Blazers’ Summer League Player Mark Vital Signs with Seahawks

Former Baylor forward Mark Vital is joining the Seahawks practice squad in hopes of carving out an NFL career as a tight end. Vital, who appeared with the Trail Blazers during last month’s Las Vegas Summer League, agreed to a deal with the Seahawks on Thursday. ESPN’s Brady Henderson delivered the details on Vital’s switch to football.

The Seattle Seahawks are signing former Baylor basketball standout Mark Vital to their practice squad as a tight end, the team announced Thursday.

Vital, listed on the school’s website as 6-foot-5 and 250 pounds, was a starting forward for the Bears, who won the national title in April. He was not selected in this year’s NBA draft and played for the Portland Trail Blazers in the NBA summer league before announcing earlier this week that he was pursuing a career in the NFL.

Vital appeared in three contests with the Blazers during their stint in Las Vegas. He averaged 11.8 minutes, 1.3 points, and 4.0 rebounds during his three outings with Portland. At Baylor, Vital started in 106 games over four years and he was a key contributor to the Bears’ run through the 2021 NCAA Tournament. Vital was not a part of Baylor’s football team during his time in Waco.

You can read the full story from Henderson at ESPN.