Al Woods opted out of the 2020 season, and the Jaguars released him last week. But the veteran defensive tackle will land on his feet in a familiar place.
The Seahawks are signing Woods, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Despite missing last season and being a part-time starter in his previous Seattle stay, Woods agreed to a one-year, $3MM deal. The Seahawks will guarantee $750K to the veteran D-tackle, who turned 34 on Thursday. This marks a slight bump from the Jaguars contract Woods inked last year (one year, $2.75MM).
This will be a third Seattle stint for Woods, who has played for five teams and been affiliated with six. He was most recently with the Seahawks in 2019, when he worked as a starter in place of the suspended Jarran Reed. Woods returned to the bench after Reed’s ban ended, but Reed is no longer in the picture for the Seahawks. The team notified the five-year starter of his release.
Woods also spent the 2011 season in Seattle but played only two games. He then spent time with the Steelers, Titans (his longest NFL stay, at three years) and Colts before returning in 2019. Pro Football Focus has graded the 10-year veteran as a plus run defender in his 30s. The Seahawks already ranked fifth against the run last season.
This continues a busy week for the Seahawks’ defensive line. In addition to releasing Reed and reacquiring Woods, Seattle re-signed both Carlos Dunlap and Benson Mayowa and acquired veteran defensive end Kerry Hyder. They re-signed defensive tackle Poona Ford to a two-year deal last week.