Seahawks sign former Dolphins LB

Funny enough, Brooks and Baker will swap jobs in 2024. The Dolphins released Baker after the two sides failed to reach an agreement on a restructured contract that would lower Baker’s salary cap impact. Miami quickly moved to replace the veteran, signing Brooks to a three-year, $30M deal. Now, Baker heads to the opposite corner of the country to fill the role that Brooks left vacant in Seattle on a one-year, $7M contract.

Baker’s release wasn’t necessarily a result of any lack of on-field production. While missing four games did keep Baker from reaching the 100-tackle mark for only the second time in the last five years and he didn’t have quite the same impact on the team’s pass rush as he has in the past, he showed an impressive improvement in coverage, nabbing two interceptions and three passes defensed. Teaming Baker up with Dodson, who excelled as the top-graded linebacker in the league in 2023, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), Seattle will be home to one of the league’s top pass-defending duos at linebacker.

Baker is coming off wrist surgery that placed him on injured reserve for four weeks near the end of the regular season. He was able to return from IR in time for the Dolphins’ regular-season finale, but Baker reinjured his wrist in that game and sat out of the playoffs. The offseason should give him plenty of time to recover, allowing him to potentially start alongside Dodson in 2024 at full strength.