Seattle Seahawks Rumors: Fred Jackson Signs Contract, Set To Backup Marshawn Lynch

Seattle Seahawks rumors reveal Fred Jackson has signed with the team. Seahawks rumors about Jackson being interested in joining the team have been around for almost a week, but the free agent running back decided that the team was a good fit. A report from NFL.com confirms that the deal is in place, though a salary numbers has not yet been revealed. Jackson immediately becomes the primary backup to Pro Bowl running back Marshawn Lynch.

The Buffalo Bills decided to release Jackson a bit earlier in the NFL preseason, making him a free agent that could then sign with any other franchise. Now he will team up with Lynch, who played with Jackson in Buffalo for a numbers of seasons. The tandem will now be in a backfield behind Pro Bowl quarterback Russell Wilson and take on the quest of making a third-straight Super Bowl.

These Seattle Seahawks rumors might surprise some fans, because it shows that the front office does have some money to spend still. Amid the controversy around Kam Chancellor holding out and not getting a big raise like his agent wants, many fans had felt the team simply didn’t have the money to offer. This signing takes away even more of the cushion that would have been available to Chancellor, cementing a stance that the team has taken in not giving him a raise right now.

Jackson is an eight-year veteran in the NFL who has only eclipsed 1,000 yards once in his career. That was during the 2009 NFL season, when he rushed for 1,062 yards on just 237 carries. He is one season removed from scoring 10 touchdowns in the 2013 season, but he also provides a big weapon in the receiving game. Last year, Jackson had 66 catches for 501 yards receiving to go along with 525 yards on the ground.

This is a signing that gives the team a lot of added depth. An injury to Robert Turbin made another signing necessary, and the Seahawks may have gotten a steal in the form of Jackson. Though he is now 34 years old, Fred Jackson is the perfect complement to Marshawn Lynch. He can be used sparingly and to spell Lynch, making this a really smart signing by the front office. While other Seattle Seahawks rumors will continue to deal with the Kam Chancellor holdout, this was a smart move that comes under the radar for the team.

[Image Source: Brett Carlsen/Getty Images]