The Seattle Seahawks overhauled their defense after hiring new head coach Mike Macdonald. In order to clear much-needed cap space, the Seahawks released safety Quandre Diggs in March.
Diggs still had one year left on his $39 million contract. He was owed a $10.4 million salary this season with a cap hit of $21.2 million. By cutting the 31-year-old veteran, the Seahawks cleared $11 million in cap space in 2024.
Two months later, Diggs remains a free agent. However, The Athletic’s Randy Mueller predicts he’ll ultimately land with his former team, the Detroit Lions.
“He hasn’t missed a game since 2019, and he’s played at least 97% of the defensive snaps in three consecutive seasons, despite suffering a broken leg in the 2021 finale,” Mueller wrote. “He had a career-high 95 tackles last season, his first-step quickness is still a plus, and his instincts for reading and breaking on things from the post make him a good fit in zone coverage for most teams.
“I actually think a return to the Motor City, where he spent his first five years in the league, would make some sense. The Lions have remade their secondary, especially at corner, and a veteran communicator could be just what the doctor ordered to bring the back end together.
Quandre Diggs is a really interesting free agent. I didn’t see any drop in athletic ability last season, but the landmarks in Seattle’s defense were just… odd at times. There are times when your “off year” isn’t all your responsibility. @qdiggs6
“Diggs made good money in Seattle, so perhaps he would be willing to take a discount to join a contender, and his prior ties to the Lions could be helpful. He would fit seamlessly into their new culture under Dan Campbell.”
The three-time Pro Bowler started 72 games in Seattle over the past four-plus seasons. In 2023, he registered 95 total tackles, 5 passes defensed, and 1 interception. During his tenure in Seattle, he tallied a total of 18 interceptions.
Seahawks News: Quandre Diggs Put the Lions on Blast Following His Unexpected Trade to Seattle
GettyFormer Lions safety Quandre Diggs at Ford Field on October 7, 2018.
The Lions selected Diggs in the sixth round of the 2015 NFL draft. Under then-head coach Jim Caldwell, the Texas alum entered the 2016 NFL season as the Lions’ No. 1 nickelback. However, after Matt Patricia took over in 2018, things soured between Diggs and Detroit.
Diggs’ teammates expressed “shock” when the Lions suddenly traded their team captain to Seattle in October 2019. The veteran told reporters he was initially “blindsided” by the decision. Speaking to the Detroit Free Press, “I think it was more of just a control thing,” Diggs said. “Them wanting to control the locker room. Control the locker room, control voices in the locker room.”
“I’m a vocal guy,” Diggs said. “I’m competitive as s***. I hate losing. I go and I put my body on the line every week doing hella treatment, doing all these other things and at the end of the day it didn’t work out.”
“I’m at a new organization that respects the players, they respect your personality and the people that you are. I’m just happy about my situation,” he said of landing in Seattle. “Those guys, they do what they do, (what) they feel like what’s best for the organization. I don’t fault them, but at the end of the day, I’m good where I’m at.”
Former Lions Player Tried to Lure Quandre Diggs Back to Detroit on Social Media
Following Diggs’ release by the Seahawks, Former Lions tackle Damon “Snacks” Harrison sent a message to the safety on X. “Nino to Detroit is the only news that we need right now….tell him bring his old secondary buddy with him too,” Harrison posted.
Diggs reposted the message and wrote, “👀 look at you bruh. i’m at home minding my business.”
Diggs also replied to a tweet from Lions safety Kerby Joseph egging him to Detroit.
A return to Seattle remains highly unlikely after the Seahawks signed safety K’Von Wallace and Rayshawn Jenkins in free agency.
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Former Seahawks $39 Million Starter Predicted to Sign With Lions