Linebacker Brock Coyle, who originally joined the Seahawks as an undrafted free agent out of Montana ahead of the 2014 season, agreed to terms on a free agent deal with the San Francisco 49ers on Friday night, ending his three-year stay in Seattle.
Coyle, 26, primarily served as a backup to middle linebacker Bobby Wagner and was a standout on special teams for the Seahawks. He recorded 24 tackles and 1.0 sack through 35 games played with Seattle and also saw action in seven playoff games. Coyle made five career starts for the Seahawks, including three last season at strongside linebacker in place of an injured Mike Morgan.
At his end of season press conference, Seattle head coach Pete Carroll acknowledged that depth at the linebacker spot is something the Seahawks will be looking for this offseason.
"We need some youth at the linebacker spot," Carroll said in mid-January. "Bobby and K.J. [Wright] played thousands of plays this year between the two of them and were extremely successful, but we need to address that. We didn't get anybody that really made a difference in the last couple years that can really fight to take those guys' job. Think if somebody can battle K.J. or Bobby for their starting time, well that's what we need to draft towards. We'll be looking there."
Two days into the NFL's 2017 free agency period, Coyle becomes the second Seahawk to sign elsewhere on the open market. Longtime Seattle kicker Steven Hauschka agreed to terms with the Buffalo Bills on Thursday.
