Seahawks sign ex-49ers DT Earl Mitchell; Lano Hill placed on PUP
Jul 24, 2019, 12:40 PM | Updated: 3:00 pm
The Seahawks have signed veteran DT Earl Mitchell, a former 49er. (Getty)
(Getty)
The Seahawks are getting some help at defensive tackle following the news of Jarran Reed’s six-game suspension.
Seattle has signed Earl Mitchell, a nine-year veteran who spent the previous two seasons with the 49ers. The 31-year-old Mitchell (6-foot-3, 310-pounds) became a free agent earlier this year when San Francisco opted not to exercise their option on his contract. Mitchell finished his stint there with 61 tackles and one sack.
We've signed veteran DT Earl Mitchell and made some roster moves.
» https://t.co/wRMX6Qd1Pe pic.twitter.com/LwwF19qFXI
— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) July 24, 2019
The Seahawks announced Mitchell’s signing along with several other moves Wednesday afternoon, including the placement of Lano Hill on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list. Hill is working his way back from a hip injury suffered in the final game of the 2018 regular season. Hill can come off the PUP list at any point in training camp, but players still on PUP at the start of the regular season must sit out the first six games.
Seattle also placed wide receiver Caleb Scott on the non-football injury (NFI) list, signed receiver Daniel Williams and waived running back Marcelias Sutton and cornerback Derrek Thomas to make room for Williams and Mitchell on the 90-man roster.
Earlier Tuesday, ESPN’s Brady Henderson mentioned Mitchell as an option for Seattle to replace Reed.
“I do think it’s going to be a similar player to Mike Daniels,” Henderson said during Brock and Salk’s Blue 42 segment. “More of a 3-technique defensive tackle as opposed to a nose tackle. What is a 3-technique versus a nose tackle? A nose tackle is your bigger, massive body, 330 pounds, that’s your Al Woods, Alan Branch is another guy who’s been here. Those guys are going to be more of a factor against the run because they’re not the athletic type who’s going to get upfield and affect the passer. The 3-technique is going to be more of the Jarran Reed, Aaron Donald; Warren Sapp was the guy who made that position famous. Comparatively smaller, more athletic, and will factor more against the pass. And the two guys names that I think could be (signed) are Earl Mitchell and Corey Liuget. Two guys who kind of fit that mold, aren’t necessarily the bigger nose tackle guys, but two guys who are available and fit the mold of what they need.”
Mitchell may only provide temporary assistance on the defensive line. With the news of Reed’s suspension Monday morning, Seattle was tasked with finding a replacement for its leading pass rusher. The team was already preparing to enter the season without defensive end Frank Clark, who racked up a career-high 14 sacks last season before he was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs. Reed and Clark accounted for the bulk of Seattle’s sacks and quarterback hits in 2018.
Reed will be permitted to participate in preseason practices, but he will be moved to the suspended list when the team cuts down to its 53-man roster on Aug. 31.
710Sports.com editor Brent Stecker contributed to this report.
