DE Marcus Smith, a first-round draft bust released by the Philadelphia Eagles Thursday, was picked up by Friday the Seattle Seahawks, who also traded LB Kevin Pierre-Louis to the Kansas City Chiefs for LB D.J. Alexander in a swap of special-teams players.
Smith, 25, was taken with the 26th pick in the first round of the 2014 draft out of Louisville. But the 6-3, 251-pounder never approached the expectations for him, managing four sacks and 12 tackles in three seasons. Cutting him before camp saved the Eagles $1.5 million against the salary cap.
The Seahawks, who took DE Malik McDowell with their first pick in the April draft, are already loaded on the defensive front, so Smith is likely training-camp insurance against injury.
Alexander, 25, was selected out of Oregon State in the fifth round of the 2015 draft. As with Pierre-Louis, he primarily has been a special-teamer, appearing in all 32 games in two seasons with the Chiefs, with one start.
Last year, he posted five tackles while playing 48 defensive snaps and 358 special teams snaps. Alexander earned a Pro Bowl spot in 2016, and was named as one of the league’s best special teamers by Pro Football Focus.
Pierre-Louis, also 25, was drafted a year earlier than Alexander out of Boston College in the fourth round. In 2016, he played 71 defensive snaps and 227 special teams snaps.
The advantage for the Seahawks is contractual — Alexander is signed for two more seasons at a salary below $800,000 each year. Pierre-Louis is signed through only this season at $690,000.
