SEATTLE -- The Seahawks on Tuesday announced the releases of outside linebacker Dre'Mont Jones, defensive tackle Roy Robertson-Harris, safety Rayshawn Jenkins and offensive tackle George Fant -- anticipated moves that combine to save the team roughly $27 million in cap space.
And that may only be the start of their pre-free-agency salary purge, with signs pointing to wide receiver Tyler Lockett likely being released later this week barring an unexpected restructure of his contract.
Jones is the most significant of the four cuts Seattle announced Tuesday.
Not known as big spenders in free agency, the Seahawks made an out-of-character splurge to sign Jones in March of 2023, and it didn't pan out. He didn't miss a game in two seasons, but with only 8.5 sacks and 12 tackles for loss in that span, he didn't have the impact that was expected when Seattle made him the priciest free agent addition in franchise history with a three-year, $51.53 million deal.
After playing both defensive tackle and end in 2023, Jones, 28, dropped weight to play more of an outside linebacker role in Mike Macdonald's defense last year. The Seahawks hoped Macdonald's penchant for moving around defenders up front would help unlock Jones, but he played predominantly on the edge and recorded 4.0 sacks while dealing with a shoulder injury for much of the year.
Jones was set to make $16.51 million in 2025, none of which was guaranteed. If the Seahawks are making him a standard release, the move will save $11.57 million in cap space and come with a dead cap charge of $14.1 million.
The Seahawks acquired Robertson-Harris, 31, last October in a trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars, giving up a 2026 sixth-round pick in order to improve the depth along their defensive line. He finished with zero sacks and one tackle for loss in 11 games with Seattle as his playing time diminished significantly in November and December.
Robertson-Harris was set to make a non-guaranteed $6.6 million in 2025. The Seahawks will save that amount in cap space with his release, which leaves behind no dead money.
Jenkins joined the Seahawks last March on a two-year, $12 million deal to start alongside Julian Love. He missed four games in the middle of the season with a left hand injury and was replaced by Coby Bryant, whose emergence relegated Jenkins to the No. 3 safety role upon his return from injured reserve.
The Seahawks gave Jenkins, 31, permission to seek a trade, but nothing materialized. He was set to make a non-guaranteed $5.4 million in 2025. His release saves Seattle $5.28 million in cap space while leaving behind $2.5 million in dead money.
The Seahawks got only 30 snaps out of Fant after signing him to a two-year, $9.1 million deal last March as a hedge at right tackle with Abe Lucas coming off knee surgery. Fant, 32, hurt his knee in the opener then aggravated the injury when he came back in November, sidelining him for the rest of the season.
Fant was set to make a non-guaranteed $3.8 million in 2025. With his release, the Seahawks will save that amount against the cap while taking on $1.85 million in dead money.
Before Tuesday's cuts, the Seahawks were around $6.8 million over the 2025 spending limit, according to OverTheCap. More moves are likely coming before the start of free agency next week.
With Lockett and the Seahawks apparently headed for a split, the team has been discussing a reworked deal with Uchenna Nwosu that would lower the outside linebacker's $21.17 million cap charge.
The Seahawks also had preliminary discussions with Geno Smith's agent at the combine about a new deal. General manager John Schneider told reporters in Indianapolis that they hope to extend the veteran quarterback -- which would lower his $44.5 million cap charge -- though it's not clear if that will happen before the start of free agency.