The Seahawks have released defensive end Chris Clemons, reports Albert Breer of the NFL Network (via Twitter). The move had been anticipated, as Clemons is coming off a down year and was slated to have a cap hit of about $9.667MM in 2014.
Clemons, 32, recorded at least 11 sacks in his first three seasons with the Seahawks, but recovery from a torn ACL slowed him down in 2013, resulting in just 4.5 sacks and a -7.7 grade from Pro Football Focus (subscription required), which placed him 42nd among 52 qualified 4-3 defensive ends. While he’s a good candidate to bounce back in 2014, the Seahawks will create $7.5MM in cap savings by releasing him, which could clear space for another defensive line addition. The team has been linked to Jared Allen and Jason Hatcher, among others.
The Jaguars, coached by former Seattle defensive coordinator Gus Bradley, are probably a good bet to show interest in Clemons now that he’s an unrestricted free agent.