today.

Britt, along with linebacker K.J. Wright and tackle Duane Brown, is scheduled to receive a $1 million roster bonus on Sunday, March 22. If he's still on the roster or hasn't had his deal altered in a few hours, he will receive that money.

Seattle may not want to move on from Britt or Wright, which opens the door for the team to release tight end Ed Dickson and possibly safety Tedric Thompson, who has been given permission to seek a trade. But those moves alone probably wouldn't be enough to retain Clowney and add another top pass rusher such as Griffen.

To truly maximize their cap savings, the clock is ticking towards this afternoon's deadline and it'll be worth watching to see if the Seahawks decide to make a bold move with an expensive veteran to facilitate other moves.