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Brady HendersonESPN
The Seattle Seahawks solidified their offensive line Thursday by adding Mike Iupati and re-signing D.J. Fluker, according to multiple reports.
Fluker’s deal reportedly is for two years while Iupati’s is for one year. Iupati’s deal is pending a physical, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Iupati, who has played left guard exclusively throughout his eight-year NFL career, becomes the favorite to start at that position. The former Cardinal replaces J.R. Sweezy, who signed with Arizona, in what amounts to a swap of left guards between the NFC West rivals.
Fluker, who made nine starts at right guard last season, was one of Seattle’s 14 unrestricted free agents. Pete Carroll made multiple mentions of how the Seahawks wanted to re-sign Fluker, noting how well his attitude and physicality fit with their style of play.
Keeping Fluker means Sweezy is the only starting offensive lineman the Seahawks will not return from last season.
NFL Network first reported both deals.
“#UnfinishedBusiness” was among the hashtags Fluker included in a picture that he tweeted after news broke of his deal to remain in Seattle.
#UnfinishedBusiness #12s #DJTheWarrior #Seahawks #Seattle #NFL @Seahawks @NFL @espn pic.twitter.com/mebdGzWCph
— DJ Fluker TheWarrior (@DJTheWarrior76) March 14, 2019
Iupati’s time with the Cardinals was defined by injuries, as the 31-year-old veteran didn’t play a full 16-game schedule in any of his four seasons with the team.
He was limited to 10 games in 2018 while dealing with back and knee injuries. That followed a 2017 season in which Iupati missed the rest of the season after suffering a triceps injury in Week 1. He also missed one game in 2016 and three games in 2015, his first with the Cardinals.
When healthy, Iupati was consistent, starting all 39 games that he played after joining the Cardinals on a five-year deal worth $40 million in 2015, when he was widely considered the best offensive lineman on the free-agent market.
The former first-round pick of the San Francisco 49ers (17th overall) in 2010 took a $3 million pay cut before the 2018 season, which also voided the 2019 year on his deal.
ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss contributed to this report.