Carroll: LB Brooks remains in Seahawks’ plans

SEATTLE — Inside linebacker Jordyn Brooks remains in the Seattle Seahawks‘ long-term plans despite the team declining his fifth-year option, coach Pete Carroll said Wednesday.

“He’s got a long, long future for us,” Carroll told Sports Radio 93.3 KJR-FM. “We love the way he plays and what he brings and all of that. We’ve got to orchestrate the way we move forward. The decision we made now, this is not an indication of our future. We expect Jordyn to be with us for a long time.”

Tuesday was the deadline for teams to exercise fifth-year options for 2020 first-round draft picks. Picking up Brooks’ option would have locked him into a fully guaranteed $12.722 million salary for 2024. Instead, he’ll enter the final year of his rookie contract, which has a base salary of just under $2.28 million.

The Seahawks’ decision on Brooks, chosen 27th overall out of Texas Tech, did not come as a surprise given their history, the price tag and the fact that he’s coming off reconstructive knee surgery.

Brooks, 25, became a starter early in his rookie year and then set the Seahawks’ single-season record for tackles in 2021 with 183, which was the second most in the NFL that year and the second most of any player since 2000. He was having a similarly productive season last year before he tore an ACL in Week 17, which puts his availability for the start of the 2023 season in question.

In 47 regular-season games, Brooks has recorded 402 tackles, two sacks, 12 passes defensed, 15 tackles for loss and one forced fumble.

The Seahawks have now declined the fifth-year options on all six of the eligible first-round picks they’ve made since the options were instituted in the last collective bargaining agreement: guard James Carpenter, outside linebacker Bruce Irvin, right tackle Germain Ifedi, running back Rashaad Penny, defensive end L.J. Collier and Brooks. However, they exercised tight end Noah Fant‘s fifth-year option last April after acquiring him from the Denver Broncos in the Russell Wilson trade.

With Brooks coming off his knee injury, Seattle brought back Bobby Wagner and signed Devin Bush Jr. in free agency. Both are on one-year deals, meaning the Seahawks’ top three inside linebackers are all scheduled to become unrestricted free agents in March. They did not select any inside linebackers in this year’s draft.