Seattle Seahawks: 6 Facts About Dion Jordan
By Paul Taylor
As the Seattle Seahawks sign Dion Jordan, we take a closer look at what the controversial defensive end potentially brings to the Pacific Northwest.
The Seattle Seahawks have been extremely active since free agency started, as they look to continue their run as regular Super Bowl contenders. Highlights include bringing in running back Eddie Lacy and re-signing DeShawn Shead.
Tuesday saw an interesting move by the Seahawks, with Art Thiel of Sportspressnw.com reporting the signing of Dion Jordan. Terms of the contract have not been confirmed, although you would assume it is a low-cost, one-year deal.
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This relates to the fact Jordan has not played in the NFL since the 2014 season. He is a three-time violator of the NFL’s performance-enhancing substance policy, who also missed last year with a knee injury.
In many ways, this is the type of player the Seahawks’ Peter Carroll will thrive on coaching. However, let’s find out more about what persuaded Carroll to sign the controversial defensive end:
1) Jordan also played as a tight end in high school, which included catching 54 passes for 804 yards and 13 touchdowns as a junior. As a result, he was ranked by Scout.com as a four-star prospect and the 10th-best tight end in the country.
2) The San Francisco, California native switched over to defensive end for good in 2010, for the Oregon Ducks. During his first year as a full-time starter in 2011, he recorded 42 tackles — including 13 for a loss — and 7.5 sacks, resulting in a first-team All-Pac-12 Conference selection.
3) Jordan came to national prominence during the 2012 season, when he registered 44 tackles — 10.5 for a loss — and five sacks. As a result, he was named First-team All-American, while also earning his second first-team All-Pac-12 Conference selection.
4) The Dolphins thought so much of the 27-year, they traded up to number three overall in the 2013 draft, to pick him. As a result, he became the highest-selected Oregon player since Joey Harrington was picked in the same position in 2002, by the Detroit Lions.
5) Jordan played in all 16 games during his rookie season in Miami, recording two sacks, 26 total tackles and two pass defenses. He followed this up in 2014, by appearing in 10 games — including his first NFL start — and registering one sack, 20 total tackles and one pass defense.
6) The three-time Pac-12 Champion’s professional career started to unravel during his sophomore season, when he was initially given a four-game suspension — later increased to six — for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing substance policy. He was later suspended for the entire 2015 season, after violating the policy for a third time.
Overall, this is arguably the last chance for Jordan to prove himself in the NFL. However, from the Seahawks’ perspective, he’s a low-risk gamble with high upside potential.
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While Jordan may be considered a controversial signing, what’s your take on his addition to the Seahawks’ roster? Do you see him strengthening the defensive line, or once more failing to live up to the talent which saw him drafted third overall? Share your thoughts in the comments section.