The Seahawks signed former first-round pick Devin Bush to add help at linebacker.John Boyle

The Seahawks addressed one of their clearest offseason needs in the early stages of free agency, signing former Steelers linebacker Devin Bush.

Bush, a former first-round pick, joins the Seahawks after spending four seasons as a starter for the Steelers, who traded up to select him with the No. 10 overall pick in the 2019 draft. Bush, 24, is the son of former NFL safety Devin Bush, who was also a first-round pick.

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With starting middle linebacker Jordyn Brooks tearing his ACL late in the season, leaving his status for the start of the 2023 season in question, and with fellow starter Cody Barton signing with Washington this week, inside linebacker was a position the Seahawks knew they needed to address this offseason.

"It definitely is a need," general manager John Schneider said Thursday on Seattle Sports 710 AM. "I'd be lying to you if (I said) it wasn't."

Signing Bush doesn't mean the Seahawks are done adding at linebacker, but he does give them a veteran with significant starting experience and production on his resume. After earning All-American and Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Award honors at Michigan in 2018, Bush began his NFL career by starting 15 of 16 games played, recording 109 tackles, nine tackles for loss, two interceptions, one forced fumble, one sack, four fumble recoveries, one of which he returned for a touchdown. Bush's play that season saw him named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team while finishing third in AP Defensive Rookie of the Year voting.

Bush unfortunately tore his ACL early in his second season, playing just five games, and saw his production decline in 2021 coming back from that injury. Bush appeared in all 17 games last season, starting 14, and had 81 tackles, his most since his rookie season. Most impressively, Bush was credited with only three missed tackles for the season according to Pro Football Focus.