Seahawks trade veteran CB for rookie who’s played for Macdonald

The Seattle Seahawks have added depth at linebacker with a trade, and it’s a familiar name for their head coach.

Will rookie defender play an important role for Seahawks?

The team announced Thursday morning that veteran cornerback Michael Jackson has been dealt to the Carolina Panthers for rookie linebacker Michael Barrett.

The Panthers picked the 24-year-old Barrett out of Michigan in the seventh round of the NFL Draft in April, and he’s played under first-year Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald before. Macdonald was Michigan defensive coordinator in 2021, when Barrett was in his fourth of six seasons with the Wolverines.

With this Seahawks trade, Seattle deals from a position of strength. Jackson was part of a cornerback room that includes Pro Bowlers Devon Witherspoon and Riq Woolen, veterans Artie Burns and Tre Brown, 2024 draft picks Nehemiah Pritchett and D.J. James, and undrafted rookies Dee Williams and Carlton Johnson.

Linebacker is much less settled for the Seahawks, especially with offseason additions Tyrel Dodson and Jerome Baker both having been limited due to injury since joining the team in free agency.

Barrett is a two-time All-Big Ten third team selection and was a captain for the national championship-winning Wolverines last season. He had 137 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, two interceptions, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries in two seasons as a starter at Michigan.

Do it all, @mikebarrett_MB1! pic.twitter.com/1wMuIls7F5

— Michigan Football (@UMichFootball) October 14, 2023

This preseason, Barrett had three defensive tackles and one on special teams in two games with Carolina. He saw 27 snaps at linebacker and 18 on special teams.

Jackson, a University of Miami product, debuted in the NFL with Detroit in 2019 and had a stint with New England in 2020. He joined the Seahawks in 2021 as a practice squad member and broke out in 2022, starting all 17 games for Seattle with 75 tackles, three tackles for loss, an interception, 12 passes defensed, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries.

Jackson played all 17 games again in 2023 for Seattle but started only four following the addition of Witherspoon as a first-round pick.

The Seahawks wrap up the preseason at 7 p.m. Saturday against the Cleveland Browns at Seattle’s Lumen Field. Radio coverage will begin at 5 p.m. with the pregame show on Seattle Sports 710 AM and KIRO Newsradio 97.3 FM, as well as the mobile apps for both stations and the official Seahawks app. For more on Seahawks Radio Network broadcasts, click here.

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