The Seattle Seahawks found another pass catcher for new quarterback Sam Darnold and bolstered their pass rush on the first official day of the new league year.
Seattle agreed Wednesday to a one-year deal worth up to $5.5 million with speedster Marquez Valdes-Scantling, according to agent Harold Lewis. The Seahawks later reached a deal with former Dallas edge rusher DeMarcus Lawrence, according to agent David Canter.
Lawrence, who turns 33 next month, spent his first 11 seasons in the NFL with the Cowboys, making four Pro Bowls and getting 61 1/2 sacks during his tenure.
Lawrence played only four games last season before being sidelined with a foot injury but had three sacks and five quarterback hits in his brief action. The Seahawks needed help on the defensive front after releasing Dre'Mont Jones and Roy Robertson-Harris last week.
NFL Network reported that Lawrence's deal is worth $42 million over three years with $18 million guaranteed.
The Seahawks were in dire need of adding receivers after releasing Tyler Lockett in a cost-cutting move last week and agreeing to a trade to send D.K. Metcalf to Pittsburgh.
Seattle also has a deal in place to trade quarterback Geno Smith to Las Vegas and has agreed to a three-year, $100.5 million contract with Darnold to take over that spot.
All of those deals are expected to be finalized later Wednesday and have been confirmed by people familiar with the deals who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they hadn't been announced.
The moves left the Seahawks with only one wide receiver who had more than 13 catches last season — Jaxon Smith-Njigba — and a big need at the position.
The 30-year-old Valdes-Scantling ended last season in New Orleans and is one of the game's better deep threats. He had 17 catches for 385 yards and four TDs in eight games for the Saints last season after catching just two passes in six games for Buffalo to begin the season.
Valdes-Scantling began his career in Green Bay and spent four years with the Packers after being drafted in the fifth round in 2018. He then spent two seasons in Kansas City where he was part of back-to-back Super Bowl champions on the Chiefs.
Valdes-Scantling has 205 catches for 3,566 yards and 20 TDs with his 17.4 yards per reception ranking third best of all players with at least 125 receptions since 2000.
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AP Pro Football Writer Rob Maaddi contributed to this report
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
Josh Dubow, The Associated Press
