Seahawks Notebook: Colby Parkinson among 3 to IR; Duane Brown’s deal reportedly restructured

We’re less than a week away from the first Seahawks game of the year, which is on the road Sunday against the Colts.

Rost: Three things to know as Seahawks gear up for Week 1

With just a few days left before the 2021 season kicks off, the Seahawks were awfully busy on Tuesday making a number of roster moves. Here’s what happened.

Three to IR, two promoted from practice squad

Head coach Pete Carroll said on Monday that second-year tight end Colby Parkinson (foot) wouldn’t be ready for Week 1 and that rookie cornerback Tre Brown (knee) would be out for a few weeks. That’s now assured as those two, along with recently-acquired cornerback Nigel Warrior, were placed on injured reserve Tuesday.

In corresponding moves, the Seahawks promoted cornerback John Reid and wide receiver Penny Hart from the practice squad, and they made the signing of cornerback Blessuan Austin official.

The Seahawks traded a conditional 2023 seventh-round pick to the Houston Texans for Reid, a 2020 fourth-round pick, shortly before their preseason finale, and he was waived during final roster cuts before signing to Seattle’s practice squad.

Hart spent parts of 2019 and 2020 on the Seahawks’ practice squad and appeared in 13 games for Seattle last year, mostly playing on special teams. He was also cut on the final roster cutdown day but cleared waivers and re-signed with the Seahawks’ practice squad.

Austin’s signing was first reported on Q13 FOX by former NFL linebacker Dave Wyman, who hosts 710 ESPN Seattle’s Wyman and Bob and is an analyst on the Seahawks Radio Network. Austin was a sixth-round pick of the New York Jets in 2019 and started 16 games over his first two NFL seasons.

Also on Tuesday, the Seahawks signed undrafted rookie free agent Gavin Heslop to the practice squad and released tight end Mark Vital, who is best known for starring on Baylor’s men’s basketball team that won the national championship last spring.

With Parkinson out, the Seahawks have Gerald Everett, Will Dissly and Tyler Mabry, who was promoted from the practice squad on Monday, on the 53-man roster at tight end.

With Brown and Warrior on injured reserve, the Seahawks have five outside cornerbacks on the active roster in D.J. Reed, Tre Flowers, Sidney Jones, Reid and Austin.

Hart joins Tyler Lockett, DK Metcalf, Freddie Swain and Dee Eskridge in Seattle’s wide receiver room.

More money up front for Duane Brown, per reports

Star left tackle Duane Brown will be on the field for Week 1 after staging a “hold in” where he reported to training camp but didn’t practice as he enters the final year of his contract.

Related: Duane Brown back at practice for Seahawks ahead of opener

Brown, 36, didn’t get a new deal from the Seahawks, but he did reportedly get his contract restructured.

According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, Brown’s deal now is effectively fully guaranteed as $7 million of the deal was reworked into a signing bonus while $4 million represents his salary, giving him $11 million up front. In a follow-up tweet, Fowler reported that Brown’s 2021 deal was $10 million in salary with $1 million in roster bonuses, so this restructure gives him more money up front.

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that Brown gets an injury protection benefit for 2022, and his NFL Network colleague Mike Garafolo reported that a voidable year was added to Brown’s deal to give him said protection.

Brown is entering his 14th NFL season and will be a free agent after this season.

Follow Brandon Gustafson on Twitter.

Heaps: Why Tre Flowers starting at CB for Seahawks is a big concern

Follow @TheBGustafson