The former Seahawk and Lion adds some running back depth while joining the kick return competition.
The Atlanta Falcons took a look at the free agency market on what is their first day off from training camp following four straight practices from Wednesday-Saturday, signing former Lions and Seahawks running back Godwin Igwebuike.
Igwebuike most recently appeared in five games for the Seattle last season, tallying just four total rushing yards but also taking 11 kickoff returns for 308 yards (28.0 average), including a career high 50-yard return at one point. It seems that he will factor into Atlanta’s open kick return competition in addition to providing depth at RB.
Former Lions’ and Seahawks’ RB Godwin Igwebuike is signing with the Atlanta Falcons.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 30, 2023
Igwebuike made it onto Tampa Bay’s 53-man roster as a safety in the middle of the 2018 season after making it onto their practice squad as an undrafted free agent out of Northwestern. He bounced around from team to team for a few years, and was even selected by the Seattle Dragons in the XFL Supplemental Draft in 2019.
His most impactful season came with the Detroit Lions in 2021, where he was converted to a running back right before the start of training camp and won his place on their 53-man roster going into that season. Igwebuike had 18 carries for 118 rushing yards (6.6 ypc average), as well as a 42-yard touchdown. He also pitched in seven receptions for 60 receiving yards and returned 28 kicks for 697 yards (24.9 kick return average).
Igwebuike joins Bijan Robinson, Tyler Allgeier, Cordarrelle Patterson and Carlos Washington Jr. as the active running backs on Atlanta’s roster and will presumably join the competition against Mike Hughes, Dee Alford, Penny Hart and Robinson in the kick return competition as these were the only players who fielded any returns in Saturday’s practice.
Igwebuike has good size and speed measuring in at about 6 feet tall, 213 pounds and having run a 4.44 40-time in the 2018 combine.