Safety Jeron Johnson and fullback Marcel Reece both signed with the Seahawks on Tuesday, but despite both being new to the roster, there's a level of familiarity with the team and the system that could help them contribute right away.
Most notably, Johnson spent his first four seasons in the NFL with the Seahawks, serving as a backup safety and key special teams contributor before leaving as a free agent following the 2014 season. Reece doesn't have history with the Seahawks, but he did play for offensive line coach/assistant head coach Tom Cable when Cable was the head coach in Oakland from 2008 to 2010. Reece also has the benefit of being familiar with the area having played for the University of Washington.
Both players were released by teams earlier this year and have been waiting for the right opportunity to present itself ever since, and now both have the chance to contribute to a team that is well positioned to earn a fifth consecutive playoff berth. Johnson's signing adds depth at safety following Earl Thomas' season ending injury, while Reece gives the Seahawks another option at fullback with Will Tukuafu in the concussion protocol this week.
"It's a great, great, great feeling," Johnson said of returning to the Seahawks. "It's really what I wanted. I've been waiting on it. I've been waiting on an opportunity to get back. It's unfortunate what happened to Earl and the circumstance of why I'm here, but I'm very fortunate, I'm grateful for the opportunity to come back."
Johnson lives near the Virginia Mason Athletic Center and has been working out at a nearby L.A. Fitness and at Rainier Beach High School, making his return to the Seahawks not just a dream scenario, but also a convenient one that keeps him close to home and his two children, including a three-month-old daughter.
"Truly I felt at home yesterday coming back for a workout," Johnson said. "It's truly a family atmosphere, I'm happy to be back… I've been right down the street just waiting on the opportunity."
Johnson spent most of his time at strong safety during his first stint with Seattle, but he said he's ready to play free or strong safety—or anywhere else for that matter.
"I'm ready for whatever," he said. "Whatever they throw at me, I'm ready for it… I'm ready for whatever, it doesn't matter. If they tell me to go play long snapper, I'll do it right now. I'm just glad to be here."
In addition to helping with safety depth, Johnson should be able to contribute on special teams, perhaps easing the workload of Steven Terrell, a special teams mainstay who will now take over the starting free safety job.
"We're hoping that he can give us some play at safety and do some special team work for us, as he's done in the past," Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said. "He's a really smart football player. He's been around the area, he's been kind of staying close to the program, paying attention, so we think we might have a chance to fit him in if we need him.
"It really made sense. We worked a few guys out and it really made sense. He looked good, he's in good shape. He's maintained a good conditioning level, so it was a real obvious choice for us."
Reece, meanwhile, has been working out in the Bay Area since being a somewhat surprising early-season cut after four straight Pro Bowl seasons with the Raiders.
"I think a lot of people were surprised; I was," Reece said. "But that's the nature of the business."
Despite that surprise ending to a long career in Oakland, Reece is nothing but happy for his former team, which is currently 10-2, assuring the franchise of its first winning season since 2002.
"I'm happy for those guys," Reece said. "I'm happy for them, more power to them. I'm happy for those fans, those guys, (owner) Mark Davis, they deserve it, but I'm a Seahawk now and I'm ready to go."
And the Seahawks hope Reece can be ready to go soon, a process that should go more quickly both because of Cable and Reece's familiarity with each other, and also because Reece is accustomed to learning new offenses having been through five coaching changes in his career.
"The fact that he was with (Cable) really helps us," Carroll said. "They've got background and system and concept and all that together, and Tom knows him really well. He's a really good kid, it's great that he's a local product as well. He is a versatile football player. He has worked really hard to stay in good shape and he had a great workout last week, so he gets an opportunity this week.
"He has wide receiver background. That's why he was always a special player when he first broke in, and they got him to play fullback. They used him kind of in the tight end spots and he's done a lot of stuff. He has a lot of versatility, he is a good catcher and he can run all the routes and stuff. He does give some chances to do some other things with him."
Team photographer Rod Mar shares exclusive behind-the-scenes images from the Seahawks' 40-7 Week 13 win over the Carolina Panthers on Sunday Night Football at CenturyLink Field.
Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson emerges from the tunnel for his early pregame warmups two hours before kickoff.
Russell Wilson stops to sign autographs for early-arriving fans who wait by the railing to for a close-up glimpse of their favorite players.
Tight ends Nick Vannett, Jimmy Graham, Marcus Lucas, Brandon Williams and Luke Willson chat on the field during early warmups.
Head coach Pete Carroll greets linebacker Mike Morgan in his first game back from injury as the team took the field for pregame warmups.
Cornerback Richard Sherman wears custom cleats for the "My Cause, My Cleats" initiative. Sherman's cleats honored his Blanket Coverage and the Richard Sherman Family Foundation.
Doug Baldwin wore custom cleats in honor of the Southern Youth Sports Association, located in BaldwinÕs home state of Florida as part of the "My Cause, My Cleats" initiative.
Head coach Pete Carroll wore black shoe laces with his signature Nike Air Monarchs to raise awareness about gang prevention and youth violence as part of the "My Cause, My Cleats" initiative at Sunday night's game.
The Seahawks gathered in the locker room in front of banners from playoff games and Ring of Honor members before taking the field for the Sunday Night Football game against the Panthers.
Cornerback Richard Sherman waits with the rest of the defense for pregame introductions.
Receiver Doug Baldwin waits in the fog of the tunnel for this name to be called during pregame introductions.
Seahawks receiver Tyler Lockett runs onto the field amid pyrotechnics.
12s link arms as do Seahawks players during the playing of the national anthem.
Seahawks players, coaches and staff link arms during the playing of the national anthem.
With Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (1) watching from the sideline, Seattle's Mike Morgan intercepts a pass that bounced off the hands of Carolina's Mike Tolbert during the opening drive of the game.
Seahawks linebacker Mike Morgan returns an interception as Michael Bennett puts a block on Carolina quarterback Derek Anderson.
K.J. Wright and Cliff Avril celebrate with Mike Morgan, who intercepted Derek Anderson's pass on the first play from scrimmage.
Seattle's Steven Hauschka made all four of his field goal attempts in the victory.
The Seahawks defense hits Carolina quarterback Cam Newton in the first quarter.
Seattle's Tyler Lockett leaves Carolina defenders in his wake on a punt return in the first half.
Seattle's Tyler Lockett gets a hand on a deep ball from Russell Wilson but is unable to hang on as Carolina's Robert McClain defends.
Seattle's Jimmy Graham lets out a yell after making a catch in the red zone in the first quarter.
Seattle's Thomas Rawls hurdles Carolina's Daryl Worley on his way to a touchdown in the first quarter.
Seattle's Jimmy Graham applies a stiff arm to Carolina's A.J. Klein.
Seattle's K.J. Wright causes Carolina's Jonathan Stewart to fumble in the second quarter.
Seattle's Cassius Marsh came up with the recovery after Cliff Avril stripped Carolina's Jonathan Stewart in the second quarter.
Seattle's Earl Thomas gets a perfect break on a ball and nearly intercepts it before colliding with teammate Kam Chancellor. Thomas suffered a leg injury on the play.
Seattle's Earl Thomas is carted off the field with a leg injury suffered in the second quarter as Seahawks fans give him a standing ovation.
Seattle's Thomas Rawls breaks into the open with the help of blocks by the offensive line and tight end Nick Vannett during the second quarter. By halftime, Rawls had amassed 103 yards rushing.
Thomas Rawls breaks to the right sideline on his way to a 45-yard touchdown run in the second quarter, giving Seattle a 17-7 lead.
Thomas Rawls celebrates his touchdown with members of the offense including Jermaine Kearse, Tyler Lockett, Germain Ifedi, Justin Britt and Mark Glowinski.
Seattle's Kam Chancellor celebrates a tackle for loss near the end of the second quarter.
Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson breaks into open field in the second quarter.
At the end of halftime, head coach Pete Carroll and safety Steven Terrell "tap in" as they head back to the field. Terrell replaced injured started Earl Thomas who left the game due to injury.
Seattle's Tyler Lockett takes a jet sweep up the right side past the Carolina sideline and their head coach Ron Rivera on his way to a 75-yard touchdown on the first play from scrimmage of the second half. The touchdown extended Seattle's lead to 30-7.
Settle's Richard Sherman stops Carolina's Ted Ginn, Jr, on a play in the third quarter.
Seattle's Ahtyba Rubin pressures Carolina's Cam Newton in to a hurried pass that fell incomplete.
Seattle's Ahtyba Rubin lithely hurdles his 330 lb frame over Carolina's Cam Newton on an interception by Steven Terrell in the third quarter. Newton was penalized for a low block on the play, which was also negated by a penalty on the Seahawks.
Seattle's K.J. Wright stops Carolina's Cam Newton for a two-yard loss in the third quarter.
12s in the south end zone bring the noise as Carolina threatened in the third quarter, but fell short of scoring on fourth down.
Between quarters, former Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch was spotted talking to teammates on the sidelines including Michael Bennett.
Seattle's Jimmy Graham makes a valiant one-handed effort to corral a pass in the end zone, but the ball fell incomplete.
On the same series, Jimmy Graham scored on a corner route to the opposite side of the end zone, making the score 37-7 in favor of the Seahawks.
Seattle's Troymaine Pope lets out a yell after a gain in the fourth quarter.
Seattle's Jermaine Kearse makes a leaping catch for a 31-yard gain from quarterback Trevone Boykin in the fourth quarter.
After the game, quarterback Russell Wilson heads back to the locker room.
In the victorious Seahawks locker room, cornerbacks DeShawn Shead and Richard Sherman compare notes.
Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson congratulates defensive end Frank Clark in the locker room after the win over Carolina.
Seahawks including Kelcie McCray (left), Russell Wilson and others salute receiver Tyler Lockett who finished off his 75-yard touchdown with a basketball celebration in the end zone.
