Former New York Jets cornerback Bless Austin joins the Seattle Seahawks
Bless Austin apparently didn’t last long in free agency. Per Seattle radio host Dave Wyman, the former New York Jets defender is set to sign in the Pacific Northwest, reuniting with Jamal Adams as a member of the Seahawks.
According to Dave Wyman on @Seahawks Saturday Night on @Q13FOX just now, the team is signing CB Blessuan Austin, who started 16 total games for the #Jets the last two seasons, including ten games last year. Third-year player from Rutgers, former 6th round pick. https://t.co/FmN72MlA49
— Aaron Levine (@AaronLevine_) September 5, 2021
Seattle had 52 men on their active roster, so no corresponding move is necessary.
Austin, 25, was a surprise release after the Jets unveiled their original 53-man roster as he had been penciled into one of the primary cornerback roles for a majority of the offseason.
The Rutgers alum and Queens native was originally added as a sixth-round pick in 2019. He would develop a reputation as a strong hitter but struggled in coverage and with missed tackles.
Jets management, looking to showcase their younger talents (i.e. rookie draft picks Jason Pinnock, Michael Carter II, and Brandin Echols), reportedly explored a trade involving Austin but found no suitable takers. His final New York ledger saw him tally 88 tackles and eight pass breakups over two seasons in green.
The addition of Austin is part of a flurry of adjustments the Seahawks have made as kickoff weekend looms. Seattle likewise sent away a presumptive starter in the secondary, trading Ahkello Witherspoon to Pittsburgh for a fifth-round choice in 2023.
The Seahawks also added cornerback Sidney Jones IV from Jacksonville, sending over a 2022 fifth-round pick. They also added safety Nigel Warrior, a final cut from Baltimore’s camp.
Both the Jets and Seahawks open their respective 2021 campaigns on the road in the early Sunday slot. The Jets will take on the Carolina Panthers in Charlotte (1 p.m. ET, CBS) while Seattle travels to Indianapolis (1 p.m. ET, Fox).
Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags
