Seahawks sign former CFL standout Chris Matthews
Feb 18, 2014, 3:46 PM | Updated: Feb 19, 2014, 11:34 am
By Brady Henderson
Known for leaving no stone unturned while building their roster, the Seahawks have again turned to the Canadian Football League for their latest addition.
The team announced Tuesday it has signed wide receiver Chris Matthews to a futures contract.
Matthews, 24, was undrafted out of Kentucky in 2011. He signed with the CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers and caught 81 passes for 1,192 yards and seven touchdowns en route to winning the league’s rookie of the year award in 2012. He caught 14 passes for 138 yards and one touchdown in 2013, missing 13 of 18 games because of injuries.
Listed at 6-foot-5 and 227 pounds, Matthews becomes the biggest receiver on Seattle’s roster.
The Seahawks struck gold three years ago with cornerback Brandon Browner, who blossomed into a starter and made a Pro Bowl with Seattle after a stint in the CFL. Matthews has a long way to go to even stick with the team, but he’ll get a chance to compete to be the big-bodied target that Seattle didn’t have last season once Sidney Rice went down with a knee injury.