Seahawks re-sign Ford, add new TE and OL on busy day

By Tim Booth / Associated Press

The Seattle Seahawks addressed a few needs on Wednesday, agreeing to terms with free agent tight end Gerald Everett on a one-year deal and acquiring veteran guard Gabe Jackson from the Las Vegas Raiders

Everett posted about the decision on social media and NFL Network reported the deal is worth up to $7 million.

Everett’s deal came after the Seahawks announced earlier in the day the signing of defensive tackle Poona Ford to a two-year contract, locking up one of the key pieces of their defense.

Everett, who spent the first four seasons of his career with the Los Angeles Rams will be reunited with new Seattle offensive coordinator Shane Waldron. Everett had a career-high 41 receptions for 417 yards this past season with the Rams, where Waldron served as the pass game coordinator.

Ford’s deal was announced Wednesday after the start of the new league year. He was a restricted free agent and the NFL’s official transactions showed the Seahawks placed a second-round tender on the burly defensive tackle. But the two-year contract will take the place of the tender and keep Ford from reaching free agency for one more season.

Ford, 25, was another gem uncovered by Seattle. He signed with the Seahawks as an undrafted free agent in 2018 despite have been the Big 12 defensive lineman of the year his final season at Texas. Ford started just one game as a rookie in 2018, but proved to be a valuable option to help stop the run.

He became a starter in 2019 and has started 30 of 31 games played the past two seasons, while also expanding his role to being more of an interior pass rusher. Ford had 32 total tackles in 2019 and last season had 40 tackles and two sacks.

The Seahawks did not tender contracts to five other restricted free agents, highlighted by linebacker Shaquem Griffin. Also not tendered were running back Patrick Carr, guard Jordan Simmons and defensive backs Linden Stephens and Jayson Stanley.

Later in the day the Seahawks made their first big move to bolster their offensive line and appease quarterback Russell Wilson by acquiring Jackson from the Raiders for a fifth-round draft pick, according to two people with knowledge of the deal.

The people spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because the teams had not announced the trade.

The move to land a proven veteran for the offensive line will likely please Wilson after six weeks where his feelings about the organization have been clearly mixed.

Making some sort of move with the offensive line was already likely to be on Seattle’s wish list, but became a top priority when Wilson took frustrations public following the Super Bowl. While not calling out his current offensive line, Wilson made it clear on multiple occasions he had grown tired of being hit and sacked at his current pace.

Acquiring Jackson won’t solve all of the perceived offensive line problems, but it’s a significant step by general manager John Schneider and coach Pete Carroll in making Wilson happy.

Seattle needed a left guard following the retirement of Mike Iupati and the decision not to tender a contract to restricted free agent Jordan Simmons. While Jackson has primarily been a right guard in his career, he has played left guard in the past. The Seahawks believe both Jackson and Damien Lewis have the versatility to play either guard position.

The Raiders have traded away three players from their expensive offensive line this offseason, dealing right tackle Trent Brown to New England for a swap of 2022 draft picks, center Rodney Hudson and a seventh-round pick to Arizona for a third-rounder and now Jackson to the Seahawks. The moves saved the Raiders about $25 million on their 2021 salary cap.

Jackson was one of the longest-tenured Raiders, having been drafted in the third round in 2014. He has played 100 games over that span as a regular on the line. After missing time with injuries in both 2018 and ‘19, Jackson was healthy last season and played all 16 games.

He committed just three penalties on the season and was credited with allowing only one sack, according to game-tracking data from SportsInfo Solutions.

Jackson is owed $9.6 million in each of the next two seasons with no money guaranteed.