By Bob Condotta / The Seattle Times
RENTON — The Seattle Seahawks on Friday made it official that they have signed linebacker Mychal Kendricks. Seattle waived as injured linebacker Jermaine Grace to make room for Kendricks on the 53-man roster.
Kendricks pleaded guilty last month to a felony insider trading charge, admitting he made $1.2 million in four illegal deals in 2014 and 2015 when he was still a member of the Philadelphia Eagles. He was released by the Browns after pleading guilty.
He is expected to be sentenced no earlier than January and could face 30-37 months in prison as a first-time offender.
He could also face an NFL suspension. The Seahawks have been assured that Kendricks can play Monday night at Chicago, but a suspension could theoretically come at any time afterward. Sources say it’s unclear what kind of suspension could face since there is no precedent for such a case.
Kendricks signed a one-year deal at close to the league minimum. He could be released at any time as his salary is not guaranteed.
The Seahawks are signing Kendricks to bolster a position that has been hit hard by injuries.
Kendricks has played mostly weakside linebacker in his NFL career a spot where Seattle remains without regular starter K.J. Wright, who had arthroscopic knee surgery two weeks ago Monday. Grace was signed last week to serve as depth at weakside linebacker. It’s unclear the nature of his injury — he played six snaps on special teams against Denver Sunday but was not listed on the Injury Report this week.
However, middle linebacker Bobby Wagner also showed up on the injury report Thursday with a groin issue and then also sat out again on Friday. It’s unclear the severity of his injury but it seems obvious his health also played into the signing of Kendricks.
Further illustrating the apparent worry about injuries at linebacker the Seahawks also signed linebacker Tre’Von Johnson to the practice squad on Friday, waiving running back Lavon Coleman — who played at UW — to make room.
Johnson, who played at Weber State, has been on the rosters of Arizona and Dallas the last two years but has yet to appear in an NFL game.
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