Seattle Seahawks: 5 Players who likely won’t return in 2020

4. Mychal Kendricks, OLB

The Seahawks took a chance on Mychal Kendricks following the revelation of his insider trading scandal in 2018. Kendricks’ sentencing continually got pushed back, and he avoided jail time since the scandal broke. The Cleveland Browns did release him following the initial report.

Seattle swooped in and signed Kendricks. Currently, he’s on a one-year deal worth $4.5 million. In 2019, Kendricks started 14 games, producing an interception, three sacks, and 71 tackles. He played well enough that the Seahawks should consider resigning him. However, there are other factors at play here.

Kendricks still needs to be sentenced for his role in the insider trading scandal. Also, the 29-year-old recently tore his ACL. There are potential financial issues, as well. If the Seahawks want to keep some of their more high-profile free agents, paying Kendricks could become problematic. As it is, he accounted for the ninth-highest percentage of Seattle’s cap space in 2019.

While the possibilities of legal issues, recovery time, and cap space all play a role in decreasing the likelihood of Kendricks’s return, the Seahawks also have a young linebacker they like. The tea raved about rookie Cody Barton even back in training camp. Now, he’s filling in for the injured Kendricks. If Seattle cannot keep Kendricks, they already have the heir to his position.

Now, Pete Carroll already stated the team wants Kendricks backs for 2020. In an article this month for the Seattle Times, Bob Condotta quoted the head coach saying:

"“I hope that we’ll get him [Kendricks] back and get him back with us,’’ Carroll said. “Look forward for that.”"

However, taking all factors into account, the Seahawks may not get everything they want this offseason.