K.J. Wright initially thought he would be back with the Seahawks by now.
Instead, the linebacker remains a free agent with training camps about to begin.
Wright, who turns 32 at the end of the week, was a fourth-round pick back in 2011 and has been a critical piece of the Seattle defense since his rookie year. He’s continued to play well into his 30s, starting 32 games over the last two seasons and picking up a combined four interceptions, 21 passes defensed, and 16 tackles for loss.
The Seahawks are set to have 2020 first-round pick Jordyn Brooks take over at weakside linebacker in the coming season, replacing Wright. But Wright said in a Tuesday interview with SiriusXM NFL Radio that a return to the Seahawks could still be in the cards.
“Yes, there is a chance. There is a chance and I’m not closing the door on Seattle,” Wright said. “Going into free agency, I thought it would be a no-brainer. But they’re going to wait until training camp, so we’ll see. No matter what happens, my career in Seattle was just unforgettable. Just 10 years, just had a lot of fun. Got a Super Bowl, got a Pro Bowl, Seahawks Man of the Year — I did a lot of good stuff in that jersey. And so, hopefully one day they put me up in the Ring of Honor, we’ll see.
“But yeah, no matter what happens, just playing with Bobby [Wagner] and the Legion of Boom, those guys, that’s going to be historical. And I’m just thankful that I could be a part of it. So we’ll see if I go back to Seattle, that would be nice. But if not, you know, I’m forever thankful.”
If Wright doesn’t return to the Pacific Northwest, he feels his experience will help him get quickly acclimated to a new defensive system.
“I know what I provide to a team,” Wright said. “I know that I can go into a training camp, pick up the playbook nice and easy, nice and fast, go out there and perform at any position they want me at. And so I’m excited, man. Whatever opportunity does present itself, I’m just going to go in there and attack it and just have fun playing in Year 11.”