Seahawks’ Uchenna Nwosu signs three-year extension
On the eve of the beginning of training camp, the Seahawks secured one of their best defensive players — rush end/outside linebacker Uchenna Nwosu — for three more years while also creating some needed salary cap space.
The Seahawks officially announced the signing Monday night.
Nwosu, who was entering the final season of a two-year contract he signed in 2022 as a free agent from the Chargers, signed a deal worth up to $59 million that includes $32 million guaranteed, his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, confirmed to The Seattle Times.
Nwosu, 26, was due to make a $7.5 million base salary in 2023 on a contract that included a cap hit of $13.010 million.
While a full breakdown of Nwosu’s was not yet available, a source said the extension will bring down his cap number for 2023, with some speculation it could be by as much as at least $5 million.
A report from Pro Football Focus stated that Nwosu’s 2023 salary is included in the $59 million figure and that the new money works out to roughly $45 million over the three added years on the deal of 2024, 2025 and 2026.
The Seahawks entered the day with just $7.1 million in available cap space and there had been speculation the team might look to redo Nwosu’s deal as a way to free up some cap room.
Advertising
Seattle needed to create some space to sign first-round pick Devon Witherspoon and second-round pick Zach Charbonnet, who each have yet to sign their four-year rookie deals.
Witherspoon’s contract is expected to carry a cap hit of $5.7 million for the 2023 season and Charbonnet’s $1.25 million.
The Seahawks are set to open training camp Wednesday with players reporting on Tuesday, and Seattle will undoubtedly hope to have all under contract by the first practice.
But the contract also simply keeps a young, ascending player in the fold for the long-term — Nwosu will now be under contract with Seattle through the 2026 season.
Nwosu tied with Darrell Taylor for the team lead in sacks last season with 9.5 and led the team with 26 quarterback hits, which was tied for ninth in the NFL.
Advertising
Nwosu signed a two-year contract worth up to $19.05 million in March 2022 after four years with the Chargers.
After making 9.5 sacks in 30 games in his final two years with the Chargers, Nwosu matched that total in 17 games last season when he also made a career-high 66 tackles.
Nwosu began his Seahawks career by earning NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors following the first game of the season when he helped lead a win over Russell Wilson and the Denver Broncos with seven tackles, one sack, two QB hits and a forced fumble at the Seattle 1-yard line.
The extension continues an offseason in which the Seahawks have spent handsomely to try to upgrade the defensive front seven for the long-term.
Seattle signed free-agent defensive end Dre’Mont Jones to a three-year deal worth just over $51 million in March, the most the Seahawks paid an external free agent in the Pete Carroll/John Schneider era, while also bringing back defensive lineman Jarran Reed, signing him to a two-year deal worth up to $9 million, and also taking edge Derick Hall of Auburn with the 37th overall pick in the second round.
This story will be updated.
Source: The Seattle Times
