Seattle Seahawks strengthen EDGE team and sign Trevis Gipson for a late-round pick
Needing more depth at outside linebacker Uchenna Nwosu following an injury in Saturday’s final preseason game, the Seattle Seahawks arranged their fourth trade of August on Monday morning to secure a viable veteran player as backup.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Seahawks have negotiated a deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars to sign outside linebacker Trevis Gipson for a late draft pick. Specific details on that pick have yet to be announced.
Gipson, a fifth-year NFL veteran, entered the league with the Bears in 2020 as a fifth-round pick out of Tulsa and saw limited action as a rookie. But he emerged as one of Chicago’s best edge defenders in his breakout sophomore season in 2020, recording a career-high seven sacks and forcing five forced fumbles with a 10.2 percent pass rush win rate. Although his sack numbers dropped in 2022, he posted 11 quarterback hits and 30 pressures this season, remaining an effective rotational rusher.
Despite his improved performance in his second and third seasons with the Bears, Gipson was released in final roster cuts last August and ultimately signed with the Titans two days later. He appeared in eight games for Tennessee, generating seven pressures and one sack on just 39 pass rushing reps before signing with Jacksonville in March.
Gipson is only 27 years old and will join a Seahawks team that may be without Nwosu for an extended period of time. The standout pass rusher left Saturday’s win over the Browns after being illegally blocked by guard Wyatt Teller and eventually heading to the locker room. Coach Mike Macdonald did not provide any details on the severity of the injury after the game, however, and his status for the season opener against the Broncos remains uncertain.
Seattle also traded former second-round pick Darrell Taylor to Chicago for a 2025 sixth-round pick on Friday, further increasing the need for additional depth, especially since Gipson is better suited to a front four, in a similar role to Taylor in Macdonald’s defense. He also has NFL experience on special teams in kick coverage in previous seasons and could contribute in the same capacity on his new team.
