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Seahawks Sign Fullback Marcel Reece And Defensive End Marcus Smith

The Seahawks made a pair of additions before training camp, bringing back a familiar face while also adding a former first-round pick.

The Seahawks added a pair of players before the start of training camp, signing fullback Marcel Reece and defensive end Marcus Smith. Fullback Algernon Brown and linebacker Nick Usher were waived to make room on the 90-man roster.

Reece returns to Seattle after finishing last season as the Seahawks' starting fullback. Smith, 25, was the 26th overall pick in the 2014 draft, and appeared in 37 games with the Philadelphia Eagles, compiling 23 tackles and 4.0 sacks. Smith was waived by the Eagles earlier this week.

Reece, 32, spent the first eight years of his career with the Oakland Raiders, converting from receiver, his position at the University of Washington, to fullback back when Seahawks assistant head coach/offensive line coach Tom Cable was the head coach of the Raiders.

"As a former wide receiver, he wasn't afraid of it," Cable said late last season. "He didn't really have a fear factor. That's really unique, that transition. You can take a D-lineman to an O-lineman or tight end or whatever it is, but usually a wide receiver to fullback, you'd say you're crazy. But it worked. He's been really good for a while."

After learning the ropes at fullback, Reece became a four-time Pro Bowler with the Raiders, also earning second-team All-Pro honors in 2013. With his receiving background, Reece has been one of the league's best pass-catching fullbacks, hauling in 210 passes for 2,088 yards and 12 touchdowns in his career to go along with 844 rushing yards on 185 carries. Reece had five catches for 73 yards in four regular season games with Seattle last year, and added two caches for 15 yards in two postseason games, the first playoff games of his career.

Brown, who played collegiately at BYU, and Usher, who played at UTEP, both signed with the Seahawks in May as undrafted rookie free agents.

RELATED

Take a look back at the best photos of fullback Marcel Reece, a four-time Pro Bowler who was signed Tuesday by the Seahawks.

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