Ex-Patriots Player Lands With Seahawks After Surprising Release

DaMarcus Mitchell has a new home.

The second-year defensive end signed with the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, per the NFL's transaction wire. Seattle waived defensive lineman Jordan Ferguson in a corresponding move.

Mitchell was released by the New England Patriots last week as part of a series of moves that cleared a roster spot for running back Ezekiel Elliott. While not necessarily a stunning development, the release of Mitchell caught some by surprise.

The Purdue product earned a spot on the Patriots' initial 53-man roster last season as an undrafted rookie. He went on to appear in 16 of 17 games, primarily as a special teamer. Mitchell showed intriguing traits as a developmental pass-rusher, but, if nothing else, he appeared primed for another season as a core special teamer -- a position Bill Belichick still values.

That said, the 24-year-old battled minor injuries before his release and didn't show any major improvement on defense. Belichick also might be catching up with the times and accepting the fact special teams-only players no longer carry much value.

Mitchell now will get a chance to continue his NFL career with the Seahawks. A high-energy player, Mitchell could be a good fit with the culture created by head coach Pete Carroll.