Veteran edge rusher is heading back to the NFC West. This time, with the reigning Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks.
According to an X post from ESPN reporter Tom Pelissero, Fowler Jr is signing a one-year deal worth up to $5 million.
Veteran edge rusher Dante Fowler Jr. is signing with the Seahawks on a one-year deal worth up to $5 million, per sources.
The No. 3 overall pick in the 2015 draft, Fowler is now entering his 12th NFL season. Deal negotiated by Sean Kiernan and Tom Povinelli of @AthletesFirst. pic.twitter.com/IOyRrcoWAJ
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) May 5, 2026
Seahawks Bolster Pass Rush With Former Cowboys Edge Rusher Dante Fowler Jr.
Dallas Cowboys: 2025 Season in Review
Most recently with the Dallas Cowboys, Dante Fowler Jr had a very predictable role as a rotational player. He played 17 games in 2025 and would amass 3 sacks along with 15 tackles. Neither number is anything special, however they do represent where Fowler is in his career. He is not an every snap player anymore, but a situation-specific situational rusher. The Cowboys knew what they had and while it was not asking too much out of him and mostly what was expected, it certainly was not overwhelming.
Dante Fowler Jr has been all around the NFL
Dante Fowler Jr’s career reads like a “who’s who” of the NFL as Seattle becomes his sixth destination. This furthers the veteran journeyman path he has taken with stops through many systems and various types of role usage. That should not be interpreted as negative, however. Successful players tend to find ways to adapt and that is exactly what Dante Fowler Jr has done. Entering his 12th year, Fowler’s role is not asking him to carry the defense but is also not asking too little either. If it’s the right situation, it is hard not to imagine this becoming another one of those cases where things finally find a way to settle late in a career.
Could Seattle be where Fowler ends up retiring?
With just one year on the contract, there’s no saying anything would last. However, it is possible that Seattle could end up being more than a quick pit stop before his retirement from professional football. For the Seahawks, Fowler’s addition should be seen as a plug more than a splash. Seattle has been looking to add more to their rotation off the edge, and Dante Fowler Jr provides a veteran to the mix who is capable of coming in right away and making an impact. While Fowler will not be expected to jumpstart the pass rush to elite status, what he does provide is veteran experience and flexibility to have a player who can provide useful snaps in his rotation. What he does offer is experience, flexibility, and a player who understands how to contribute without needing a full workload. Sometimes that is all a team is really looking for this time of year.
Seattle’s defensive overhaul this offseason
Seattle is clearly in the middle of reshaping its defense this offseason, and the loss of Boye Mafe left a noticeable gap along the edge. Bringing in Dante Fowler Jr. is not a headline grabbing fix. But in a group that is already leaning on veterans like DeMarcus Lawrence and Uchenna Nwosu, his presence adds another experienced piece to the rotation. He may not be the glue holding this defense together, but for a unit going through change, he is the kind of addition that can help stabilize things as it all comes together.
Main Image: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
