Bruce Irvin BREAKING: Returns to Seahawks For Third Stint, Signs With Practice Squad

Previously a first-round pick for the Seattle Seahawks back in 2012, Bruce Irvin could be called upon to provide some extra punch rushing off the edge in the team's hybrid 3-4 defense as early as Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals.

After working out for the team on Tuesday, the Seahawks have reportedly brought back a fan favorite for a third tour in the Pacific Northwest.

According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, Seattle has re-signed former first-round pick Bruce Irvin to the practice. The 10-year NFL veteran linebacker last played in six games with Chicago last season and has remained unsigned since becoming a free agent in January.

Originally drafted 15th overall out of West Virginia, Irvin became an immediate contributor for the Seahawks in 2012, posting 8.0 sacks as a rookie as the team advanced to the NFC Divisional Round. While he only had a pair of sacks in his second season, he still started 12 games for the eventual Super Bowl champs.

In four seasons with the franchise, Irvin recorded 133 tackles, 22.0 sacks, and three interceptions while scoring two defensive touchdowns. In 10 postseason games, he generated 3.5 sacks and nine quarterback hits.

Becoming a free agent after the 2015 season, Irvin signed a multi-year deal with the Raiders, producing 18 sacks in two-plus seasons with the organization before being released and briefly joining the Falcons.

Set to turn 35 years old next month, Irvin hasn't registered a sack since the 2019 season when he produced 8.5 of them in a starting role for the Panthers. The following season, he rejoined the Seahawks on a one-year contract and suffered a torn ACL in a Week 2 win against the Patriots, causing him to miss the remainder of the season.

At this stage of his career, Irvin isn't a starter-caliber player anymore. However, Seattle has struggled to generate consistent pass rush off the edge transitioning to a hybrid 3-4 defense under new coordinator Clint Hurtt. Darrell Taylor recently lost his starting job due to underwhelming performance and rookie Boye Mafe is still acclimating to the league with three pressures in five games.

If Irvin still has a little bit of juice left in the tank, at 6-foot-3, 250 pounds, he could eventually step into a rotational pass rushing role as an outside linebacker to help bolster the group. For now, he'll get back into the swing of things on the practice squad and depending on what kind of shape he is in, he could be an option for a game day elevation as soon as this weekend against Arizona.

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