Getty Former Patriots defensive end DaMarcus Mitchell at Highmark Stadium on January 08, 2023.
The Seattle Seahawks continue to tweak their roster following their second preseason win over the Dallas Cowboys on Saturday, August, 19. The Seahawks announced on Sunday, August 20, they had signed former New England Patriots defensive end DaMarcus Mitchell.
While the Patriots needed to clear some room in order to sign running back Ezekiel Elliott last week, making the move to release Mitchell, who participated in 310 snaps on special teams last season and tallied eight tackles, was an unexpected cut.
ESPN’s Mike Reiss posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, “Mitchell played in 16 games last season as a core special teamer after making the club as an undrafted free agent out of Purdue. Had him on my latest 53-man roster projection, so to me, this is a bit of a surprise from a pure football standpoint.”
DaMarcus Mitchell is a menace
Patriots reporter Taylor Kiles posted, “Was really hoping Mitchell would be back somehow. Given how good he was as a rookie, feels like the first real sign NE won’t keep as many special teams aces as in years past.”
Several analysts believe Seattle will be a good fit for Mitchell. NESN’s Dakota Randall posted, “Mitchell was one of the more energetic players during his time with the Patriots. Could fit in well with the Seahawks,” while Field Gulls’ John P. Gilbert believes the sophomore defensive end “could valuable to the Seahawks after losing many of their most experienced special teamers in the offseason.”
During his two seasons at Purdue, Mitchell, 24, recorded 59 total tackles, 5.5 sacks, four passes defensed, and three forced fumbles.
Seahawks Cut Defensive End Jordan Ferguson
WATCH: Seahawks DE Jordan Ferguson sacks QB Jaren Hall, followed up by a sack from DE Levi Bell.
Both Ferguson and Bell played in the #USFL this past season, impressing with the Michigan Panthers and Memphis Showboats.
Spring. Football. Works.
In order to facilitate the move, the Seahawks released defensive end Jordan Ferguson, a former undrafted free agent out of Middle Tennessee State. Seattle initially signed Ferguson on August 8, shortly after cornerback Andrew Whitaker suffered a season-ending injury during the team’s mock scrimmage game earlier this month.
Whitaker was waived with an injury designation, which made room for Ferguson, who recorded 212 total tackles, 20 sacks, two interceptions, and five forced fumbles during his college career. Before signing with the Seahawks, Ferguson played in the USFL with the Memphis Showboats, where he recorded seven tackles and two sacks.
Pete Carroll Mentioned He was Looking for a Boost on Special Teams
SI’s Mike D’Abate believes Mitchell will help add some “spark” to the Seahawks’ special teams unit, an issue head coach Pete Carroll discussed last week.
“That’s classically what we are doing,” Carroll told reporters about looking for a seasoned player who can contribute on both coverage and blocking units.
“We’re looking for a place for a guy to fit in where he can compete and knock out someone who maybe has a couple more years on him because of the value of special teams. It’s really important that they maximize those reps. We make a huge deal about it and really sell that hard to them. They’re not missing that point, they just got to get their chances and hope they can do something.”
Mitchell will need to quickly get on the same page with Carroll’s scheme once he lands in Seattle. The Seahawks’ final preseason game is against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on Saturday, August 26.