The Seattle Seahawks are preparing to sign Fred Jackson after his release from the Buffalo Bills and the running back now will join former teammate Marshawn Lynch in the backfield and he will provide depth with Robert Turbin and Christine Michael for Russell Wilson in the running game.
Jackson was released during the first round of roster cuts for the Bills, as the team wanted to give Jackson a chance to find another team before the preseason was over. According to NFL.com, Jackson is visiting with the Seattle Seahawks and he is "expected to sign" with the team. Pro Football Talk reports that the relationship between Lynch and Jackson is what "drove" the visit for Jackson to Seattle. A source told the website that there is "mutual interest" between the sides centers around the Lynch relationship.
Jackson is a veteran player with leadership qualities and when Lynch was previously in Buffalo the two players were close and now that could lead Jackson to Seattle. PFT writes that bringing in Jackson could make things more comfortable for Lynch, who has had a tough stance with the media and can often times be a unique figure in the locker room. Jackson also adds some strong depth, as players like Turbin and Michael are solid, but Jackson is a higher quality pro when healthy.
Jackson comes in after playing in 14 games last season and rushing for 525 yards and two touchdowns. Jackson is also strong out of the backfield and had 66 catches for 501 yards. Jackson was expendable because the Bills now have LeSean McCoy and their depth chart includes Anthony Dixon, Bryce Brown and Karlos Williams. Lynch is one of the most worked backs in the league and getting some extra depth could be huge for the Seahawks. Turbin comes in after rushing for 310 yards last season and he could end up as second string.
Check here for more on the potential signing of Fred Jackson and more on the Seahawks.
The Seattle Seahawks brought back Lynch with a new contract for this season that gave him a pay bump and it came after some reports that Lynch was thinking of retirement. The Seahawks had the extension for Russell Wilson to deal with and the team also worked out a new deal with Bobby Wagner. The team is dealing with Kam Chancellor holding out and that could extend into the season. The Seahawks also traded Kevin Norwood to the Panthers for a draft pick.
Lynch is coming off of another strong season and the Seahawks are happy to have him back, while Wilson is now one of the highest paid players in football. According to Pro Football Talk, the Seahawks are working to bring Chancellor back and general manager John Schneider has said the team has made a solid offer already this offseason. Chancellor could hold out into the season, but right now it's unclear if he will do that.