Seeking Cap Space, Seahawks Restructure DT Shelby Harris' Contract

The timing of the restructure suggests Seattle may have another roster move coming in the near future. Could it be for a certain quarterback or extending a star receiver?

During the midst of mandatory minicamp, the Seahawks have made a fascinating contract-related decision that suggests a big roster move could be coming soon.

According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Seattle restructured veteran defensive tackle Shelby Harris' contract, creating $3.26 million in cap space. According to OverTheCap.com, the team now has an estimated $20.3 million in total cap room.

In the past, Seahawks general manager John Schneider has not been a fan of restructuring contracts and kicking salary down the road. However, the organization will have Wilson's contract coming off the books next season and has the cap space to absorb a bigger cap hit for Harris in 2023 if they need additional space for the present.

With this in mind, the choice to restructure Harris' contract will fuel speculation on multiple fronts. Why do this unless the money is needed to acquire a player? Maybe a certain disgruntled quarterback in Cleveland, for example? Or a star pass rusher?

On the quarterback front, the Seahawks have been linked to former No. 1 pick Baker Mayfield ever since Wilson was dealt and the Browns acquired Deshaun Watson from the Texans more than two months ago. With Drew Lock and Geno Smith currently competing for the starting job, it's possible the coaching staff has seen enough already that they want to add another proven veteran signal caller to the mix and may be revisiting the possibility of trading for the Heisman winner.

As for pass rushers, rumors swirled about Robert Quinn wanting out of Chicago weeks after the draft, though such speculation has cooled recently. Coming off an 18.5 sack season in 2021, he would be an intriguing scheme fit with Seattle leaning more heavily on 3-4 looks and could team up with Darrell Taylor, Uchenna Nwosu, and rookie Boye Mafe to form a formidable pass rushing quartet. Other players could be in consideration as well.

It's also possible the Seahawks simply wanted additional cap space to help facilitate an extension for star receiver DK Metcalf, who opted not to report for minicamp this week while seeking a new contract. A.J. Brown, who was acquired by the Eagles during the 2022 NFL Draft and signed an extension with his new team, saw his cap hit go up by more than $1 million for next season. Depending on the structure of the extension, Metcalf's cap hit could see a similar spike.

Regardless of the motive, Schneider's decision to execute a restructure and open up more than $3 million in immediate cap space signals another move is imminent.

Harris, 30, spent the past five seasons with the Broncos before being acquired by the Seahawks in March as part of the blockbuster Russell Wilson trade. In 83 career games over seven NFL seasons, he's produced 217 tackles, 22.5 sacks, and 25 pass deflections, stuffing the stat sheet as a versatile all-around defensive tackle. He's expected to compete for a starting spot with Poona Ford, Quinton Jefferson, and L.J. Collier.