Report: Seahawks, LB Joel Iyiegbuniwe Agree to Terms

Aiming to beef up one of the best special teams units in the NFL, the Seahawks have reportedly added former Bears linebacker Joel Iyiegbuniwe to the mix.

The Seahawks have agreed to terms with linebacker Joel Iyiegbuniwe, per Michael-Shawn Dugar of The Athletic. Iyiegbuniwe is now the second former Bears defender this offseason to follow defensive associate head coach Sean Desai from Chicago to Seattle, joining cornerback Artie Burns.

In addition to reuniting with cornerback Justin Coleman, hearing the Seahawks have also agreed to terms with inside LB Joel Iyiegbuniwe. A 2018 4th-round pick of the Bears, Joel is familiar with AHC Sean Desai and could end up as a depth piece, comp for Seattle’s starting LBs.

— Dugar, Michael-Shawn (@MikeDugar) March 24, 2022

Taken by the Bears in the fourth round of the 2018 NFL Draft, the former Western Kentucky standout has played just 49 defensive snaps in four years at the professional level. Despite that, he still managed to carve out an important role on Chicago's roster as a core special-teamer.

Averaging a 61.9 special teams grade from Pro Football Focus, Iyiegbuniwe has recorded 29 tackles in his young career and induced his first forced fumble in a Week 9 loss to the Steelers this past season. He went on to play just one snap on defense in a Week 13 matchup with the Cardinals⁠—a year after seeing decent action in sub packages late in the 2020 campaign. 

With Bobby Wagner set to head elsewhere this spring and both Cody Barton and Ben Burr-Kirven entering the final years of their respective rookie contracts, the Seahawks have been pressed for new additions at linebacker. Iyiegbuniwe's arrival primarily bolsters a special teams unit that was arguably Seattle's greatest strength in 2021, but given the lack of depth the team has at his position, he appears likely to have an extended opportunity to showcase his defensive skills during the preseason. 

At the time of this writing, no further details have been provided in regards to the length or monetary value of Iyiegbuniwe's reported contract.