The Seattle Seahawks are expected to re-sign veteran nose tackle Johnathan Hankins to a one-year contract, a league source confirmed to FOX 13 Seattle. The agreement was initially reported by NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
Hankins, 32, returns to Seattle after appearing in all 17 games for the team during the 2023 season, including eight starts. He registered 30 total tackles, including five tackles for loss, along with one sack and one interception.
Despite making 11 selections in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Seahawks did not add a nose tackle to their roster. The recent release of 2023 fourth-round pick Cameron Young has left the team notably thin at the position, creating a clear need for veteran depth on the interior defensive line.
Head coach Mike Macdonald addressed the team’s roster strategy following the draft. “If there was an opportunity for us, I think we probably would have gone for it,” Macdonald said on Saturday. “There’s still a long time before we play, and hopefully more opportunities will arise.”
A seasoned NFL veteran, Hankins has played for five franchises over his career. He spent four seasons with the New York Giants, one with the Indianapolis Colts, over four years with the Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders, parts of two seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, and joined the Seahawks for the 2023 campaign.
In related news, the Seahawks waived four players on Tuesday to create roster flexibility ahead of signing their undrafted free agent class. Those players include quarterback Jaren Hall, center Mike Novitsky, and linebackers Michael Dowell and Kenneth Odumegwu.
The release of Hall, a quarterback, comes as the team solidifies its depth at the position. Seattle traded Sam Howell to the Minnesota Vikings on Saturday and has since bolstered the quarterback room by selecting Jalen Milroe in the third round of the draft and re-signing veteran Drew Lock in free agency.
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