Artie Burns

Seahawks Contract Details: Hankins, Wallace, Anchrum, Shenault, Dodson, Burns, Baker

Here are some details from recently agreed-upon contracts in Seattle:

  • Johnathan Hankins, DT: One year, $2.05MM. According to ESPN’s Brady Henderson, Hankins’ new deal includes a base salary of $1.24MM and $300K of guaranteed money in the form of a signing bonus. He can earn up to $510K in per-game active roster bonuses.
  • K’Von Wallace, S: One year, $1.5MM. Henderson informs us that Wallace’s contract will have a base salary of $1.13MM and includes $205K of guaranteed money that all comes in the signing bonus. Wallace will also be able to earn up to $170K via per-game active roster bonuses.
  • Tremayne Anchrum, G: One year, $1.16MM. Once again, Henderson tells us that Anchrum’s new deal will include a base salary of $1.06MM and a guaranteed amount of $100K in the form of a signing bonus.
  • Laviska Shenault Jr., WR: One year, $1.29MM. According to Henderson, Shenault’s new contract has a guaranteed amount of $1.15MM comprised of $985K of his base salary (worth a total of $1.13MM) and a $167.5K signing bonus.
  • Tyrel Dodson, LB: One year, $4.26MM. Dodson’s new deal has a guaranteed amount of $1MM comprised completely of his signing bonus, per Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times. With a base salary of $2.25MM, Dodson can earn an additional $250K in a workout bonus and a potential $760K in per-game active roster bonuses. Nick Korte of OvertheCap.com tells us that the contract adds another seventh-round compensatory pick for the Bills in 2025 while taking a sixth-round compensatory pick away from the Seahawks.
  • Artie Burns, CB: One year, $1.38MM. Condotta also tells us that Burns has signed for the veteran minimum, once again. He’ll hold a base salary of $1.21MM with $75K of guaranteed money in the form of a signing bonus. He can earn another potential $92.5K with a roster bonus.
  • Jerome Baker, LB: One year, $7MM. We were already aware of the $7MM value of Baker’s deal, but ESPN’s Henderson informs us that Baker’s new deal has a guaranteed amount of $6.02MM, consisting of his $2.02MM base salary and $4MM signing bonus. The $977.5K remaining in non-guaranteed money will come in the form of per-game active roster bonuses.

Minor NFL Transactions: 3/13/24

Today’s minor moves:

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Houston Texans

Jacksonville Jaguars

Miami Dolphins

New Orleans Saints

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Seahawks Sign CB Artie Burns To Active Roster

Artie Burns is joining Seattle’s active roster. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Seahawks have signed the cornerback from their practice squad to the 53-man roster.

Burns struggled to live up to his first-round pedigree during his four seasons with the Steelers, starting only 32 of his 58 appearances. His fifth-year option was naturally declined, and the cornerback caught on with the Bears before the 2020 campaign. Unfortunately, a torn ACL knocked him out for the entire season, and he started six of his 11 games for Chicago during his comeback campaign in 2021.

He spent most of last year in Seattle, getting into three games. He re-signed with the organization this past offseason, and after getting cut during roster deadline day, he caught on with the practice squad. He’s already been promoted for both of Seattle’s two games this season, with the veteran appearing in 33 defensive snaps.

Riq Woolen suffered a chest injury during Sunday’s win over the Lions, potentially leaving the team with a depleted CB corps. Fortunately, Pete Carroll indicated that Burns’ promotion to the full-time roster wasn’t related to Woolen’s injury.

“He’s still sore; he’s sore today,” Carroll said of Woolen (via Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times). “We’re just one day at a time. There’s nothing that we need to do other than treat him, and then we see if he can make it back. We’ll take it one day at a time.”

If Woolen is forced to miss time, Burns would be re-joining a depth chart that also features Tre Brown, Coby Bryant, Michael Jackson, Kyu Blu Kelly, and Devon Witherspoon.

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/16/23

Today’s callups and adjustments heading into Week 2:

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Chicago Bears

Dallas Cowboys

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

New York Giants

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/9/23

We have our first flood of pregame transactions of the season today as teams across the league with games tomorrow utilize their two permitted practice squad elevations:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Chicago Bears

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

  • Promoted from practice squad: LB Brevin Allen

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

  • Promoted from practice squad: RB Myles Gaskin, OLB Benton Whitley

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 8/31/23

Today’s practice squad moves:

Arizona Cardinals

  • Signed: WR Kaden Davis, OL Marquis Hayes

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Chicago Bears

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Wednesday NFL Transactions: NFC West

Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline Tuesday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters. In addition to waiver claims, teams can begin constructing their 16-man practice squads today. These 49ersCardinalsRams and Seahawks moves are noted below.

Arizona Cardinals

Claimed:

Waived:

Signed to practice squad:

Los Angeles Rams

Claimed:

Waived:

Signed to practice squad:

San Francisco 49ers

Placed on IR:

Signed: 

Claimed:

Waived:

Signed to practice squad:

Seattle Seahawks

Claimed:

Waived:

Signed to practice squad: 

Seahawks Rookie CB Devon Witherspoon Competing For Starting Role

The Seahawks return two starting cornerbacks next year in Michael Jackson and Tariq Woolen, as well as Coby Bryant, who started six games as the team’s primary nickel cornerback last year. Still, Seattle decided to draft Illinois’s Devon Witherspoon as the draft’s first cornerback off the board at No. 5 overall. Despite his high draft pedigree, Witherspoon will have to compete with the incumbent starters to establish his role as a rookie.

The team is currently running Witherspoon in the slot with two former college teammates out of Miami (FL) in Jackson and Artie Burns on the outside, according to Brady Henderson of ESPN. Burns is simply filling in for a currently injured Woolen, while Bryant has reportedly been sidelined lately, allowing Witherspoon more time in the slot early.

There are some early ideas out of workouts concerning how the depth chart might shape up. Henderson posits that the team may work with Witherspoon starting on the outside across from a healthy Woolen in base packages. When the defense needs to add an extra defensive back, Witherspoon will shift inside to the slot with Jackson replacing him on the outside.

His spot in the starting lineup isn’t guaranteed, though, as Henderson reports that Jackson is have a strong spring with regular dominant outings in 7-on-7. Jackson was a surprise for the Seahawks’ defense last year, starting every game despite only having appeared in four games in his first three seasons of NFL play before that. Playing alongside the rookies in what was perhaps the league’s least-experienced cornerbacks group, Jackson was third on the team with 75 total tackles, adding an interception, 12 passes defensed, two fumble recoveries, and a blocked field goal returned for a touchdown. If he continues to impress throughout the summer, it’s not out of the question that he may retain a starting role.

In that case, Witherspoon will likely start games at nickelback and rotate in when needed on the outside. In situations when a slot corner is needed while Witherspoon is outside, Seattle can go back to Bryant or even turn to safety Julian Love, who has experience working in the slot, as well. He hasn’t been working at the position much lately, though, as the team has opted to keep Love working at safety, in case Jamal Adams‘s return to the field takes longer than anticipated, but Love does have the requisite experience.

So for now, the depth chart appears to have Woolen and Witherspoon as the top outside options with Jackson and Burns behind them, though Jackson has a chance to retain his starting spot by continuing to impress. At the slot, Witherspoon should be the first option, moving out of his outside position, with Bryant and, potentially, Love behind him. The most experienced members of the position room, Burns and Love, are contributing as depth pieces in what is expected to continue being one of the youngest cornerbacks rooms in the league.

Minor NFL Transactions: 5/22/23

Today’s minor moves:

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

  • Signed: TE Joel Wilson

Detroit Lions

  • Signed: OT Max Pircher

Green Bay Packers

  • Signed: RB Emanuel Wilson
  • Waived: K Parker White

Houston Texans

  • Released: DB Darius Joiner

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

Max Pircher will be joining the Lions via the league’s International Pathways Program. The team originally signed Austalian tight end Patrick Murtagh, who had to back out of his deal due to a medical issue, per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Pircher played football in Austria and participated on Italy’s National Team before a stint on the Rams’ practice squad in 2021.

Tae Crowder became a popular name after he compiled 130 tackles in 17 starts for the Giants in 2021. He found himself sliding down the depth chart in 2022 before ultimately getting waived. He landed back on New York’s practice squad before being signed by the Steelers, where he didn’t get into a game while sitting on their active roster.

NFC West Rumors: Bosa, McGlinchey, Hawks

It continues to look like the 49ers will wait until 2023 to extend Nick Bosa. The fourth-year defensive end became extension-eligible in January, but unlike 2019 draft classmate Deebo Samuel, Bosa has a fifth-year option for 2023. The 49ers would prefer to wait here, per Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com, and Bosa has not pressed the issue regarding a 2022 extension. This comes after John Lynch said next year will likely be the window for a Bosa deal, despite the expected $24MM windfall the 49ers are expected to receive when they move Jimmy Garoppolo‘s contract off their payroll — via trade or release — by Week 1. This will not be a DeForest Buckner situation, however. Lynch said this week Bosa will be a long-term 49er.

What I do know, as long as we’re here, Nick Bosa is going to be a part of the Niners and he’s going to get paid handsomely to do so,” Lynch said. “His time is coming, and when it does, he’ll get what he deserves because man, what a special player.”

Bosa will be expected to bridge the gap between Aaron Donald ($31.7MM per year) and the field, with the prospect the NFL has at least two $30MM-AAV defenders by Week 1 2023 looking likely. Here is the latest from the NFC West:

  • One of Bosa’s top practice opponents will not be on the field for a bit. The 49ers will hold Mike McGlinchey out of practice for at least this week, Kyle Shanahan said (via the San Francisco Chronicle’s Eric Branch). McGlinchey, who missed the second half of last season due to a torn quad, experienced knee pain after an eight-snap preseason opener and underwent a PRP procedure. The fifth-year right tackle does not have a timetable for return, making this a must-monitor situation. The 49ers’ offensive line is already set to look considerably different. Alex Mack retired, Laken Tomlinson signed with the Jets and McGlinchey’s 2021 backup — Tom Compton — is now a Bronco. Colton McKivitz, who spent most of 2021 on San Francisco’s practice squad, resides as McGlinchey’s current understudy.
  • Drew Lock missed the Seahawks‘ second preseason game Thursday and remains away from the team. Pete Carroll said the QB trade acquisition is “really sick” with COVID-19, which the team announced he contracted Tuesday. After a solid start (minus a late-game fumble) in Seattle’s preseason opener, Lock is losing ground to Geno Smith by missing time. Smith remains in the lead for the Seahawks’ QB1 post, Eric Williams of Fox Sports writes. This seems like a situation in which both players will start games for the 2022 Seahawks, but Smith remains in pole position to get the Week 1 call.
  • After the 49ers cut Darqueze Dennard, they look set to give their slot cornerback job to rookie Samuel Womack, Branch notes. The fifth-round pick, who had been viewed as behind Dennard in this competition earlier in camp, intercepted two passes in the 49ers’ preseason opener. Charvarius Ward and Emmanuel Moseley are expected to be San Francisco’s outside corners.
  • The Seahawks traded one of their slot options, Ugo Amadi, to the Eagles for J.J. Arcega-Whiteside. They may well call on a rookie to man the post as well. Coby Bryant is looking like he will play in the nickel role, Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times notes. The Seahawks have not used presumptive outside starters Sidney Jones or Artie Burns during the preseason. Seattle chose Bryant in the fourth round and Tariq Woolen in the fifth; the latter worked as an outside corner in the team’s second preseason tilt Thursday.