Tag: Seahawks

Dec 4, 2022; Inglewood, California, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) and quarterback Drew Lock (2) take the field before playing against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Seahawks agree to re-sign backup QB Drew Lock

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The Seattle Seahawks secured their backup quarterback on Thursday, agreeing to re-sign Drew Lock to a one-year deal.

NFL Media reported that Lock’s new contract will be worth $4 million in 2022, with incentives that could lift it to $7.5 million for next season.

General manager John Schneider later verified the news on his Seattle radio show.

Ten days ago the team reached an agreement with their QB1 from last season, veteran Geno Smith, who is back on a three-year, $75 million deal after his surprising Pro Bowl campaign in 2022.

Lock, 26, was acquired from the Denver Broncos in last offseason’s blockbuster trade involving Seahawks all-time passing leader, Russell Wilson. Lock battled Smith for Seattle’s top QB spot through the summer, but Smith won the job and took every snap at the position.

Lock’s only action with the Seahawks on the field was last summer when he went 24 of 39 for 273 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions in the preseason.

A second-round pick in 2019 out of Missouri, Lock showed promise by going 4-1 in five rookie starts for Denver, throwing seven touchdown passes while getting intercepted just three times. However, he lost 12 of his 16 starts over the following two seasons as his play was marked by inconsistency. He threw 15 passes picks in 2020, tied with Carson Wentz for most in the league.

In 24 career games, Lock is 8-13 as a starter and has completed 59.3 percent of his passes for 4,740 yards with 25 TDs and 20 interceptions.

–Field Level Media

Sep 12, 2022; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks running back Rashaad Penny (20) rushes against the Denver Broncos during the first quarter at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Reports: Eagles agree to terms with RB Rashaad Penny

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The Philadelphia Eagles reached an agreement to sign free agent running back Rashaad Penny, NFL Network and The Athletic reported Tuesday.

The agreement is for one year, according to NBC Sports Philadelphia.

New contracts cannot officially be signed until the new league year begins Wednesday.

Penny, 27, spent his first five NFL seasons with the Seattle Seahawks. A number of injuries held him to just 10 games in 2019, three in 2020, 10 in 2021 and five in 2022.

In 42 career games (11 starts), Penny has rushed for 1,918 yards on 5.7 yards per attempt with 13 touchdowns, plus one receiving touchdown.

He ended the 2021 regular season with performances of 137, 135, 170 and 190 rushing yards over the final five games. He scored six touchdowns in that span. But a broken fibula held him to five games in 2022; he averaged 6.1 yards per attempt for 346 yards and two scores.

The Eagles are likely to pair Penny with Kenneth Gainwell in their backfield and move on from Miles Sanders, their starting running back of the last four years.

Sanders, an unrestricted free agent, established career bests of 1,269 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns last season.

–Field Level Media

Oct 30, 2022; London, United Kingdom; Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) throws the ball in the first half against under pressure from Denver Broncos defensive end Dre'Mont Jones (93) during an NFL International Series game at Wembley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

DT shuffle: Dre’Mont Jones to Seahawks, Zach Allen to Broncos

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Dre’Mont Jones agreed to a three-year deal with the Seattle Seahawks, the free agent defensive tackle told CBS Sports on Monday.

With Jones leaving Denver, the Broncos found an instant replacement, agreeing to a contract with free agent Zach Allen, per multiple media reports.

Multiple media outlets put the value of Jones’ contract at $51 million. The $17 million average annual value would be the largest ever received by a free agent joining the Seahawks under the leadership of coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider, according to ESPN.

Jones’ pact includes a guaranteed $23.5 million, per the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Jones, a Cleveland native, reportedly drew interest from the Browns before landing with the Seahawks.

Allen reportedly is getting a three-year, $45.75 million contract that guarantees him $32.5 million.

Jones, 26, became a full-time starter for the Broncos in 2022, his fourth NFL season. The 26-year-old matched his career high of 6.5 sacks, set a career high of 47 tackles (nine for loss) and added 10 quarterback hits and one forced fumble in 13 games, all starts.

Jones missed the final four games of the season due to a hip injury.

The 2019 third-round draft pick out of Ohio State has career totals of 22 sacks, 133 tackles (28 for loss), 38 quarterback hits, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery across 56 games (29 starts).

Allen, 25, had career highs with 5.5 sacks and eight passes defensed last year while making 47 tackles (10 for loss) in 13 games, all starts. It was his fourth NFL season, all with the Arizona Cardinals, who selected him in the third round of the 2019 draft out of Boston College.

In 45 career NFL games (35 starts), Allen has 11.5 sacks, three fumble recoveries, 138 tackles (21 for loss), 15 passes defensed and one interception.

–Field Level Media

September 18, 2022; Santa Clara, California, USA; Seattle Seahawks guard Gabe Jackson (66) during the second quarter against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Reports: Seahawks part ways with starting G Gabe Jackson

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The Seattle Seahawks released starting guard Gabe Jackson on Thursday, according to multiple reports.

Jackson, who turns 32 in July, spent two seasons with the Seahawks after playing his first seven campaigns with the Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders.

Jackson was slated to make $6.5 million in base salary in 2023.

The nine-year NFL veteran has started 130 of 131 career games played, including all 31 that he played with the Seahawks.

Phil Haynes, who last month re-signed with the Seahawks on a one-year, $4 million deal, is projected as the most likely starting right guard for the 2023 season.

–Field Level Media

Aug 26, 2022; Arlington, Texas, USA; Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll (right) congratulates quarterback Geno Smith (7) as he comes off the field in the first quarter against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

GM, coach laud Geno Smith’s self belief behind career year

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With a new three-year, $105 million contract in tow, Geno Smith was celebrated as the quarterback of the present for the Seattle Seahawks.

In a press conference at team headquarters Thursday, Smith was showered with appreciation from the Seahawks for his commitment to the franchise and belief in himself. Smith stepped into a starting role, which was never truly contested by Drew Lock, after the Seahawks traded Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos last March.

The 32-year-old Smith delivered while making $3.5 million last season, guiding the Seahawks to a wildcard playoff spot, earning a Pro Bowl nod and now cashing in with a contract that could pay him 30 times his 2022 rate.

“There were a lot of years when Geno just had to sit there, waiting,” head coach Pete Carroll said, seated to Smith’s right and opposite general manager John Schneider at a press conference Thursday afternoon. “The story that has been unveiled about believing in yourself and confidence and trust and never giving up is just a vivid illustration of Geno. He always knew. He always knew he could do this. When it happened, the opportunity was there, and you handled it so flawlessly.”

Carroll said Smith approached the Seahawks about a team-friendly deal that ties more than $30 million to incentives and performance bonuses. Carroll said he wasn’t surprised to hear Smith say his concern was leaving the team room to build a championship team around him.

“I believe in team first,” Smith said Thursday.

Smith was named NFL Comeback Player of the Year in 2022. He was a backup for seven seasons with four different teams and all but discounted as a serious option to be Seattle’s starter for even one season. He set franchise single-season records for passing yards (4,282), completions (399), completion percentage (69.8) and pass attempts (572), breaking three previous Wilson records.

“I know you know this, but what an inspiration you’ve been to men, women, young, old, all around the country,” Schneider said. “Lessons about faith, perseverance, work ethic. Being a good person, man. Watching you last year was awesome, and I know you’re super-excited about the future. So thank you to you.”

Last week, Schneider said at the NFL Scouting Combine the Seahawks are digging deep into the quarterbacks in the 2023 draft, and Carroll called the No. 5 pick — part of the return from the trade return from the Broncos for Wilson — a “rare opportunity.”

Schneider, raised in the Green Bay scouting department where quarterback insurance was a top priority, nodded and smiled when asked if Seattle could keep Smith and spend a high pick on a quarterback in the 2023 draft.

“They don’t grow on trees,” he said.

–Field Level Media

Jan 14, 2023; Santa Clara, California, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) makes a throw in the second quarter of a wild card game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

Reports: Seahawks, QB Geno Smith agree to 3-year, $105M deal

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The Seattle Seahawks are bringing back quarterback Geno Smith on a three-year contract worth $105 million, several outlets reported Monday.

The 32-year-old was set to hit unrestricted free agency after the first Pro Bowl season of his nine-year NFL career. Instead, he will remain in Seattle and average $35 million per year. The deal will include $52 million in the first year, ESPN reported.

Smith was named NFL Comeback Player of the Year after taking charge of the Seahawks’ offense in the first year following the Russell Wilson era and guiding them to a wild-card playoff berth.

After serving as Wilson’s backup from 2019-21, Smith beat out Drew Lock for the job in the preseason and proceeded to start all 17 games, his first year as a full-time starter since his first two NFL campaigns with the New York Jets.

The veteran led the NFL in completion percentage at 69.8 percent and passed for career highs of 4,282 yards and 30 touchdowns along with 11 interceptions. He added 366 rushing yards and one score.

The Seahawks were clear about wanting to re-sign Smith, but Seattle coach Pete Carroll also said during the scouting combine in Indianapolis that the Seahawks are “totally connected” to the quarterbacks in the 2023 draft class. The team has the fifth pick in the draft and five selections in the top 83.

Carroll said keeping Smith and drafting a quarterback is a “definite” possibility.

In 10 NFL seasons with the Jets (2013-16), New York Giants (2017), Los Angeles Chargers (2018) and Seahawks, Smith has thrown for 11,199 yards, 64 touchdowns and 48 interceptions with a 62.8 completion percentage. He has added 1,067 rushing yards and nine rushing touchdowns.

–Field Level Media

Dec 24, 2022; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Seattle Seahawks center Austin Blythe (63) during the second half against the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports

Seahawks OL Austin Blythe retires after 7 seasons

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Seattle Seahawks starting center Austin Blythe announced his retirement Tuesday after seven seasons in the league.

“The last 7 years have been nothing short of amazing,” Blythe wrote in an Instagram post. “For a short, unathletic, undersized kid from Iowa, I’ve played a lot of football, met countless coaches and teammates that I can call friends, and made enough memories for myself and my family to last a lifetime. I am so grateful, and extremely blessed, to have played the game for any amount of time, let alone 7 years.”

Blythe, 30, started all 17 games for Seattle in 2022. He started 66 of 92 career games with four different teams, including the Los Angeles Rams from 2017-20.

Blythe was a seventh-round selection of the Indianapolis Colts in the 2016 NFL Draft.

Blythe signed a one-year deal worth $4 million with Seattle in March 2022 and was set to become a free agent.

–Field Level Media

Jul 25, 2019; Renton, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll, right, talks with general manager John Schneider during training camp practice at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Pete Carroll: Seahawks ‘deeply involved’ with top QB prospects

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Don’t rule out the Seattle Seahawks making a move for a top quarterback in the 2023 NFL Draft.

Even if the team is able to re-sign free agent quarterback Geno Smith as planned, Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll said he and general manager John Schneider are diving headlong into the 2023 QB draft class.

“We are totally connected to the quarterbacks that are coming out,” said Carroll. “This is a really huge opportunity for us. It’s a rare opportunity for us. We’ve been drafting in the low 20s for such a long time, you just don’t get the chance for these guys. So we’re deeply involved with all of them.”

The Seahawks are discussing a multi-year contract with Smith, Carroll said. The 2022 Pro Bowl selection handled last season “impeccably,” Carroll said Tuesday.

“We are working hard to keep it going,” he said.

Carroll said there a “number of guys in the past” who were put on the shelf for awhile only to get another chance.

“It’s a message for us,” Carroll said of Smith. “There’s other guys that can do the same thing. … Maybe we have given up on guys too soon. Some of that is themselves. They have to maintain the belief in themselves. Geno is a remarkable illustration of that. He never wavered. He expected to win the job. He expected to be successful. He expected to be where he is right now.”

Seattle has the fifth pick in the draft and five selections in the top 85. The No. 5 pick is Seattle’s highest draft choice since 2009 as return for trading Russell Wilson to the Broncos. Seattle also has the 37th pick from Denver.

Carroll said keeping Smith and drafting a quarterback is a “definite” possibility.

Field Level Media ranks three quarterbacks among the top seven prospects in the 2023 draft.

–Field Level Media

Sep 12, 2022; Seattle, Washington, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson (3) hugs Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll following a 17-16 Seattle victory at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Russell Wilson denies asking Seahawks to fire Pete Carroll, GM

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Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson denied a report that he asked Seattle Seahawks ownership to fire head coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider before he was traded to Denver in March 2022.

Wilson said via Twitter on Friday morning that a report from The Athletic detailing an alleged plot of have Carroll and Schneider fired to bring in Sean Payton as head coach wasn’t accurate.

“I love Pete and he was a father figure to me and John believed in me and drafted me as well. I never wanted them fired. All any of us wanted was to win,” Wilson wrote. “l’ll always have respect for them and love for Seattle.”

Wilson and Carroll embraced on the field after Seattle’s 17-16 win on Sept. 12, when the Seahawks edged the Broncos in Wilson’s return.

A lawyer for Wilson sent a letter to The Athletic, saying the report published Friday that the quarterback wanted Carroll and Schneider fired was “entirely fabricated.”

Wilson now plays for Payton, who was hired this month as head coach of the Broncos. He spent last season working for FOX as an NFL studio analyst after stepping away from coaching the New Orleans Saints.

Carroll, 71, has been with the Seahawks since 2010 and was part of the braintrust that drafted Wilson 75th overall in the 2012 NFL Draft. Schneider also was hired in 2010 and signed a contract extension in 2021.

Wilson, 34, spent 10 seasons with the Seahawks and guided the team to a Super Bowl XLVIII win (February 2014) over the Broncos, 43-8. He also threw a goal-line interception in Super Bowl XLIX (February 2015) with 20 seconds remaining in a painful Seattle defeat, 28-24, at the hands of Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.

Denver went 5-12 in Wilson’s first season with the Broncos in 2022, which included the firing of first-year coach Nathaniel Hackett in December.

–Field Level Media

Dec 25, 2022; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams linebacker Bobby Wagner (45) in the second half against the Denver Broncos at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Report: Rams, LB Bobby Wagner agree to part ways

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The Los Angeles Rams and veteran linebacker Bobby Wagner agreed to part ways Thursday after just one season, ESPN reported.

The mutual parting comes after Wagner signed a five-year, $50 million deal Wagner signed with the Rams last spring. Los Angeles was looking to clear salary cap space.

Wagner, an eight-time Pro Bowl selection, turns 33 in June.

Wagner recorded 140 tackles and a career-best six sacks in 17 games for Los Angeles in 2022. He also intercepted two passes.

Wagner spent his first 10 seasons with the Seattle Seahawks and developed into a big-play captain despite being just a second-round draft pick out of Utah State in 2012.

He flourished as part of the “Legion of Boom” defense in Seattle, leading the league in tackles in 2016 and 2019. Wagner has topped 100 tackles in all 11 of his NFL seasons.

In his career, Wagner owns 1,523 tackles, 29.5 sacks, 13 interceptions and four defensive touchdowns in 168 games (167 starts).

–Field Level Media