D’Anthony Bell is on the move for the first time in his career. The safety/special teams ace has agreed to a one-year deal with the Seahawks, Jordan Shultz of Fox Sports reports. 
Bell entered the league as an undrafted free agent in 2022, signing with the Browns. He remained with the team over the past three years, occupying a sparse role on defense during that time. Bell has, however, emerged as a core third phase contributor.
The West Florida product logged a 60% special teams snap share during his rookie campaign. That figure rose to 70% the following season and again to 85% in 2024. As Schultz notes, Bell received interest from a number of suitors based on his performances in that regard. His decision to sign with Seattle will come with expectations as a special teams mainstay, but it could also open the door to a defensive workload as well.
Seattle head coach Mike Macdonald uses a scheme which often employs three-safety looks, something which could be beneficial in Bell’s case. The 28-year-old has made seven starts across his 50 career appearances to date, with his most impactful defensive season coming in 2023 (28 tackles, two interceptions, four pass deflections). Bell could play a role in a unit which ranked 11th against the pass in 2024, Macdonald’s debut season as an NFL head coach.
The Seahawks have 2023 free agent addition Julian Love, along with recent draftees J.T. Woods and Jerrick Reed in place on the safety depth chart. Rayshawn Jenkins was among the veterans let go in cost-cutting moves earlier this month, though, and K’Von Wallace is unsigned at this point. It thus comes as no surprise a safety addition has been made, and Bell will look to help his 2026 market value with a strong campaign in Seattle next season.