Seahawks restructure David Moore’s contract to create more salary-cap space
This is how teams create salary-cap space when none seems available.
On a day it became known unsigned free agent Jadeveon Clowney fired his agent again, the Seahawks restructured the contract of veteran wide receiver David Moore to keep him in their wide-receiver and special-teams mix for the 2020. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported the news Saturday morning, hours before Seattle had to set its initial, 5-man roster for the regular season.
Moore, 25, had been scheduled to earn $2.13 million his season. That was from him signing his tender offer as a restricted free agent this spring.
Now the Seahawks have renegotiated Moore’s contract to count less than that $2.13 million against the salary cap this season.
Seattle had an estimated $14.8 million in salary-cap space for 2020 before Moore’s restructure, according to overthecap.com.
The Seahawks value the three-year veterans for his ability to as a kick and punt returner. He is an option to spell number-one wide receiver Tyler Lockett in the return game. Moore has also gained the trust of quarterback Russell Wilson in the offense.
The Seahawks drafted Moore in the seventh round from small East Central University in Oklahoma, in 2017. He emerged in November 2018 with four touchdowns in three games as a bigger, rugged target outside Wilson threw to in key situations.
The Seahawks have used the restructuring of contracts as a way to acquire veterans in the past. Wilson did it in October 2017, so the team could trade for Pro Bowl veteran left tackle Duane Brown and take on his contract. Wilson converted some of his salary that count directly against the cap in each year into bonus money the team could spread across the remaining years of his contract. It’s an accounting trick within the rules of the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement.
Restricted free agents and veterans with the largest salary-cap charges are the most likely candidates to restructure deals.
Jacob Hollister is another RFA the Seahawks could ask to restructure his one-year deal. The tight end who because of injuries became a surprise and essential asset to the passing game in his debut season with Seattle is scheduled to earn $3.26 million this year. Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer likes the 6-foot-4, 245-pound Hollister’s versatility in formations, his ability to split outside wide and inside as a slot receiver wider than a typical tight end on the line.
