Seahawks Reach Four-Year Deal with Leon Washington [VIDEO]

Running back Leon Washington has reached an agreement in principle to re-sign with the Seahawks.

Fitting that Leon Washington will be coming back to the Seahawks.

After all, returns are what he did best for Seattle.

Washington agreed to a four-year contract to return to the Seahawks, negating the possibility he would enter free agency.

That deal is part of the Seahawks' last-minute rush with the possibility of a lockout looming later in the week. Coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider each said in the past week the team continues to negotiate with quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, also scheduled to be a free agent.

The Seahawks announced Washington's re-signing Tuesday afternoon, but neither Schneider nor Carroll were available to comment. Terms were not disclosed, but it's believed the deal will pay $12.5 million over four years with an additional $3.5 million in incentives based primarily upon achievements as a running back.

The Seahawks acquired Washington, 28, during last year's draft from the New York Jets. Seattle gave up its fifth-round pick (No. 139) in exchange for Washington and the Jets' seventh-round pick (No. 236).

That turned out to be one of the best acquisitions of Seattle's season. In exchange for sliding down 97 spots in the final two rounds of the draft, the Seahawks got Washington, who beat the San Diego Chargers with two kickoff returns for scores in Week 3 and added a third kickoff return for a touchdown later in the season. No Seahawk had ever returned more than one kickoff for a touchdown in his Seahawks career before Washington.

-Seattle Times