Seahawks bring back veteran fullback Will Tukuafu

Published 10:25 am Sunday, August 21, 2016

Is the Seahawks’ experimenting at fullback over?

The Seahawks announced a roster move Sunday, re-signing fullback Will Tukuafu. Fullback Jonathan Amosa was waived to make room for Tukuafu on the roster. Tukuafu is wearing No. 46, the same number he wore previously for Seattle.

Tukuafu, 32, spent the previous two seasons with the Seahawks, being used as a fullback and special teams player, but also seeing the occasional snap on the defensive line. His fullback duties were almost exclusively as a blocker as in those two seasons he amassed just five carries for three yards.

Seattle chose not to re-sign either Tukuafu or Derrick Coleman, the team’s two fullbacks last season, as free agents during the offseason. Instead, the Seahawks tried to find someone younger and cheaper, largely through some sort of position change. Among those asked to switch positions was Archbishop Murphy High School alum Taniela Tupou, who was a defensive tackle at the University of Washington (a broken knuckle has curtailed Tupou’s ability to practice as a fullback). Others who were given a chance either during the offseason or training camp include defensive tackle Brandin Bryant, tight end Brandon Cottom, and linebacker Kyle Coleman.

It may be that the signing of Tukuafu indicates the Seahawks decided they didn’t like the results of their experiments. Regardless, Seattle now has a veteran option at the position.