Defensive end Dion Jordan signed his restricted free agent tender on Thursday, making official his return to the Seahawks for 2018.
The 28-year-old Jordan was one of the best stories of the Seahawks' 2017 season, coming back from a two-plus year absence caused by both suspensions and significant injuries, to become one of Seattle's most productive pass rushers late in the year. During a Thursday night game in Arizona, Jordan recorded a sack in his first game since 2014, and he went on to finish the season with 4.0 sacks in five games, a career-high for a player who had a disappointing start to his career after being the No. 3 overall pick in the 2013 draft.
With Jordan healthy heading into the 2018 season and with Michael Bennett being traded to Philadelphia, Jordan figures to take on an even bigger role in 2018.
"He can be a legitimate factor," Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said after the end of the season. "How good? I don't know, I don't know that, but I do know he should be a legitimate factor in the (pass) rush and in the run game. He's a good pursuit guy, too. He is strong and big and all that. He just has a really unproven background and there is not much to go on there, so we're having to piece it together with the few plays that we've got. But he made some real positive overtures and he's an exciting prospect for us. Really exciting prospect."
Last month at the annual league meetings, general manager John Schneider called Jordan's return in 2018 "a real big deal" based on what he could mean to the defensive line going forward.
"Dion, he's a real big deal for us, because he played real well when he was out there," Schneider said. "We just have to keep him healthy and making sure we can help him take care his body as much as he can."
