Seahawks won't pick up Bruce Irvin's option, per report

The Seahawks don't plan on picking up Bruce Irvin's fifth-year option, according to NFL insider Ian Rapoport. Irvin, as the 15th pick of the 2012 Draft, would be due $7.8 million in 2016 with the option, but if the team does indeed decline to go that route, this will be Irvin's contract year.

Irvin had 37 tackles, 6.5 sacks, and 2 pick-sixes in 2014 playing the SAM spot on base downs and as a pass rusher on third downs. He's highly athletic and has been a versatile member of the defense, and seemed to come into his own last year for the Seahawks, but as you surely know, this front office has plenty of mouths to feed. With Russell Wilson and Bobby Wagner both approaching free agency, perhaps getting those deals done under the cap takes precedence.

Of course, the Seahawks could still extend Bruce Irvin long-term even without picking up his option, and may decide to do that instead, pushing out the bigger cap hits into 2017 and 2018. For now, with Irvin in the final year of his deal (per this report), you'll surely see a motivated player out there.

If Irvin did move on after 2015, the Seahawks could look to replace him with two separate players at lower costs (and potentially lower production, obviously) -- one pure SAM linebacker and one pure situational pass rusher.

Regardless, even if this reports ends up true, there is still a lot that has to play out before Irvin goes anywhere.

The Seahawks declined to pick up 2011 first-rounder James Carpenter's fifth-year option last year and then let him walk in free agency this offseason.