Getty Quandre Diggs celebrates after intercepting a pass against the Rams.
Safety Quandre Diggs has spent the offseason seeking a new contract from the Seattle Seahawks. He did not fully achieve his goal, but the team took steps to get him more money. The Seahawks restructured Diggs’ existing contract and added a void year.
ESPN’s Field Yates was the first person to report the news on Thursday, Sept. 9. He noted that the Seahawks converted Diggs’ $100,000 in-game roster bonuses into guaranteed money. Instead of receiving the money on a weekly basis, the Pro Bowl safety will lock up the entire season’s worth of cash after the opening game against the Indianapolis Colts. According to Gregg Bell of the “Tacoma News Tribune,” vested NFL veterans can guarantee an entire season’s salary by remaining on the roster through week one.
Along with converting his bonuses into guaranteed money, the Seahawks also “accelerated” $5.05 million of the safety’s salary into a signing bonus. Diggs will get the money immediately while the Seahawks will save $2,525,000 under the salary cap. However, another $2,525,000 cap charge will hit the team in 2022 regardless of whether Diggs is still on the team.
The contract restructure ensures that Diggs will end his “hold-in” and suit up for the team’s first game against the Indianapolis Colts. He returned to practice and joined the rest of the secondary in preparing for Carson Wentz and the offense.
A Teammate Lobbied for Diggs To Receive a Big Deal
Prior to the contract restructure, another member of the Seattle Seahawks secondary lobbied for him to receive a contract extension. Safety Jamal Adams landed a four-year, $72 million extension that will keep him on the defense and making big plays. He then met with the media and discussed his teammate.
“Oh, absolutely,” Adams said about a potential extension for Diggs. “He deserves it. He deserves it, man, and hopefully, we can get that done. I’m not the [general manager], so I don’t know when. His time is going to come, and they are going to do right by him.”
The Seahawks did not award Diggs the extension as Adams anticipated. However, they provided him with more money ahead of the 2021 season and simultaneously added injury protection. Now he can focus on turning in another strong season and reaching the Pro Bowl for the second time in his career.
The Seahawks Took a Similar Approach With an Offensive Star
GettyDuane Brown (left) blocks Ryan Kerrigan (right) during a 2017 game.
Diggs was not the only member of the Seahawks to conduct a hold-in during the offseason activities. Offensive tackle Duane Brown also did so while seeking a contract of his own. The Seahawks did not give the four-time Pro Bowl player an extension, instead choosing to restructure his deal.
The 36-year-old Brown is entering the final year of his contract, which included a base salary of $10 million and $1 million in in-game roster bonuses. Per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, The restructure converted $7 million into a signing bonus and $4 million into salary. Brown did not land any extra money as part of the move, but he received a considerable amount upfront before suiting up for the 2021 NFL season.
Brown will now play out the final season of his contract and become a free agent at the end of the year. Diggs will likely join him in free agency while the Seahawks try to figure out the best way to bring both players back for at least another season.