We know that the Seattle Seahawks have declined to pick up the 5th year option on the contract of injured linebacker Jordyn Brooks. Brooks is recovering from an ACL injury suffered in the Jan 1st game against the New York Jets. By declining the 5th year on Brook’s contract the Seahawks save $12.7 million for the 2024 season. For the upcoming season, the Seahawks are scheduled to pay Brooks $ 2.27 million.
RISING START BESET BY INJURIES
Brooks has shown that when healthy he is as good of a linebacker as there is in the NFL. Last year Brooks recorded 161 tackles which led the NFC and place him 5th in the league. The 161 tackles were the fourth most in Seahawks history. In 2021 Brooks recorded a franchise record 183 tackles. Brooks has shown that he is versatile. In 2020 and 2021 he played weakside linebacker next to Bobby Wagner. When the team released Wagner in 2022 Brooks moved to middle linebacker and make all the defensive calls.
THIS IS HOW THE SEAHAWKS DO BUSINESS
This is not personal rather it is a business decision for the Seahawks. The 5th year options on first-round draft picks were enacted as part of the collective bargaining agreement that was enacted in 2011 by the league. The Seahawks have had six first-round draft picks since 2011 declined the 5th year on all six. The six were OL James Carpenter (2011) DE/ LB Bruce Irvin ,(2012), OL Germain Ifedi ( 2016) Rashad Penny ( 2018), and DE L.J. Collier( 2019)
WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
Brooks is scheduled to return before the start of the season but there has been no clear indication of when that will. The last update on Brooks’s rehab status was from head coach Pete Carroll during the NFL combine.
“He’s doing really well,” Carroll said. “The process is happening, the whole rehab process, but it’s going to be a while. A healthy young kid, he’s going to be able bounce back as fast as you can come back, and he’s a hard worker and pushes himself and all of that. But you’ve got to just hope for a smooth process along the way so there’s no setbacks.”
While hoping for the best the Seahawks are planning for the worst. The team has made several moves to fortify its linebacker room. Seattle signed free agent Devin Bush a former first-round draft pick with the Pittsburg Steelers who’s fifth-year option was not picked up. The Seahawks re-signed Bobby Wagner and drafted Derick Hall in the round of the concluded 2023 draft.
The door is not closed on Brooks playing for the Seahawks beyond the upcoming season. Seattle can negotiate a new contract with Brooks for 2024 at any time. The best case for everyone is that Brooks has no complications and is able to return before the start of the season. He balls out the team signs him to a long-term contract before the season ends. Worst case scenario? Let’s just say the Seahawk has plan b in place.
