Seahawks free agency continues with a needed blocking TE, special-teams veterans
It became clear when they hired their new offensive coordinator this winter the Seahawks needed more tight ends.
They got one Monday.
Seattle signed veteran tight end Eric Saubert, a free agent who most recently played for the division-rival San Francisco 49ers. The 30-year Saubert is an eight-year veteran. This will be his ninth NFL team.
The 6-foot-5, 248-pound Saubert has been primarily a blocking tight end and special-teams player for Atlanta (2017-18), Chicago (2019), Jacksonville (2020), Denver (2021-22), Dallas (2023), Houston (‘23) and San Francisco (2024).
New Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak and new line coach John Benton have brought to Seattle an outside-zone blocking and running system that often uses multiple tight ends. The Seahawks let Pharoah Brown, a veteran tight end known primarily for blocking, leave in free agency this offseason after his only season with the team.
Saubert will join Seattle’s lead man Noah Fant (entering the final year of his contract and AJ Barner, the team’s impressive 2024 rookie, as top tight ends for new quarterback Sam Darnold.
Saubert, a native of Chicago, was a fifth-round pick in the 2017 NFL draft from Drake.
He played 35% of the 49ers’ offensive snaps last year in San Francisco’s multiple-tight end offense. That tied a career high for him in an offense. On average, he’s played 61% of his teams’ special-teams snaps in a season.
Seattle signs a safety, special-teams player
The Seahawks signed a second, veteran special-teams player on Monday.
The team announced recent Cleveland Brown D’Anthony Bell signed a free-agent contract.
The 28-year-old safety played his first three NFL seasons for the Browns. He’s made seven career starts at safety. His career high for defensive snaps is 21%, for the Browns in 2023.
The 6-1, 211-pound native of Covington, Georgia, has been known more in the league for his special-teams play. He played 60%, 75% and 85% of Cleveland’s special-teams snaps in his three seasons with the Browns.
Bell was an undrafted free agent in 2022 from Division-II West Florida. That’s the program where former Lakes High School and Seahawks defensive lineman Matt Gotel played through the 2021 college season.
Gotel, 26, born and raised in Tacoma, has been on and off the Seahawks’ roster and practice squad the last three years. He’s a free agent.
This story was originally published March 24, 2025 at 3:17 PM.
