Football

    Seahawks sign FA defensive tackle Ahtyba Rubin

    SPNW StaffBy Updated:1 Comment4 Mins Read

    Virtually inactive in the NFL bazaar since trading for New Orleans tight end Jimmy Graham 10 days ago, the Seahawks Thursday moved to bolster their defensive line by signing free agent defensive tackle Ahtyba Rubin and bringing back DT D’Anthony Smith. With Graham aboard, the Seahawks predictably lost TE Tony Moeaki.

    The Seahawks had a void to fill in the middle of their defensive line and plugged it with Rubin, younger and more athletic than his predecessor, Kevin Williams, an unrestricted free agent. Rubin, better suited to Seattle’s 4-3 defensive scheme than Cleveland’s 3-4, was a sixth-round pick by the Browns in the 2008 draft.

    The 6-foot-2, 325-pound Rubin, 28, played 99 games (75 starts). He has never been a star, but is expected to be both a starter and an upgrade over Williams, who is expected to retire. Williams moved to nose tackle when a pulled hamstring thwarted for the season Brandon Mebane, who because of his salary ($5.7 million), may be too expensive for the Seahawks.

    Smith, a third-round pick by Jacksonville in 2012, was acquired by the Seahawks from the Jaguars in 2013 for a conditional draft pick, waived, and re-signed to Seattle’s practice squad. Smith has played in 10 games in his career, recording 15 tackles.

    Moeaki, who provided the Seahawks depth at tight end last season after Zach Miller was injured, signed with Dan Quinn’s Atlanta Falcons. The 27-year-old Moeaki signed with Seattle in November and played in six games, catching eight passes for 134 yards, including a one-yard touchdown from Russell Wilson against Kansas City.

    Moeaki expressed interest in returning to the Seahawks, but the club’s trade for Graham nixed that possibility.

    Also Thursday, free agent backup quarterback Tarvaris Jackson visited with the Miami Dolphins. Jackson has also expressed an interest in signing with the Minnesota Vikings.

    SEAHAWKS FREE AGENT TRACKER

    Unrestricted Free Agents

    Date Player Action Skinny
    3/8 TE Anthony McCoy Re-signed One year; injured last 2 seasons
    3/10 CB Byron Maxwell Signed-Phil 6 years, $63 million: ($10.3 avg)
    3/10 LG James Carpenter Signed-NYJ 4 years, $20 million
    3/10 LB Malcolm Smith Signed-Oak 2 years, $7 million
    3/12 DE O. Schofield Signed-Atl 9 QB hits, 2 sacks for ’14 Hawks
    3/13 PR Bryan Walters Signed-Jax Primary punt returner in ’14
    3/16 S Jeron Johnson Signed-Was $3.5 million over 2 years
    3/19 TE Tony Moeaki Signed-Atl 6 games, 2 starts in ’14
    3/19 DT D. Smith Re-signed Spent 2014 on injured reserve
    4/2 FB Will Tukuafu Re-signed Made 2 starts in 2014
    4/2 DE D. Dobbs Re-signed 4 games in 2014, no starts

    Restricted Free Agents

    Date Player Action Skinny
    3/6 DE Greg Scruggs Re-signed Injured reserve last 2 years (knee)
    3/9 LB Mike Morgan Re-signed Played in 53 games since 2011
    3/9 WR Ricardo Lockette Re-signed 11 catches, 2 TDs in ’14
    3/9 CB DeShawn Shead Re-signed Played in 16 games with 1 start in ’14

    Extensions / Restructures / Cuts

    Date Player Action Skinny
    3/6 RB Marshawn Lynch Extend. 3 years, $31 million; $12 million in 2015
    3/6 TE Zach Miller Cut Played 3 games in ’14; had severe ankle injury
    3/6 OT Garrett Scott Cut Waived due to a non-football heart condition

    Remaining Unrestricted Free Agents

    Player Pos. Age Current Avg. Skinny
    Kevin Williams DT 34 $2,100,000 Considering retirement
    Tarvaris Jackson QB 31 $1,250,000 Played in one game in 2014
    Heath Farwell ILB 33 $1,125,000 Retiring to coach
    Clint Gresham LS 28 $827,500 Played in all 16 games
    Landon Cohen DT 28 $730,000 Played in one playoff game
    Lemuel Jeanpierre C 27 $645,000 Played in 15 games in ’14

    Remaining Restricted Free Agents

    Player Pos. Age Current Avg. Skinny
    Stephen Shilling G 26 $645,000 Went on IR Nov. 10 (knee)
    David Gilreath WR 26 $495,000 Didn’t play in 2014
    Jermaine Kearse WR 25 $480,000 Winning TD in NFC Champ.

    Free Agents Signed

    Date Player Pos. From Skinny
    3/9 Will Blackmon CB Jacksonville 12 starts for the Jaguars last 2 years
    3/9 Cary Williams CB Philadelphia Deal is 3 years, $18 million
    3/16 Jesse Williams DT Seattle Cut March 6, re-signed
    3/19 Ahtyba Rubin DT Cleveland Better suited to Seattle’s 4-3

    Trades

    Date Player Pos. From Skinny
    3/10 Jimmy Graham TE New Orleans Cost: C Max Unger, No. 1 pick

     

     

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