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The Seattle Seahawks on Saturday signed wide receiver Paul Richardson, a 2014 second round pick of the team who had spent the first four years of his career with the Seahawks prior to spending the last two seasons with the Washington Football Team. It continued to be a busy weekend for the team when on Sunday reports emerged that the team had reached an agreement on bringing back another former member of the team.
Taumoepenu (listed at 6-1, 245) has been a pass-rusher in the past, so perhaps the Seahawks are bringing him back with that role in mind more so than linebacker. They waived UDFA defensive end Eli Mencer as injured to make room for Paul Richardson yesterday.
— Brady Henderson (@BradyHenderson) August 30, 2020
As Henderson note, Pita Taumoepenu spent the tail end of the 2019 season on the practice squad of the Seahawks before signing a futures contract with the club after the loss to the Green Bay Packers in the divisional round of the playoffs. Taumoepenu was then a member of the club during the offseason, until May 5, when he was released in order to make room for the undrafted free agents Seattle added after the draft.
Originally a sixth round pick of the San Francisco 49ers, Taumeopenu recorded 13.0 sacks during his career at Utah, including a 9.0 sack senior season in 2016. However, since being drafted he has recorded just 21 defensive snaps, while playing 69 special teams snaps for the 49ers between 2017 and 2018.
In addition, the Seahawks may have been in the market for a pass rusher after releasing Eli Mencer Saturday, and the team will now need to make a move in order to make room for Taumeopenu, so stay tuned. That said, Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times has also reported that the Hawks could be in the market to bring back another former member of the defensive front.
There's a free agent defensive end who recently played for the Seahawks that rumor is the team could be interested in bringing in for a visit. But no, not him. Instead, hearing Damontre Moore could be getting a look-see.
— Bob Condotta (@bcondotta) August 30, 2020
That may not be what Seattle fans are hoping to hear, but the team has always churned the bottom of the roster under Pete Carroll and John Schneider, and things appear no different with the 2020 season set to begin in just two weeks.