Seahawks LB K.J. Wright Underwent Offseason Shoulder Surgery

Many were surprised when Seattle used its first round pick on a linebacker last week, but with Wright rehabbing from an operation and entering the last year of his contract, the arrival of Jordyn Brooks suddenly makes a lot more sense.

Last week's NFL Draft was full of surprises for the Seahawks, starting with the decision to stay put at pick No. 27 and select Texas Tech linebacker Jordyn Brooks.

At the time, many draft experts wondered why Seattle would use a high pick on a position group that looked to be set heading into 2020. But comments from general manager John Schneider on Thursday suddenly made the decision far easier to understand.

Speaking with Softy Mahler and Dick Fain on Sports Radio KJR, Schneider indicated veteran linebacker K.J. Wright underwent offseason shoulder surgery and currently is in rehabilitation mode. To ease concerns a bit, he did indicate the 10-year pro's operation was "not a serious surgery," but it remains unclear when he will be fully recovered.

Set to turn 31 years old in July, Wright will be entering the final year of his contract and is coming off an excellent bounce back season for Seattle. After missing 11 games with knee issues in 2018, he finished with career highs in tackles, passes defensed, and sacks while starting all 16 regular season games in 2019.

Still, there's been some speculation about him potentially being a cap casualty candidate, especially after drafting Brooks. Schneider conveniently side-stepped that topic when asked about Wright's job security, but along with breaking the surgery news, he also said a positional change could be in the works.

With the athletic Brooks entering the mix, the Seahawks could look to put him at weakside linebacker, the position Wright has manned since entering the league as a fourth round pick in 2011. The veteran would slide over to strongside linebacker as a result, allowing him to play off the edge more rather than being an off-ball defender.

Such a move could make sense at this stage of Wright's career, as he has lost a step or two in coverage and may offer more value playing near the line of scrimmage. This would allow Brooks and Cody Barton to see extensive snaps and add much-needed athleticism to Seattle's coverage units at the second level.

Assuming Wright makes a full recovery in time for training camp - whenever the NFL decides to start - he should remain a fixture in the Seahawks defense after a strong 2019 campaign. But given recent moves made to infuse the positional group with young talent, the organization looks to be preparing for a future without him.