Notebook: Seahawks, Uchenna Nwosu rework contract to clear up salary cap space
SEATTLE – When the Seattle Seahawks announced earlier this week that outside linebacker/rush end Uchenna Nwosu was changing his jersey number to 7 to accommodate new receiver Cooper Kupp’s desire to keep his No. 10, it indicated that Nwosu was still in the team’s plans for 2025.
Late Wednesday night, the steps the team and Nwosu took to redo his contract and assure he stays with the Seahawks in 2025 were revealed.
Nwosu agreed to a new two-year contract worth up to $19.5 million that includes a $6.99 million pay cut that lowered his cap hit from $21.2 million to $11.8 million, giving the Seahawks an additional $9.4 million in cap space for 2025.
In return for the pay cut, as first reported by OvertheCap.com, Nwosu received $6.98 million in guarantees, including a $4 million signing bonus and a $2.98 million base salary. Nwosu was due a base salary of $14.48 for 2025 as part of a three-year contract worth up to $45 million he signed in 2023.
The bonus also adds $2 million to Nwosu’s cap hit for 2026 to $20.018 million with no guaranteed money.
That means both sides could be back at the negotiating table again a year from now. But it assures Nwosu’s spot on the team in 2025 while giving the Seahawks some cap relief.
As of Thursday morning, the Seahawks had just over $70 million in cap space.
But that was with some big contracts still not accounted for by OTC, including those of Sam Darnold, Kupp and defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence, the three biggest deals the Seahawks agreed to during the free agent signing period.
Seahawks General Manager John Schneider confirmed last month at the NFL scouting combine that the team was negotiating a new deal with Nwosu.
That came in the wake pushing back a deadline (originally Feb. 14) when Nwosu was due $6 million for an injury guarantee in his contract.
Nwosu’s future came into question because of his big cap hits for 2025 and 2026 following two seasons in which he has played just 12 of a possible 34 regular-season games because of several injuries.
Nwosu signed his current deal following his first season with the Seahawks in 2022 when he had 9.5 sacks.
Still just 28, Nwosu looms as a big part of the Seahawks’ pass rush and defensive plans if healthy and his new contract helps clarify for the team its needs heading into the draft.
Nwosu wore No. 10 his first three seasons with the Seahawks but is giving that up this year after making a deal with Kupp. No. 7 was his high school number.
“He’s got a foundation that’s doing some really good stuff here in the community, and it was important for that to be part of this change,” Kupp explained Tuesday. “He was great to work with, and (I was) able to donate to his foundation and make sure that he felt good about that. He mentioned he’s played his best football in No. 10, and it had been important to him, and just his time in Seattle and clearly the community was an important part of this whole thing. So I respect his desires.”
Jenkins signs with Browns
The Seahawks’ search for a veteran to add to the interior of their offensive line no longer includes Teven Jenkins. Jenkins, who visited Seattle earlier this week, is signing with the Cleveland Browns, who announced the signing Thursday afternoon.
Jenkins, a second-round pick of the Bears in 2021 at 39th overall, was regarded as the best guard remaining on the free-agent market. It was not immediately clear the details of Jenkins’ contract.
WR Gallup signs with Washington
Former Cowboys receiver Michael Gallup, who reportedly had a visit with the Seahawks recently as he looks to restart his NFL career, has signed with the Washington Commanders, according to multiple reports Thursday.
Gallup agreed to a one-year deal for the league veteran minimum of $1.33 million, according to reports.