Seahawks Re-Sign Veteran DE Branden Jackson
After being released earlier this month, the Seahawks are expected to welcome back veteran defensive end Branden Jackson on a more team-friendly one-year contract.
Per a source, Jackson has reported back to Seattle and has already started COVID-19 testing. A new deal could be signed as early as Wednesday once he clears protocol and gains entrance into the team facility.
Rewarding him for his reliability in a reserve role, Seattle placed an original round tender on Jackson back in March. Under terms of the tender, the 27-year old would have earned $2.133 million in 2020, but the organization opted to release him and he's expected to re-sign for significantly less.
Originally signed by the Raiders as an undrafted free agent out of Texas Tech, Jackson was signed to the Seahawks practice squad in September 2017. He received a promotion the active roster when Pro Bowl defensive end Cliff Avril suffered a career-ending neck injury in Week 4 against the Colts.
While his spot on the roster has been a tenuous one throughout his NFL career, including being cut by Seattle prior to the start of the 2018 season, Jackson has managed to stick around due to his toughness and versatility. Playing in a career-high 15 games in 2019, the 295-pound defender produced 20 tackles, 2.0 sacks, and two passes defensed while playing 418 snaps.
In four NFL seasons, Jackson has appeared in 36 games and made four starts, recording 42 tackles, 3.5 sacks, and seven quarterback hits. He will once again compete for playing time at defensive end, but may also see snaps reduced inside as a defensive tackle on passing downs.
