Seahawks release starting DT Tony McDaniel to help pay for re-signing Russell Wilson, Bobby Wagner

Someone had to go.

That someone is Tony McDaniel.

The Seahawks released the veteran starting defensive tackle this morning, about an hour after they officially announced Saturday night’s four-year contract extension worth a reported $43 million for All-Pro middle linebacker Bobby Wagner.

McDaniel had a schedule salary-cap number of $3,625,000 this year, including a $625,000 proration of his signing bonus when he joined Seattle before the 2014 season. So with the signing-bonus acceleration deducted the team gets a cap savings of $3 million in cutting the 30-year old and 10-year veteran. That’s with star safety Kam Chancellor still holding out from camp.

The Seahawks have spent $130.6 million through the 2019 season this weekend on the extensions for quarterback Russell Wilson and Wagner.

Releasing McDaniel shows the Seahawks are committed to offseason acquisition Ahtyba Rubin as the inside run stuffer McDaniel was for 14 starts last season. It also signals the team likes what it sees through two days of training camp in the returns to health of Brandon Mebane and Jordan Hill.

The 30-year-old Mebane is moving well after tearing his hamstring in November; the periennial starting defensive tackle said Saturday he’s been feeling full-go since April and like he’s “25 or 24” years old.

“Gosh, he looks great,” coach Pete Carroll said after Sunday’s practice.

Hill is back after a calf injury in early January knocked him out of the postseason.

The team is on the field now for its third practice of training camp.

This story was originally published August 2, 2015 at 10:35 AM with the headline "Seahawks release starting DT Tony McDaniel to help pay for re-signing Russell Wilson, Bobby Wagner."