When the Seahawks released Quandre Diggs in March of 2024, he knew his immediate future wasn't with the team, but he also knew that the place where he became a three-time Pro-Bowler in four and-a-half seasons was always going to hold a special place in his heart.

There were conversations that offseason with general manager and president of football operations John Schneider, and with newly-hired head coach Mike Macdonald, and while the team made the business decision it felt was best at the time, neither side closed the door on the possibility that he could someday end up back with the team.

So when the Seahawks called Diggs, who was recently released by the Titans, he jumped at the opportunity.

"Everybody knows me, everybody knows how I feel about this place," Diggs said Wednesday after signing to Seattle's practice squad. "Obviously, me and Mike (Macdonald) had conversations last year, me and (Karl) Scott, Jeff Howard, it just didn't work out. And now I have the opportunity to come back, and I just want to be a help any way I can, really."

Said Macdonald, "Bringing back Diggs, it's pretty cool because him and I talked when we first got here last year and had a great conversation, and obviously things worked out the way they did. Excited for him to be back. I know the building's really excited; I think he's excited. I know a lot of our guys are really fired up. So we'll just see how it goes, but we're just doing a walk-through and he's spitting out calls. We'll see how it shakes out, but excited to see him practice today.

How Diggs will help remains to be seen this early in the week. The Seahawks have been without starting safety Julian Love, who is on injured reserve, for most of the season, and while Love is eligible to return this week, Macdonald said that won't happen ahead of Sunday's game against the Vikings. Ty Okada, who has been starting in place of Love, left last weekend's game with an oblique injury and did not practice Wednesday, with Macdonald describing him as day-to-day.

That leaves some question as to who will play at safety this week alongside Coby Bryant, who has been the steadying force in the secondary all season long as injuries have led to changes at cornerback and safety throughout the year.

D'Anthony Bell, who took over for Okada last weekend, would likely be the next man up if Okada can't go, but if Diggs, who in Tennessee played in a similar scheme to Seattle, is needed in some capacity as soon as this weekend, he says he'll be ready.

"If that's what's called for, you know me, I'll be ready to go," Diggs said. "… Mike and (Titans defensive coordinator) Dennard (Wilson) worked together, so it's very similar. So for me it's just communicating, doing the things I do well, and just being ready to go if they need me."

When the Titans released Diggs earlier this month, which Titans interim coach Mike McCoy described as the two sides "mutually parting ways," Diggs had other teams reach out, he said, but he wanted to wait for the right situation. That came up this week when the Seahawks called.

"If I had the opportunity to come back, it was a no-brainer for me," Diggs said. "Just being around my guys, people that I talk to all the time, people I'm always around. Being back home has been dope.

"I actually grew up here. I learned how to be a man, and play great football. So this has always been a place that I've been fond of."

While it remains to be seen how much or how soon Diggs and Bryant play together in the secondary, the chance to be teammates is meaningful for both of them. Like Bryant, who has emerged as a standout in Macdonald's defense, Diggs began his career playing cornerback and had to move around before finding a home at safety. The two formed a close bond when they were teammates during Bryant's first two seasons in the league, and have stayed in close contact ever since.

"Me and Coby talk literally three or four times a week, regardless of whether I was here or not," Diggs said. "But seeing him, watching film and going over plays together over the phone, it's been amazing. I've always been his biggest fan. Even before I left, I was his biggest fan. I wanted him to be great. It's always that way, it's respect. It's really like real-life brother. He's really like my little brother. I love watching him, and I'm excited to see him rock in person."

Asked about playing with Diggs again, Bryant said, "It means a lot. Honestly we talk every day. He's like a big brother. I'm excited to have him around, just another vet that I can have in my ear to help.

"He's helped me a lot. With him going through a similar position change, and us having conversations over the years. There were times I was frustrated when I wasn't playing, just not being out there, but him staying in my ear, being positive, he's definitely had a major impact on my career."