New Deal: Seahawks Acquire A Rookie Linebraker Reuniting With Their Head Coach Ahead of the Season

The Seattle Seahawks lost their top three linebackers over the offseason: Bobby Wagner joined the Washington Commanders, Jordyn Brooks moved to the Miami Dolphins, and Devin Bush signed with the Cleveland Browns. To fill these gaps, the Seahawks signed Jerome Baker and Tyrel Dodson, tendered Jon Rhattigan, and drafted Tyrice Knight.

Despite these additions, one of their anticipated starters is currently dealing with an injury.

The Seattle Seahawks free-agent acquisition suffered an injury

Jerome Baker sustained a hamstring injury during Week 2 of training camp, causing him to miss the last two weeks of practice as well as the first two preseason games. Although there were initial concerns that he might not be ready for the start of the season, those fears subsided when he returned to practice this week.

With concerns about linebacker depth, Seattle responded by acquiring a rookie to bolster their roster.

The Seattle Seahawks acquired a rookie linebacker

The Seahawks traded Michael Jackson to the Panthers in exchange for Michael Barrett. Barrett, the 240th overall pick in this year’s draft, played college football for the Michigan Wolverines from 2018 to 2023. During his time at Michigan, he was coached by Mike Macdonald, who was the Wolverines’ defensive coordinator in 2021.

Michael Barrett will compete for a roster spot

The Seahawks are expected to retain 4-5 inside linebackers on their 53-man roster. With Jerome Baker, Tyrel Dodson, and Tyrice Knight likely secure spots, the remaining roster spots will be contested. The players vying for these final spots include Michael Barrett, Jon Rhattigan, Drake Thomas, Blake Lynch, Patrick O’Connell, and Easton Gibbs.