Seahawks Sign Tight End & Release Running Back

Getty Pete Carroll's Seahawks say they are happy with new quarterback Drew Lock.

The Seattle Seahawks continue to make moves that add competition to the roster as training camp gets closer. Seattle signed former University of Tennessee tight end Dominick Wood-Anderson, a move that was made possible after releasing Florida Atlantic running back BJ Emmons.

There was some intrigue around Emmons as he was a former highly-touted recruit who started his college career at Alabama before transferring to FAU. Former Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt praised Wood-Anderson during the 2019 SEC Media Days.

“Dom Wood-Anderson, I think is one of the more talented guys in this league that’s coming back,” Pruitt noted, per USA Today. “Last year was his first year in the league, he was a junior college guy. He played mostly wide receiver in college, which talking about a guy that’s 6’5”, 270 pounds and runs a 4-6-40. The guy has lots of play-making ability. We need to find ways to get this guy the ball, but we got to create some depth and we have some young guys there.”

Wood-Anderson notched 21 receptions for 268 yards and a touchdown in 11 games last season for the Vols. The tight end started 17 games in his two seasons at Tennessee. Wood-Anderson transferred to Tennessee from Arizona Western Community College.

Carroll on Tight Ends: ‘This Is a Really Strong Group for Us’

Wood-Anderson will find it challenging to make the final roster given the team’s depth at tight end. The Seahawks signed former Rams playmaker Gerald Everett in free agency and Will Dissly has been fully healthy this offseason. Seattle lost Jacob Hollister to the Bills, but Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll described the tight ends as a “really strong group for us.”

“This is a really strong group for us,” Carroll said, per Seahawks.com. “Will being healthy now, we know he’s going to have a great shot at having a hell of a camp and be able to do his stuff. Will can do everything, he can catch the football, he can run with it after, and he’s our biggest, best on-line blocker. So he kind of sets it, that’s kind of the stability of the position. Gerald brings some factors that we have not had here before—his route running ability, his speed. If you watch his stuff, his run-after-catch is excellent. He’s a very, very aggressive runner with the football, which is really exciting.”

Penny & Dallas Are Competing to be the Team’s No. 2 RB

The running back group continues to be an area to watch as the Seahawks did not make a major addition this offseason. The Seahawks were able to re-sign top rusher Chris Carson but lost Carlos Hyde to the Jaguars in free agency.

This likely means Rashaad Penny and DeeJay Dallas will battle to be the team’s No. 2 running back behind Carson. Penny has struggled with injuries throughout his NFL career, and the Seahawks declined to pick up his fifth-year option. Carroll admitted the Seahawks were at risk of losing Carson in free agency.

“To get Chris back for us is such an important factor because we love his style of play,” Carroll noted during the team’s pre-draft press conference, via Seahawks.com. “We all have seen what a great football player he is. This was a time where we might not be able to get it done, but tremendous faith in the program on Chris’ part and the ability of John and Matt to get that done, that’s a big deal.”