Seahawks sign LB and special teams standout Joel Iyiegbuniwe
Mar 24, 2022, 10:20 AM | Updated: 12:56 pm
LB Joel Iyiegbuniwe of the Chicago Bears stretches prior to an Oct. 27, 2019 game. (Photo by Nuccio DiNuzzo/Getty Images)
(Photo by Nuccio DiNuzzo/Getty Images)
The Seahawks are adding another player familiar to their new defensive associate head coach.
How Seahawks are back in “wheelhouse” with draft
Linebacker Joel Iyiegbuniwe (pronounced ee-yay-boo-NEE-way, per Pro Football Reference), a special teams standout over the past four seasons for the Chicago Bears, is joining Seattle on a one-year contract, according to a Thursday morning report by Doug Kyed of Pro Football Focus.
Per Kyed, the contract will be worth $1.1875 million with a $152,500 signing bonus.
The Seahawks officially announced the signing of Iyiegbuniwe on Thursday afternoon.
Hungry & ready to compete 😤
We’ve signed LB @ig_nacious_!
📑 » https://t.co/d7oysR2ata pic.twitter.com/D3PiKgOywK
— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) March 24, 2022
Iyiegbuniwe would be reunited in Seattle with Sean Desai, who joined the Hawks’ coaching staff this offseason after nine seasons on the Bears’ staff, including 2021 as defensive coordinator. The Seahawks have also signed cornerback Artie Burns as a free agent from the Bears this month.
A 26-year-old Western Kentucky product, was a 2018 fourth-round selection by Chicago. He appeared in all 16 of the Bears’ games in each of his first three seasons, then played 11 games in 2021. He missed time last season both due to a hamstring injury and while on the COVID-19/reserve list, including Chicago’s Week 16 trip to Seattle on Dec. 26.
The 6-foot-1, 235-pound Iyiegbuniwe had four tackles and a forced fumble in 2021. He had a career-high 12 tackles and a pass defensed in 2020.
