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The Seattle Seahawks will sign former Miami Dolphins linebacker Jerome Baker to a one-year, $7 million contract, Baker’s agents, Drew and Jason Rosenhaus, told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Saturday.
The deal comes a day after Baker met with Seattle following another free agent visit with the Tennessee Titans. His addition means the Seahawks have filled both starting spots at inside linebacker after the departures of Bobby Wagner and Jordyn Brooks; signed former Buffalo Bills veteran Tyrel Dodson to a one-year contract earlier this week. Brooks reached an agreement with the Dolphins, while Wagner signed with the Washington Commanders.
The Dolphins released Baker on March 5. Because Baker was released by Miami, he will not count toward the Seahawks’ compensatory pick formula.
Baker, 27, who underwent surgery on his wrist in January and was released with a failed physical designation, was the team’s third-round pick in 2018 and has started 82 games in his six seasons in the NFL. The starting inside linebacker was entering the final year of a three-year, $37.5 million contract he signed in 2021.
Last season he appeared in 13 games (12 starts) and had 78 tackles, 2 interceptions and 1.5 sacks. He was placed on injured reserve in December after injuring his MCL during a win over the Commanders on December 3. He returned for the regular season finale against the Buffalo Bills, but suffered a wrist injury in that game that required surgery and kept him out. of Miami’s loss in the wild card round to the Kansas City Chiefs.
He has recorded three seasons of at least 100 tackles and has 587 in 94 career games. He also has 22.5 sacks, 5 interceptions and 6 forced fumbles in his career.
Brooks, 26, who agreed to a three-year deal worth $30 million with Dolphins agent Erik Burkhardt, told Schefter on Monday, notably returned for last season’s opener after tearing his ligament. previous crossover in Week 17 of the 2022 season. He played in 16 games for Seattle, missing one in December with an ankle injury that slowed him down for the final six weeks of the season.
He improved as a playmaker, although he finished with 50 fewer tackles than in 2022, going from 161 to 111. He recorded 4.5 sacks after totaling just two in his first three seasons and returned the first interception of his career for a touchdown.
ESPN writers Marcel Louis-Jacques and Brady Henderson contributed to this report.