The Seahawks made a pair of roster moves Friday, one of which for now solves whatever kicking competition the team might have had, waiving kicker Sam Ficken and linebacker Emmanuel Beal.
Ficken signed as a free agent in January to a minimum-salary non-guaranteed deal worth $495,000 for one season as the team began searching for replacements for veteran Sebastian Janikowski. But in March, Seattle signed Jason Myers to a four-year contract worth up to $15.45 million
Seattle might well sign another kicker to give Myers some competition in training camp, but the fact that Myers is getting $5.5 million guaranteed — including his 2019 base salary of $1.5 million — and made the Pro Bowl last season all but assures he will be the guy. Ficken spent parts of the past two seasons with the Rams and was signed by Seattle following a workout with the Seahawks. Janikowski remains unsigned.
Beal signed last spring as an undrafted rookie free agent out of Oklahoma and then spent the season on injured reserve.
Each of the moves comes as the Seahawks prepare to open their official offseason workout program Monday. The program is technically voluntary, but most players attend most or all, and especially any who are fighting for a roster spot.
Seattle waiving each player Friday might just be the Seahawks giving each a shot to land elsewhere with all teams in their offseason programs next week (teams who have new coaches were able to begin their programs as early as April 1).
The moves give the Seahawks 67 players under contract, according to the official salary cap information from the National Football League Players Association. Teams can have a maximum of 90 players on their roster in the offseason.