Report: Seahawks expected to release Shelby Harris

In news that’s not surprising given the cryptic Instagram post a few days ago, the Seattle Seahawks are going to release defensive lineman Shelby Harris. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported the story early Monday.

Harris was easily one of Seattle’s best defensive linemen in 2022, playing in 15 games and registering 25 hurries (per PFF), five tackles for loss, and two sacks as a 3-tech DL. Seattle reaching the playoffs was an awesome achievement for Shelby, who’d never made it this far in his career. He had the misfortune of leaving the Oakland Raiders after 2015, the year before they ended their postseason appearance drought, and then joining the Denver Broncos two seasons into their current playoff drought.

The 31-year-old was set to make $9 million this season, the last of his contract, but the Seahawks will save that money by releasing him. However, they’ll take a $3.27 million dead money hit since that’s supposed to be his prorated bonus.

If Drew Lock doesn’t get re-signed, then Noah Fant will be the only player acquired from the Broncos in the Russell Wilson trade who’s still on the Seahawks roster. And even then, Fant’s had his fifth-year option picked up so this is his contract year. It was always about the draft picks anyway, right?