The Seattle Seahawks and free-agent running back Fred Jackson agreed to terms on a one-year deal Friday, according to a person familiar with the contract talks.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal hasn’t been signed. NFL.com first reported Jackson and the Seahawks had agreed to terms.
Jackson, an eight-year veteran became a free agent Monday when the Bills cut the respected team leader and fan favorite. The Seahawks’ interest in Jackson emerged when they learned that backup running back Robert Turbin suffered a significant high-ankle sprain last Saturday in a preseason game against San Diego.
Seattle coach Pete Carroll had no update after Thursday’s preseason finale against Oakland on how long Turbin could be out.
Jackson traveled to Seattle this week to meet with the Seahawks and went through a physical. The contract is expected to be finalized by the end of the weekend.
Carroll said after Thursday’s game that Jackson’s visit was about gathering information.
“He’s an incredible football player and person and been extremely productive,” Carroll said. “We’ll see what that means. We had a good visit with him. I really, really like the kid, we all did. We’ll see what that means, I don’t know that answer right now.”
Though slowed by injuries the past few years, Jackson is a versatile play-maker as a rusher and receiver, and also a dependable blocker. His signing in Seattle will also be a reunion with Marshawn Lynch after the pair broke into the NFL together in Buffalo in 2007.
Lynch was Buffalo’s first-round pick and Jackson made the Bills’ roster after spending the previous year on the team’s practice squad.
The two shared starting duties during the 2009 season. And Jackson took over as the starter after the Bills traded Lynch to Seattle. The pair stayed in touch since Lynch arrived in Seattle, with Jackson noting that he and Lynch exchange texts regularly.
At 34, Jackson was the league’s oldest running back last season.
The Bills restocked their backfield by acquiring LeSean McCoy in a trade with Philadelphia in March. Jackson was set to make a $2.5 million base salary in the final season of his contract, which was deemed expensive for a backup.
Jackson is third in Bills history with 5,646 yards rushing.
