Seahawks release J’Marcus “Cary Williams” Webb

From what I see on Twitter and Instagram, offensive lineman J’Marcus Webb seems like a pretty sweet dude. That’s what makes it more difficult to say that he’s a pretty bad NFL player. Because of that, the Seahawks opted to release Webb on Tuesday, ending a nine-month partnership that began in March with a two-year contract.

Webb’s $2.4 million salary this season was fully guaranteed, and he will still count $600,000 against the cap in 2017, but keeping him after he looked set to be a healthy scratch for the rest of the season may not have been the best move for Seattle and certainly does not jive with their normal m.o. in these situations. Keeping Webb around simply because they paid him a lot of money that they couldn’t get back no matter what is like trying to get six more months out of your jorts after the crotch blows out because you think you didn’t get your $35 worth yet.

In a similar situation, the team released cornerback Cary Williams last December 7 despite signing him to a three-year, $18 million deal last March; the team is still paying him $2.3 million against the cap this season.

The Seahawks “big” answer to losing Russell Okung and J.R. Sweezy in free agency, while also moving Justin Britt from left guard to center and trying to find competition for Garry Gilliam at tackle, was signing Webb despite him getting pretty low marks in Chicago, Minnesota, and Oakland during his first six seasons in the NFL. Webb ended up not being in contention for left tackle (which went to the low-key signing of Bradley Sowell), not standing a chance at left guard against Mark Glowinski, losing right guard to rookie Germain Ifedi once he was healthy, and not being able to take snaps away from the struggling Gilliam at right tackle. On Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles, Webb was a healthy scratch while rookie Rees Odhiambo was active and played some at left tackle after rookie George Fant was injured.

At that point, it became obvious that Webb probably wouldn’t last the week in Seattle.

There was no good reason to keep him around, especially as the team scrambles to find a roster spot for a running back with C.J. Prosise and Troymaine Pope not going on injured reserve. He had lost jobs to three rookies and a journeyman tackle who didn’t get a snap in like two years with the Arizona Cardinals. It may be a struggle for Webb to find work again after not being able to crack what some call, the worst offensive line in football.

Looking ahead to next season, Seattle may actually have their left tackle (Fant), left guard (Glowinski), center (Britt), right guard (Ifedi) already mapped out. Odhiambo could play tackle or perhaps move to right guard and slide Ifedi out to right tackle. There doesn’t seem to be a good reason to expect Joey Hunt to usurp Britt just yet. But the Seahawks might actually have a lot of continuity and youth on the offensive line for 2017.

And no Webb. No matter how chill he may be.