Seahawks solve log jam at center by trading Nick Harris to Cleveland

As the Seahawks officially announced the signing of veteran free agent center Connor Williams Sunday they also solved their potential log jam at center by trading Nick Harris back to Cleveland, where he spent the last four years.

In exchange for Harris, the two teams are swapping picks in the 2026 draft, with Seattle getting a sixth-rounder and sending a seventh-rounder back to the Browns.

Harris, a former UW star, was drafted by the Browns in the fifth round in 2020 and played the last four seasons there before signing with Seattle in March as a free agent. He got a one-year deal worth up to $2.395 million that included a $1 million signing bonus to come to Seattle.

Harris spent the offseason program and early training camp in a battle with second-year player Olu Oluwatimi for the starting spot, a competition coaches several times referred to as wide open.

But the two also had just a combined five career starts — four by Harris during his years with the Browns.

And that led Seattle to pursue Williams, who had 26 starts at center with the Dolphins over the last two seasons before suffering an ACL tear on Dec. 11.

The 27-year-old Williams passed a physical with the Seahawks during a visit on July 24 and last week agreed to a one-year deal with Seattle worth up to $6 million with a reported $3 million guaranteed.

Harris said in an interview recently that the Browns had made him an offer to stay when he became a free agent following the 2023 season but that he liked the opportunity in Seattle, where he was also reunited with his former position coach at UW, Scott Huff.

But the Browns had a sudden need for center depth after backup Luke Wypler suffered a fractured right ankle in a game Saturday night against Green Bay that will require surgery.

Harris started for the Seahawks in their 16-3 preseason opening win Saturday against the Chargers, But he played just 12 snaps before giving way to Oluwatimi, who played 45. Seattle’s third team center is rookie Jalen Sundell, who played 20 snaps against the Chargers.

Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said Harris starting on Saturday “was just the plan going into the game’’ while saying of Williams that he “should be coming into town pretty soon.’’

Now that Williams’ signing his official, he could join the team for a practice Monday at the VMAC. The Seahawks are then heading to Nashville on Tuesday to held joint practices with the Titans there on Wednesday and Thursday before then playing their second preseason game there on Saturday.