Seahawks cut Shelby Harris, Quinton Jefferson, save $13M off cap, bring back Jon Rhattigan

The wrecking ball is swinging. The massive overhaul to the front seven of the Seahawks defense Pete Carroll and John Schneider promised is well underway.

Seattle officially released veteran defensive linemen Shelby Harris and Quinton Jefferson on Tuesday. The moves on the second day of the NFL’s free-agency period saves the team a total of $13.4 million against the 2023 salary cap.

The Seahawks used that cap space plus what Pro Bowl quarterback Geno Smith’s incentive-filled deal last week afforded them for the agreement Monday with younger defensive lineman Dre’Mont Jones. Jones is five years younger than the 31-year-old Harris and three years younger than Jefferson. He agreed to a $51 million, three-year deal with Seattle Monday night.

The spending on Jones, who has had at least five sacks in each of the last three seasons, is relatively luxurious by Seattle’s standards in free agency. The team usually waits until secondary waves of the market to sign players to short-term, lower-salary contracts.

First-wave Jones is considered by former NFL defensive back and ESPN analyst Matt Bowen No. 10 among the top 100 available free agents.

Harris played one season for the Seahawks after arriving from Denver in the trade of Russell Wilson to the Broncos last March. Seattle inherited his contract. It was scheduled to end after the 2023 season with a high cap charge of $12.1 million this year.

Jefferson, a fifth-round draft choice by the Seahawks in 2016, was productive last season. He had a career-high 5-1/2 sacks in 17 games.

Jones is younger and considered one of the league’s better interior defensive-line pass rushers.

The release of Harris and Jefferson and the additional cap space suggest the Seahawks aren’t done signing veterans.

The team remains interested in signing back Bobby Wagner.

General manager John Schneider said Friday on Seattle’s KIRO-AM radio he and coach Pete Carroll have talked to the free-agent linebacker and will continue to do so as free agency begins. The six-time All-Pro who turns 33 in June is also drawing interest from Dallas for the second consecutive spring, according to Ed Werder of ESPN.

Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn was one of Wagner’s most successful coordinators while Wagner was leading the Seahawks’ defense from the 2012 through ‘21 seasons.

Multiple league sources told The News Tribune at league’s scouting combine in Indianapolis two weeks ago the Seahawks are keenly interested in signing Wagner. His inside linebacker position is a prime need for Seattle.

Jordyn Brooks had surgery for an anterior cruciate ligament injury he sustained Jan. 1. Cody Barton, the Seahawks’ other starting inside linebacker in 2022 with Wagner gone, agreed on Monday to a free-agent contract with Washington.

Jon Rhattigan returning

A league source with direct knowledge of the transaction told the TNT on Tuesday morning the Seahawks mailed a tender offer to Jon Rhattigan. That keeps the exclusive-rights free agent inside linebacker and special-teams mainstay with Seattle for the 2023 season.

If the Seahawks hadn’t tendered him an offer, he could have become a free agent.

Rhattigan is the first West Point graduate to play for the Seahawks.

The 24-year-old veteran Seattle signed as undrafted rookie in 2021 will remain on a deferred-service agreement with the Department of the Army. That policy blessed by the Department of Defense allows service academy graduates the opportunity to play professional sports if they are drafted and signed into pro leagues. Rhattigan’s service as a lieutenant in the Army’s infantry branch is deferred until after he is done playing in the NFL.

Andre Carter in Seahawks’ plans?

West Point has another linebacker eligible for next month’s draft.

Some around the league see edge pass rusher Andre Carter, a teammate for a couple years of Rhattigan at West Point, as a possible top-50 pick in this draft.

NFL scouts see the artillery officer in the U.S. Military Academy Class of 2023 best suited as an outside linebacker rushing off the edge in a 3-4 defense.

That fits the Seahawks’ need and scheme.

Seattle has four choices in the top 52 of this draft, and five picks in the first 83 selections.

Rashaad Penny leaves

The NFC-champion Philadelphia Eagles agreed on a one-year contract with free-agent running back Rashaad Penny.

So ends the injury- and promise-filled time in Seattle for the Seahawks’ first-round pick in 2018.

Penny, who turned 27 last month, sustained a season-ending ankle injury in early October, during Seattle’s loss at New Orleans. He left the Superdome field that day in tears.

He let all know he was healthy again this winter. The Seahawks had some interest in bringing him back, but he got surprising early market interest and agreed to sign with Philadelphia on day two of the market’s negotiating period.

Multiple reports said the deal with the Eagles is for one season, a near-veteran-minimum $1.35 million with $600,000 guaranteed and a maximum value of $2.1 million, with incentives. It will become official on Wednesday, the first day of the league year.

Penny said goodbye to the Seahawks and the city online, on his Twitter account Tuesday.

“Seattle, I’m forever grateful… thank you for accepting me with open arms. It will always be love,” he posted, with a blue heart emoji.

The Seahawks will move on with Kenneth Walker as their lead rusher. The second-round pick last year is coming off a 1,000-yard season as a rookie.

Seattle needs depth behind Walker at a position of constant injury. Travis Homer, the team’s third-down running back in recent seasons, reportedly agreed to a free-agent deal with Chicago Tuesday.