Lions acquire DE Jackson from Seahawks for 2011 draft pick

The Seattle Seahawks traded defensive end Lawrence Jackson to the Detroit Lions for an undisclosed draft pick in 2011.

One day after Jackson admitted he was in limbo in Seattle, the Seahawks announced Wednesday that they had traded away the lineman, who was 28th overall selection in the 2008 NFL Draft. Seahawks general manager John Schneider wasn't on the job when the team drafted Jackson out of USC.

Neither was Pete Carroll, Jackson's former coach at USC, nor the rest of the Seahawks' defensive staff. They are installing schemes that call for ends to be run stuffers or fast pass rushers, and Jackson has demonstrated he is neither.

Jackson becomes the latest arrival on the Lions' revamped defensive line. Veteran tackle Kyle Vanden Bosch and Ndamukong Suh, the second overall pick in April's draft, arrived earlier to help rescue the NFL's worst defense.

In Seattle, former tackle Red Bryant has moved his 335-plus pounds to end on one side of the starting defense. The Seahawks also acquired former part-time linebacker Chris Clemons from the Philadelphia Eagles this offseason to be their pass-rushing end, then grabbed 315-pound defensive tackle and end Kentwan Balmer from the NFC West rival San Francisco 49ers on Monday.

Jackson, who returned to practice Tuesday after missing one week with a hamstring injury, sensed he lost his place in the Seahawks' defense this summer. The 6-foot-4, 270-pounder wasn't big enough to be a run-stopping end, and he isn't yet enough of a proven pass rusher to become a specialist.

"I'm kind of in the middle of both extremes," Jackson said after Tuesday's practice. "Everything is still up in the air right now."

Not anymore. Jackson is headed to the Lions, cast off for a draft pick as Carroll and Schneider continue to turn over the Seahawks' roster, half of which has changed since they took over in January.

The pick the Seahawks receive from the Lions likely will be in the same low round next year as the one the Seahawks dealt to the 49ers to acquire Balmer, who was drafted one choice behind Jackson in 2008.

Jackson started 24 of 31 games in his two seasons with the Seahawks. He had a career-high 4½ sacks during the 2009 season.

"Detroit showed strong interest in Lawrence, and this provides him an opportunity to move forward while he is still early in his career," Schneider said in a statement released by the Seahawks. "We wish him the best."

The Seahawks filled Jackson's roster spot before Wednesday's practice by signing Amon Gordon, a free-agent defensive tackle. Gordon, 28, went to Mariner High School in the Seattle suburb of Everett before leaving for San Diego before his senior year.

Gordon called being back home for the first time since high school "absolutely awesome."

Gordon initially was a 270-pound linebacker at Stanford before he entered the NFL with the Cleveland Browns in 2004. He then had microfracture knee surgery and bounced to the Denver Broncos, Baltimore Ravens and Tennessee Titans through 2008. Gordon reached an injury settlement with the Eagles last year and was with the New England Patriots for workouts this offseason.

The Lions made a series of moves Wednesday, also claiming kicker Steven Hauschka and defensive back T.J. Rushing off waivers and cutting kicker Aaron Pettrey and cornerback Jahi Word-Daniels.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.