Nick Bellore saw his Seahawks tenure come to an end earlier this offseason, but he will have a new opportunity in time for Week 1. The veteran linebacker and special teamer joined the Commanders via a practice squad deal, per a team announcement. The Pedestrian Podcast first reported that a contract was imminent. 
Bellore made 10 defensive starts in 2016, his second and final season with the 49ers. During his time with the Jets before that – along with the Lions and Seahawks afterwards – however, his main contributions came on special teams. The 35-year-old has also seen time as a fullback, although he was used very sparingly in that capacity during his Seattle tenure.
One year remained on Bellore’s contract entering free agency, but the Seahawks released him in a cost-cutting move. That decision began a lengthy free agent stay, but by signing ahead of the regular season the former UDFA will be available for the Commanders as a potential gameday elevation from the practice squad. Bellore earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2020 and ’23 for his special teams play, and he has collected double-digit tackles in his third phase work in each of the past four years.
The Commanders ranked 26th in special teams DVOA last season, leaving plenty of room for improvement in 2024. New head coach Dan Quinn will oversee Washington’s rebuilding efforts in a number of capacities, and expectations for a defensive turnaround in particular are in place given the nature of the team’s offseason. Bellore could be a depth option in the linebacking corps (especially if he were to land on the active roster), but primarily he will be in place for his special teams contributions. A veteran of 204 combined regular and postseason games, Bellore intended to continue his career once his Seahawks release went through.
This Commanders accord will allow him to meet that goal while not significantly affecting Washington’s cap outlook. The team entered Monday with roughly $27MM in cap space, and adding Bellore will not take away flexibility for other moves leading up to Week 1.