Ex-Seahawks WR Jermaine Kearse signs with Lions, reunites with Darrell Bevell

After two seasons with the New York Jets, former Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jermaine Kearse has found his new team.

ESPN reported on Thursday that Kearse has agreed to a one-year deal with the Detroit Lions worth up to $2.3 million ($350,000 guaranteed). The Lions made the signing official shortly thereafter.

Kearse is coming off an uninspiring 2018 with the Jets, having caught just 37 passes for 371 yards and one touchdown. He was traded from Seattle to New York prior to the 2017 regular season, in exchange for Sheldon Richardson. Kearse seemed to flourish in his increased role with the Jets offense in that particular season, catching 65 passes for 810 yards (both career-highs) and five touchdowns.

The 29-year-old is a Washington native who starred at the University of Washington, joining the Seahawks as a UDFA in 2012. He’s been part of quite a few of the most important moments in Seahawks history, including the go-ahead TD in the NFC Championship Game against the San Francisco 49ers, the game-winning overtime TD in the following NFC CG against the Green Bay Packers, and his circus catch in Super Bowl XLIX vs. the New England Patriots was so amazing that the NFL declared the Seahawks winners despite trailing 28-24 at the time. After a solid 2015 that (at the time) represented his best season to date, Kearse signed a contract extension, but he struggled mightily in 2016 and thus became a trade asset entering 2017.

By going to Detroit, Kearse will be reunited with newly hired offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell, who’s back in the NFL after he was fired by the Seahawks at the end of 2017. The Lions also have former Seahawks CB Justin Coleman on the squad, although Kearse had already been traded before Coleman was brought over.

I also want to give kudos to this guy for an aggressively punny tweet.