RENTON — The Seattle Seahawks are bringing back two of their own free agents, agreeing to terms Friday on new deals with tight end Luke Willson and cornerback DeShawn Shead.
Shead’s deal is for one year and worth up to $1.5 million with $1 million guaranteed, but it’s not as much as he likely would have received if not for a torn ACL suffered in Seattle’s playoff loss to Atlanta in January. Terms of Willson’s deal were not immediately available.
Seattle also signed former Jacksonville, Baltimore and New York Jets linebacker Arthur Brown for additional depth and help on special teams. Brown likely takes the role of backup linebacker previously filled by Brock Coyle, who was signed by San Francisco in free agency.
Willson and Shead have spent their entire careers with the Seahawks. Willson was a fifth-round draft pick in 2013 and has caught 74 passes and seven touchdowns in 56 career regular-season games.
Shead was signed by Seattle as an undrafted free agent who developed into a starting cornerback opposite Richard Sherman last season. He was a restricted free agent entering the offseason but was not tendered a contract and became an unrestricted free agent when the new league year began earlier this month.
But his value on the market was tied to his knee injury and the expectation that he will not be ready when the 2017 season begins in September. While Buffalo had reached out, Shead ultimately decided to remain in Seattle.
Shead played well last season with 81 tackles, 14 passes defensed and one interception — of New England QB Tom Brady — in the regular season.
Willson has just 32 total catches in the regular season the past two seasons as he was hampered by injuries and the arrival of Jimmy Graham as Seattle’s primary target at tight end. His best season was 2014 when Willson had 22 catches for 362 yards and three TDs in the regular season.
