Seahawks Release Jamal Adams, Quandre Diggs, Dissly Ahead of 2024 NFL Free Agency

With NFL free agency set to open in just over a week on March 13, the Seattle Seahawks are releasing multiple veterans, including two of their top defensive backs.

The Seahawks announced Tuesday they are releasing safeties Jamal Adams and Quandre Diggs as well as tight end Will Dissly.

NFL Network's Tom Pelissero first reported the news, noting the Adams and Diggs transactions will save the team $27.5 million in cap space. Pelissero added releasing Dissly will save an additional $7 million.

Per ESPN's Brady Henderson, Seahawks general manager John Schneider said earlier this offseason that he was anticipating a salary cap of $249 million. After the league announced a higher-than-expected spending limit of $255.4 million for each team and a restructure of Seattle quarterback Geno Smith's contract, the team had just $12 million in cap space, the 11th-lowest amount in the NFL.

Tuesday's moves provided some much-needed relief for the Seahawks, who are entering a new era under first-year head coach Mike Macdonald after he was hired to replace Pete Carroll.

Both Adams and Diggs are three-time Pro Bowlers and were acquired by the Seahawks via trades. Seattle sent a fifth-round pick to the Detroit Lions for Diggs in 2020, but the team gave up much more for Adams.

In one of the more lopsided deals of the modern era, the Seahawks sent a package that included two first-round picks to the New York Jets to acquire Adams in 2020. A year later, Seattle made him the league's highest-paid safety by signing him to a four-year, $70 million extension.

Unfortunately, that move did not pay off on the field, as Adams struggled to stay healthy in recent years. He was limited to 12 games in 2021 due to a re-torn labrum in his left shoulder, and a torn quad in the 2022 season opener forced him to miss the rest of that year. He played only nine games in 2023 before being shut down in December.

The Seahawks' castoffs will look for new homes in free agency.