The Seattle Seahawks, diligent to this point in retaining their own best free agents, stepped outside the organization Tuesday evening to fill one of their most prominent offseason needs.

Seattle reached agreement with unrestricted free agent Damien Robinson, released by the New York Jets last month, and the six-year veteran already is being penciled in as the starting free safety.

The safety position was a major concern for the Seahawks in 2002 and the goal, sources indicated early in the free agency period, was to sign a veteran and perhaps draft a prospect at the position as well.

Robinson, 29, is the first free agent acquisition for the Seahawks. The team signed back two of its pending unrestricted defenders, linebacker Anthony Simmons and end Antonio Cochran, late last month. Robinson will sign a four-year contract but financial details were not yet available.

The former Jets and Tampa Bay starter visited Monday with team officials and struck a quick rapport with new defensive coordinator Ray Rhodes. He said Tuesday that was a key to his decision to sign with the Seahawks.

"He's always been a tremendous coordinator and I know I'm going to enjoy playing for him," Robinson said. "This is a great situation for me and I feel very good about things. There are good players here and I think I can help to make things even better."

Robinson and agent Jimmy Gould requested the player's release last month and the Jets, who want to move second-year veteran Jon McGraw into the lineup, were more than willing to oblige. Robinson made negative headlines two years ago when he attempted to drive into Giants Stadium with a rifle in the back of his sports utility vehicle.

After four seasons in Tampa Bay, he signed with the Jets as a free agent in 2001, in a move that reunited him with head coach Herman Edwards, for whom he had played during his four-year stint with the Bucs. He started in 29 games for the Jets over the past two seasons.

But the six-year veteran played inconsistently and had just four interceptions in two seasons. While the Jets didn't necessarily need the cap room they created by releasing Robinson, they had soured on him.

For his career, Robinson has played in 68 games and started 61 of them. He has 284 tackles and 12 interceptions.

Len Pasquarelli is a senior writer for ESPN.com.