D.J. Fluker
The Seahawks are expected to make one more splash, either via trade or free agency, to acquire an impact pass rusher.
Whether that’s a reunion with Jadeveon Clowney, a trade for Yannick Ngakoue or Matthew Judon, or the team signing former USC star Everson Griffen remains to be seen, but regardless it will require a hefty chunk of the team’s cap space to get a deal done.
That’s where D.J. Fluker could come in to play, or rather his $4.2 million cap hit. There was always speculation that either Fluker or center Justin Britt, or both, could be cut to clear cap space – and the team’s decision to draft hulking right guard Damien Lewis from LSU in the third round is a good indication Fluker’s days in Seattle might be numbered.
“Yeah he will,” coach Pete Carroll said about Lewis competing to start at right guard. “He won’t take a back seat to anybody. He’s going to come in here and battle for it. We feel really good. That’s really part of the reason why we took him. We want him to come in here and battle to play. All of that competition will make us better.”
Lewis is a similar style player to Fluker, a massive right guard who excels in run-blocking but has work to do as a pass blocker.
He’s more cost-effective and less injury-prone however, and it stands to reason he could win the starting job in camp – which would allow the team to release Fluker and use that money to pay a new defensive end.