Huard: 2 likely cap casualties Seahawks should keep an eye on

While much of the offseason focus has been on pending free agents and top-end draft prospects, there’s another group of players who could have a big impact on the offseason for the Seahawks and the other 31 NFL teams.

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Those players are ones who may be released from their remaining contracts as “cap casualties.” Every year we see a number of solid and veteran players get released and hit the open market, and this offseason should be no exception.

When looking across the league at potential cap casualties who the Seahawks could use on their roster, former NFL quarterback Brock Huard pointed to two players – one on each side of the ball – that he thinks we should be keeping an eye on.

“So as you kind of look to put your team together and think, ‘OK, where can I get a starter? Where can I get a difference maker?’ it can be maybe a little harder in the interior offensive line,” Huard said during the Blue 88 segment of Thursday’s Brock and Salk on Seattle Sports. “… Andrus Peat, big boy, powerful guy.”

Peat, 29, was an All-American offensive tackle at Stanford before becoming the No. 13 overall pick by the New Orleans Saints in 2015. While he was an offensive tackle in college, Peat has been a guard in the NFL, which is likely an area of need for the Seahawks as Phil Haynes is a free agent and fellow right guard Gabe Jackson may be a cap casualty for Seattle.

As things currently stand, the Saints are $55 million over the cap, according to OverTheCap.com, while Peat has two years remaining on his contract.

“Been on one of the best offensive lines in the game in New Orleans,” Huard said. “New Orleans – cap purgatory. Going to have to cut guys. He more than likely will be a cap casualty. He’s a little bit banged up now, a little like Gabe Jackson … But that’s a big, powerful interior guy that I’m gonna keep an eye on from a cap casualty standpoint.”

On defense, Huard thinks the Seahawks could add a former UW Huskies linebacker if he’s cut by his current team, which is also in the NFC South.

“The guy’s got West Coast background and has been a playmaker and has still been a playmaker and that’s Shaq Thompson, linebacker for Carolina,” Huard said.

Thompson, 28, was an All-American at Washington before the Panthers took him in the first round in 2015.

Inside linebacker is an area of need for the Seahawks and their 3-4 defense as Jordyn Brooks tore his ACL late in the season and fellow starter Cody Barton is a pending free agent.

Thompson is entering the final year of his contract and while he’d have a dead cap hit of over $11 million, there’d also be a cap savings of over $13 million, per Spotrac. The Panthers also have a brand new coaching staff coming in.

“He played on a very good defense (and he’s) super explosive. Is he what he was when he was 23 athletically? No … But is he still a difference-maker at that second level? Is he a guy whose cap number is going to grow to the point they’re going to have to probably cut him or restructure him? I’d keep an eye on Shaq Thompson if I’m a Seahawks fan,” Huard said.

Listen to the second hour of Thursday’s Brock and Salk at this link or in the player below.

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