The Seahawks made a trade on Thursday, sending veteran cornerback Michael Jackson to Carolina in exchange for rookie linebacker Michael Barrett.
The Seahawks added rookie linebacker Michael Barrett on Thursday, acquiring him in a trade that sends veteran cornerback Michael Jackson to the Panthers.
The move gives the Seahawks added depth at linebacker, a position that has dealt with multiple injuries during camp, including one that has kept starting weakside linebacker Jerome Baker sidelined in recent weeks.
Jackson has been a valuable part of the Seahawks since joining the team in 2021, but cornerback is one of the team's deeper positions, with four rookies—draft picks Nehemiah Pritchett and D.J. James and undrafted rookies Dee Williams and Carlton Johnson—joining a cornerback group that already included Pro-Bowlers Riq Woolen and Devon Witherspoon, as well as experienced players like Tre Brown and Artie Burns.
Thank you, @Teamjackson28. pic.twitter.com/CfOwKhfXAE
— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) August 22, 2024
Barrett, a seventh-round pick out of Michigan, spent one season playing under Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald when he was the Wolverines' defensive coordinator in 2021. A team captain on last year's national championship-winning team, Barrett was a two-time All-Big Ten selection, earning third-team honors each of the past two seasons. Over his two seasons as a starter, Barrett totaled 137 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, two interceptions, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. A six-year letterwinner, Barrett was part of more wins than any player in Michigan history, with the team compiling a 61-14 record during his time there.
In two preseason games with the Panthers, Barrett played 27 defensive snaps and 18 on special teams, recording three tackles on defense and one on special teams.
Jackson, who initially signed to Seattle's practice squad in 2021, had a breakout 2022 season, starting all 17 games at left cornerback while recording 75 tackles, 12 passes defensed and an interception, as well as a touchdown scored returning a blocked field goal. The arrival of Witherspoon along with Brown returning to health limited Jackson to four starts last season, but he still appeared in all 17 games while also making significant contributions on special teams.
