Seahawks to lose Jordyn Brooks to Miami, Damien Lewis to Carolina

Mar 12, 2024, 8:30 AM | Updated: 1:27 pm

Seattle Seahawks Jordyn Brooks free agency...

Jordyn Brooks of the Seattle Seahawks celebrates after a sack on Sept. 24, 2023. (Christopher Mast/Getty Images)

(Christopher Mast/Getty Images)

Seattle Sports

Arguably the Seattle Seahawks’ two best picks from their 2020 NFL Draft class are not going to remain with the team on a second contract.

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Linebacker Jordyn Brooks, the team’s first-round pick that year, is reportedly leaving Seattle in free agency for Miami, while guard Damien Lewis, who was the Seahawks’ third-round pick in 2020, is reportedly joining the Carolina Panthers.

Brooks is signing a three-year deal worth up to $30 million with the Dolphins, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. As for Lewis, his deal is four years in length and worth up to $53 million with $27 million guaranteed over the first two seasons, according to an Associated Press report.

Lewis joins new Carolina head coach Dave Canales, a longtime Seattle assistant who coached with the Seahawks during Lewis’ first three seasons in the NFL.

Brooks, the 27th overall pick in 2020 out of Texas Tech, joined the Seahawks as the team’s two top linebackers, Bobby Wagner and K.J. Wright, reached their 30s and neared the end of their time in Seattle.

After playing a partial role on the team’s defense in 2020 as a rookie, Brooks became a full-time player with Wright leaving Seattle for Las Vegas in free agency. Brooks took on an even bigger role in 2022 when Wagner left for Los Angeles in free agency, though Wagner reunited with the Seahawks this past season.

In four years with the Seahawks, Brooks tallied 513 total tackles, 23 tackles for loss, 11 quarterback hits, 6.5 sacks and 16 pass deflections in 63 games (55 starts). In those four years, Brooks missed only four regular season games.

JORDYN BROOKS PICK 6

(via @Seahawks)pic.twitter.com/pITyjLILmg

— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) November 24, 2023

Late in 2022, Brooks tore his ACL against the New York Jets, forcing him to miss the Seahawks’ regular season finale and a playoff game. He didn’t miss any time in 2023, however, which was a bit of a surprise. With Brooks recovering from his ACL surgery last offseason, the Seahawks declined his fifth-year option, which would have kept him in Seattle for 2024.

With Brooks leaving, the Seahawks have a very big hole at inside linebacker. Wagner is also a free agent, as is 2023 backup linebacker Devin Bush.

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Lewis was taken 69th overall in 2020 out of LSU, which had just won the national championship.

A four-year starter for the Seahawks, Lewis was initially a right guard as a rookie but spent the last three years at left guard. He joins a revamped Panthers offensive line that reportedly also signed Robert Hunt, formerly with Miami, to a big five-year deal worth up to $100 million. Lewis has started 61 games for Seattle since entering the league.

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Like at linebacker, the Seahawks have big needs on the offensive line.

Seattle is relatively set at tackle with 2022 first-round pick Charles Cross entering his third year at left tackle and 2022 third-rounder Abraham Lucas back at right tackle, though Lucas missed most of last season with a knee injury and had offseason surgery. The Seahawks’ three Week 1 starting interior linemen – Lewis, center Evan Brown and right guard Phil Haynes – all hit free agency on Monday, though Lewis is the only one of those three that reportedly has a new contract.

Seattle has two potential starters in the mix in 2023 rookies Anthony Bradford, a guard, and Olu Oluwatimi, a center, but the team will very likely address the interior offensive line in one or both of free agency and the 2024 NFL Draft.