The centermen of Seahawks’ new defense come off injury list, set for training camp

The Seahawks are getting the centers — if not centerpieces — of their defense back to begin the preseason.

The team announced Tuesday projected new starting inside linebackers Tyrel Dodson and Jerome Baker passed physical examinations from injuries. They are off the physically-unable-to-perform list and ready to practice Wednesday, the first day of new coach Mike Macdonald’s first Seattle training camp.

Dodson, 26, and Baker, 27, signed this spring one-year contracts in free agency. Neither participated in the Seahawks’ organized team activities (OTAs) or minicamp practices this offseason.

Dodson signed a one-year, $4.26 million deal leaving the Buffalo Bills. He then missed Seattle’s spring practices with an unspecified injury. Macdonald has said the fifth-year NFL veteran is going to be the defensive signal caller wearing the green-dot helmet with a speaker to recieve Macdonald’s play calls. He is replacing departed All-Pro Bobby Wagner in Seattle’s middle-linebacker and play-calling roles.

Wagner signed this offseason with Washington. New Commanders head coach Dan Quinn was one of Wagner’s defensive coordinators with the Seahawks.

Like most of Macdonald’s overhauled unit still learning the system, Dodson is going to be something of an experiment for the new coach in his new Seahawks defense. Dodson has not played more than the 51% of defensive snaps he had last season as a half-time linebacker with Buffalo. Before last season, he hadn’t played more than 21% of a defense’s snaps in the league.

Baker signed a one-year, $7 million contract this spring. Macdonald and his new defensive staff have him as the starting inside weakside (“Will”) linebacker. Baker is replacing Jordyn Brooks. Seattle’s former first-round draft choice signed with Miami this spring, to take Baker’s place with the Dolphins.

Baker missed the Seahawks’ offseason practices following wrist surgery to repair an injury that nagged him last season in Miami. He also had what Macdonald vaguely termed a “lower-body” issue this spring.

Baker was essentially an every down inside linebacker in the Dolphins’ 3-4 defense the last five seasons.

Jon Rhattigan and Patrick O’Connell had been the starting inside linebackers during Seattle’s OTAs and minicamp while Dodson and Baker were sidelined. They will go back to their roles as backups and mainstays on the Seahawks’ special-teams units.

Two new Seahawks signed

The team announced on camp reporting day for veterans Tuesday it signed former USFL/UFL wide receiver and kick returner Marcus Simms and rookie offensive lineman Jalen Sundell. Both go onto the 90-man preseason roster.

Simms, 26, played the last two seasons for the Michigan Panthers. Before that, he was an NFL undrafted free agent with Jacksonville in 2019. He caught passes and returned punts and kickoffs at West Virginia University.

Sundell played last season at North Dakota State. He was NDSU’s starting left tackle. Before that, he was a three-year starter at center.

More off injured lists

Last weekend, the Seahawks had seven players on the PUP list: starting right tackle Abe Lucas, Dodson, Baker, cornerback Lance Boykin, safety Jerrick Reed II, linebacker Drake Thomas and defensive tackle Cameron Young.

Boykin became the third from those seven to come off the PUP list Tuesday. He passed his physical and can practice in training camp.

Last weekend, Anthony Bradford came off the non-football injury list the team had put him on late last week. The candidate with rookie third-round pick Christian Haynes and McClendon Curtis to start at right guard this season missed all offseason practices but the final minicamp day last month. He had an injured ankle.