Atlanta Falcons sign former Seahawks DT Garrison Smith

Stop me if you’ve heard this before: A former Seattle Seahawk is now a member of the Atlanta Falcons.

While it’s true of the current Falcons coaching staff, led by none other than Super Bowl-winning defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, that hasn’t actually been the case for the actual player roster. With that in mind, ex-Seahawks defensive tackle Garrison Smith has signed a deal with Atlanta, marking a return to his hometown.

Smith was not given a qualifying offer as an exclusive rights free agent, therefore making him an unrestricted free agent. The 26-year-old joined the Seahawks in 2016 after the San Francisco 49ers waived him. He was cut the following season and placed on the practice squad, but promoted to the active roster in mid-September, then waived again in November, put back on the practice squad, then promoted back to the 53-man roster in December.

Garrison was credited with 14 total tackles in eleven games played with Seattle, and was a depth signing for a defensive line that has already been retooled this offseason. Hopefully for Smith, his homecoming will be a successful one.