Longtime Seahawks linebacker K.J. Wright to sign with Las Vegas Raiders
Sep 2, 2021, 12:20 PM
Ten-year Seahawks LB K.J. Wright is signing with the Raiders in free agency. (Getty)
(Getty)
There will be no reunion after all between K.J. Wright and the Seattle Seahawks as the longtime linebacker reportedly told Josina Anderson that he will be signing with the Las Vegas Raiders, where he’ll play for former Seahawks defensive coordinator Gus Bradley.
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Wright, 32, was a fourth-round draft pick of the Seahawks in 2011 and has been a key part of the team’s defense ever since.
In 10 seasons in Seattle, Wright compiled 941 tackles, 66 tackles for loss, 13.5 sacks and 54 pass deflections in 144 career games. He was the Seahawks’ longest-tenured player for the last few years and in 2020, he had 86 tackles, 11 tackles for loss and 10 pass breakups, making him the only player in the league last season with 10 or more pass breakups and tackles for loss.
Wright’s two-year deal expired after the season and while he remained unsigned, the Seahawks appeared to be going younger at the outside linebacker position. 2020 first-round pick Jordyn Brooks is Seattle’s starting weakside linebacker, a spot Wright played for years, while 2020 second-round pick Darrell Taylor appears to be the guy at strongside linebacker, where Wright played for most of 2020.
Wright played on some of the top defenses in the NFL during his time in Seattle and played with some of the top defenders like safeties Kam Chancellor and Earl Thomas, cornerback Richard Sherman and his linebacker mate Bobby Wagner. Wright was never the biggest name on the Seahawks’ defense, but he was a stellar linebacker during his 10-year Seattle tenure and was a fan favorite.
Wright joins Bradley, who was his defensive coordinator in Seattle for his first two NFL seasons, in Vegas, where he’ll be in the AFC West playing for head coach Jon Gruden.
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