Seahawks to sign inside LB Devin Bush from Steelers--and still interested in Bobby Wagner

The Seahawks’ rebuild of the defensive front has moved from line to linebackers.

Seattle and free-agent inside linebacker Devin Bush have agreed to a one-year contract, per multiple reports late Thursday into Friday morning.

The agreement came on the same day Seahawks general manager John Schneider said on Seattle radio station KIRO AM inside linebacker is an “area of concern” for the team.

It still is.

The Seahawks remain keenly interested in bringing back free-agent and six-time All-Pro Bobby Wagner to join Bush as their new inside linebackers for 2023, multiple league sources continue to tell The News Tribune.

Schneider said last week he and coach Pete Carroll have talked and will continue to talk to Wagner. The 32-year-old former Super Bowl champion played his first 10 seasons starring for Seattle then last season for the Los Angeles Rams.

The Dallas Cowboys, with Wagner’s former Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn coaching their defense, are among the teams reportedly interested in signing Wagner. Dallas was interested in Wagner when he was a free agent last spring, too.

Bush turns 25 this summer. He was the 10th-overall choice of the Steelers in 2019, out of Michigan. He became the first Pittsburgh rookie with 100 tackles his first season. Then a torn anterior-cruciate ligament ended his 2020 season after five games.

He wasn’t the same in the Steelers defense after that. The team last spring not to pick up his possible fifth-year contract option as a first-round pick. Then the Steelers let his rookie deal expire, making him a free agent this week.

Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett welcomed Bush to Seattle online Friday, posting on his Twitter page: “Welcome to the team D Bush!!!! Lets get it!!”

The Seahawks this week restocked their defensive line by signing Dre’Mont Jones from Denver for three years and $51 million and signed back their former second-round pick Jarran Reed (two years, up to $10.8 million).

Now they are addressing the two inside linebacker spots in their 3-4 scheme. Interior defensive players are cheaper on the free-agent market that outside, edge pass rushers and cornerbacks.

Expect Schneider and coach Pete Carroll to target edge rushers with some of their 10 choices in next month’s draft. Seattle has four of the first 52 selections, including the fifth-overall choice, so it can get top pass rushers at minimal, rookie-deal prices.

The Seahawks’ two starting inside linebackers from last season aren’t available entering the coming preseason. Jordyn Brooks, who replaced Wagner last year after the Seahawks released Wagner to save $16.6 million in salary-cap space for 2022, is recovering from a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his knee. He got hurt Jan. 1. Those injuries often take nine to 12 months to come back from. Cody Barton signed with Washington this week, after the Seahawks let his rookie contract expire.