As the President likes to say, a budget is a reflection of values. The same can be said for NFL teams and how they utilize the salary cap. Some teams are free spenders in the trenches, investing their resources to dominate at the line of scrimmage. The 49ers are one and it’s working pretty well for them. As for the Seahawks, nobody is spending more money at the safety position. Let’s see how they compare to the competition.
Here’s where Seattle ranks in spending at each position compared to the rest of the league. Figures courtesy of Over the Cap.
Quarterback: No. 15
Between Geno Smith and Drew Lock, the Seahawks are spending $14,100,000. That puts them right in the middle of the pack. If they decide to draft a quarterback in the first round, that’ll add another several million.
Running back: No. 31
With only Ken Walker, DeeJay Dallas and Darwin Thompson currently on the books, Seattle is near the bottom of the league in this department, only spending $3,992,141. That number will go up after they draft a running back and likely add another veteran.
Wide receiver: No. 9
As is appropriate, Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf take up a good chunk of the Seahawks’ cap room. Combined with the rest of the receiver corps, they cost a gtotal of $35,478,960. If they can find a true WR3 in the draft they will likely be near the top of the league.
Tight end: No. 5
Seattle has three quality tight ends on the roster in Will Dissly, Noah Fant and Colby Parkinson. Together they cost $18,087,610. Taking advantage of a deep draft class of tight ends could stretch this even further.
Offensive line: No. 31
Seattle has the second-cheapest offensive line in the league right now, coming in at a total of $19,980,750. Having two starting offensive tackles on rookie contracts certainly helps. Only the Titans are spending less.
Interior defensive line: No. 21
The Seahawks are in the middle of a total overhaul of their interior defensive line rotation. At the moment they’re spending $18,381,666. Odds are they will be drafting a couple more, though – so expect that figure to rise.
Edge: No. 20
On the edge the Seahawks only have one real contributor who’s not on a rookie contract and Uchenna Nwosu could use some help. For now, they’re spending $20,656,392 at this position.
Linebacker: No. 7
Seattle went cheap at linebacker last year and quickly discovered why that’s a dicy proposition. After letting Cody Barton walk and signing Devin Bush and Bobby Wagner, they’re currently spending $17,303,147 at linebacker.
Cornerback: No. 30
Nothing helps build a contender like a superstar on a rookie contract, and Seattle’s spending at cornerback reflects that. With two rookies and an RFA slated to start, they’re only at $5,755,172 at this position.
Safety: No. 1
Pete Carroll has never been shy about using resources at safety, and it’s more true now than ever. Seattle already ranked No. 1 in spending at this spot before they signed Julian Love. Now they’re at $43,621,333, which is almost $15 million more than the next-highest team.
