Written by Bob Condotta at TheSeattleTimes.com
The Seahawks have suffered their first significant loss of free agency, even if it was an expected one, as there are multiple reports that linebacker Bruce Irvin has agreed to sign with the Oakland Raiders. NFL.com and ESPN are each reporting that Irvin has agreed to sign with Oakland. Details of his contract were not immediately available.
Irvin is one of 17 Seahawks players who can become unrestricted free agents on Wednesday and the first reported to be signing elsewhere.
Irvin was Seattle’s first-round pick in 2012 and had a valued role the last two seasons as a strong linebacker on rushing downs and an edge rusher on passing downs.
While teams such as Jacksonville and Atlanta had long been portrayed as favorites to land Irvin — Irvin is from Atlanta and each is coached by former Seahawks defensive coordinators — Oakland had also been considered as a possible contender throughout due to the presence of defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr., who was the linebackers coach for the Seahawks from 2012-14 during Irvin’s first three years in Seattle.
The Seahawks could have secured Irvin’s services for the 2016 season last spring by exercising an option that would have paid him just under $7.8 million — since Irvin was a first-round pick, the Seahawks had an option for his fifth season. But the Seahawks declined to pick up the option, at the time stating they hoped they work out a long-term extension with Irvin. But that also did not happen, which set the stage for his departure from the Seahawks.
Irvin turns 29 on Nov. 1, and that was viewed as one reason the Seahawks were reluctant to make a heavy investment in his future.
While some nationally perceived it a surprise that Irvin signed with the Raiders, many inside the Seattle organization long felt they were a heavy contender for his services due to the presence of Norton. Norton often called Irvin the best athlete on the team, in 2014 saying that he would pick Irvin first if he was choosing up sides for a sandlot football game.
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