Seahawks sign Eric Saubert, add depth at tight end

SEATTLE – The Seahawks added to their tight end room Monday, signing eight-year veteran Eric Saubert, who spent last season in a reserve role with the San Francisco 49ers.

The Seahawks announced Saubert’s signing Monday afternoon.

Saubert, who turns 31 in May, has 47 catches for 389 yards in 101 games in his NFL career, specializing in blocking roles. He had 11 receptions for 97 yards and a TD last year for the 49ers.

Of Saubert’s 377 snaps last season, 275 came as an in-line tight end and he blocked on 215 of those plays, according to Pro Football Focus.

Saubert has been a regular on special teams throughout his career and played 302 special teams snaps last season with San Francisco.

Saubert has some familiarity with the Seahawks’ new offense, playing in 2022 at Denver when new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak was the offensive passing game coordinator.

Saubert becomes the fourth tight end on the roster, joining Noah Fant, AJ Barner and Brady Russell.

Fant and Barner project as the top two tight ends on the roster and handling the majority of the pass-catching responsibilities out of that position, with Saubert and Russell competing for the blocking tight end role and special teams snaps.

The 6-foot-4, 248-pound Saubert initially entered the NFL as a fifth-round pick of the Falcons in 2017 out of Drake.

Notes

• Free agent guard Dillon Radunz, who visited the Seahawks last week, signed Monday with the New Orleans Saints. Radunz, who spent the past four seasons with the Tennessee Titans, is one of three veteran guards who were known to have visited the Seahawks last week, the others being Teven Jenkins (of the Bears) and Lucas Patrick (Saints). All have signed elsewhere — Jenkins with the Browns and Patrick with the Bengals.

• The Seahawks officially announced the signing of safety D’Anthony Bell. Bell’s signing was reported Friday.