After the Seahawks signed QB Russell Wilson and LB Bobby Wagner to deals worth $130 million combined, something had to give under the NFL’s salary cap. Turned out to be DT Tony McDaniel, 30, a two-year starter who counted $3.6 million against the cap.

ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter reported Sunday morning that McDaniel was released for cap reasons. Although the Seahawks weren’t obligated to make such a cut now, doing so gave McDaniel a better chance to catch on elsewhere.

A nine-year veteran out of Tennessee, McDaniel, 6-foot-7 and 295 pounds, came to Seattle as a free agent after stops in Miami and Jacksonville. He started nearly every game the past two seasons, accumulating 17 tackles and four assists as primarily a run-stuffer in 2014.

His departure means more reliance on newcomer Ahtyba Rubin, 29, a free agent signee from Cleveland, where he started the past six seasons. Third-year DT Jordan Hill will  likely see more action. The Seahawks also have in camp Jimmy Staten, T.Y. McGill and D’Anthony Smith, as well as Jesse Williams, on the non-football injury list after having a cancerous kidney removed.