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Seattle Seahawks News & Rumors

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/18/24

November 18th, 2024 at 6:54pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

  • Waived from IR: LB Deion Jennings

Dallas Cowboys

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

New England Patriots

New York Jets

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

MarShawn Lloyd‘s path back to the Packers active roster has taken an unusual turn. The rookie third-round pick landed on IR in September with an ankle injury. He returned to practice last week but suffered appendicitis only a few days later, putting his activation within the 21-day window in doubt.

Worried that Lloyd wouldn’t be ready to play by his early-December activation deadline, the Packers consulted with the NFL about the best route forward (per ESPN’s Rob Demovsky). That ultimately led to today’s transaction, which is only the start of several transactional machinations. As Tom Silverstein of Milwaukee Journal Sentinel notes, Lloyd will temporarily join the active roster before landing on the non-football injury list. That means he won’t count against the team’s roster limit until he’s healthy enough to return to the field.

Lloyd doesn’t have a return timetable from this recent setback. While the rookie entered the year as the hopeful RB2 behind Josh Jacobs, there’s a good chance he’ll also behind Emanuel Wilson for the stretch run of the season.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/16/24

November 16th, 2024 at 8:56pm CST by Ely Allen

Saturday’s minor moves, including standard gameday practice squad elevations:

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

Toney is set to make his debut for the regular season. The former first-round pick out of Florida has had a rocky first four years in the league, despite coming away with two Super Bowl rings in Kansas City. He was signed to the Browns’ practice squad just after the season opener and will be eligible to see game action with Cleveland in Week 11.

O’Donnell was added to the 49ers’ practice squad earlier this week given the chance of Mitch Wishnowsky missing time. The latter is now on injured reserve, ensuring at least a four-game absence. O’Donnell, 32, is a veteran of 145 games but Week 11 will mark his first regular season action since 2022.

Seahawks C Connor Williams Retires

November 15th, 2024 at 9:58pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Seahawks center Connor Williams is retiring, as announced by head coach Mike Macdonald in a press conference Friday, per Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times.

Williams tore his ACL last December, tanking his free agency stock with his availability to start the 2024 season in question. He managed to pass a physical and sign with the Seahawks eight months later and started all nine of the team’s games at center this season.

Macdonald cited “personal reasons” as the explanation for Williams’ retirement and said that his knee injury in 2023 was not a factor in the decision, according to Condotta. The first-year head coach doesn’t believe that Williams will change his mind and return to the Seahawks this year.

Williams finishes his career with 86 starts and 92 total appearances across a seven-year career. He began as a second-round pick by the Cowboys in 2018 and quickly earned the starting left guard job in Dallas.

He hit free agency in 2022 and signed with the Dolphins on a two-year deal worth just over $14MM. He started all 17 games at center for Miami in 2022, but struggled with multiple injuries in 2023 before ultimately tearing his ACL in December. Williams’ return to the field this year was viewed as impressive given the extent of his knee injury, but he opted to retire rather than finish the season. He ends his career with $22.3MM in career earnings, per OverTheCap.

Seattle will turn to Olu Oluwatimi at center moving forward. The 2023 fifth-rounder started one game with 128 total snaps at center as a rookie. Oluwatimi’s insertion into the starting unit is yet another shake-up for a Seahawks offensive line that recently lost George Fant to injured reserve for the second time this year. Abraham Lucas is set for his season debut, per Condotta, though Macdonald said the third-year right tackle would be on a snap count.

Seahawks Activate Abraham Lucas, Place George Fant On IR

November 13th, 2024 at 1:51pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Seahawks activated right tackle Abraham Lucas from the Physically Unable to Perform list and placed George Fant on injured reserve on Wednesday, per ESPN’s Brady Henderson.

Head coach Mike Macdonald indicated on Monday that he expected Lucas to start in Week 11 after finally recovering from offseason knee surgery. However, his activation is no guarantee that he make his season debut on Sunday. Seattle opened Lucas’ practice window 21 days ago, so he had to be moved to the active roster to avoid reverting to the PUP list for the rest of the season.

The Seahawks will certainly be hoping that Lucas can start at right tackle this weekend after moving Fant to injured reserve for the second time this season. He suffered a knee injury after 19 snaps in Week 1 and returned in Week 9 for just 17 snaps before re-injuring his knee and exiting the game.

This is the second year in a row that Seattle has struggled with health at the tackle position. Left tackle Charles Cross injured his toe in Week 1 in 2023 and missed the next three games. Lucas was placed on injured reserve after a knee injury in Week 1 and returned in Week 13 for five starts before going down once more, with then-head coach Pete Carroll calling it a “chronic” problem. The Seahawks then signed Fant to a two-year, $9.1MM in the offseason as insurance for Lucas’ ongoing recovery from knee surgery. Fant appeared in 16 games for the Texans in 2023, but played just 36 snaps this season with knee issues of his own.

All of the tackle injuries have pressed 2021 sixth-rounder Stone Forsythe into a starting role for the second year in a row. He started eight games in 2023 – three at left tackle and five at right tackle – along with four relief appearances across the two positions. Forsythe then replaced Fant in Week 1 this year and started the next five games at right tackle before landing on injured reserve with a hand injury. Rookie Michael Jerrell then started in Weeks 7 and 8 before relieving Fant in Week 9 after the recurrence of his knee injury.

While Lucas is expected to play in Week 11, Jerrell will start at right tackle if the Seahawks wants to give their 2022 third-rounder more time before he takes the field.

NFC West Notes: Cousins, Cards, Seahawks

November 13th, 2024 at 1:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

Brock Purdy ranks seventh in QBR, and while some bumps in the road have formed for Kyle Shanahan‘s quick study, he remains on steady ground months after going toe-to-toe with Patrick Mahomes in Super Bowl LVIII. The 49ers have Purdy tied to rookie-deal money through season’s end and then an interesting decision will loom. With Dak Prescott raising the market (thanks to unique leverage) to $60MM per year, Purdy will be in line for a high-end deal — even if it does not eclipse the Cowboys passer’s. As we heard in May, connections about a lower-cost plan continue to take place around the league.

Execs are still discussing the prospect of Shanahan reuniting with Kirk Cousins via 2025 trade, per the Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora. This would stand to be a fallback option in the event Purdy negotiations run too hot for San Francisco’s liking, but swapping out a soon-to-be 25-year-old arm for a player who will turn 37 in 2025 would still be a massive risk. Shanahan was Cousins’ first NFL OC, though Jay Gruden was in charge when the now-longtime starter received his first extended QB1 run. The 49ers were prepared to offer their No. 2 overall pick to Washington in 2017 for Cousins, but they committed to Jimmy Garoppolo before his free agency a year later. This reunion seems unlikely, though a GM told La Canfora in a separate piece he does expect the current Falcons starter to be traded next year.

An October report revealed skepticism in some NFL corners the Falcons will sit Michael Penix Jr. for two seasons, calling Cousins’ post-2024 future into question. For now, Cousins remains in Atlanta on a contract that includes a $100MM practical guarantee. Even if the 49ers do not wish to part with Purdy, another offseason of Cousins rumors appears certain for 2025. Here is the latest from the NFC West:

  • The 49ers have made a few splashy trades before past deadlines, acquiring Garoppolo, Emmanuel Sanders and Chase Young during the Shanahan-John Lynch regime’s run. The eighth-year HC said (via the San Francisco Chronicle’s Eric Branch) no similar possibilities emerged this year. The 49ers did make a minor addition, adding defensive tackle Khalil Davis from the Texans to join fellow Houston-to-San Francisco DT Maliek Collins. Shanahan also classified not being better prepared for injuries at safety a “huge risk,” given Talanoa Hufanga‘s situation, but Tashaun Gipson did rejoin the team via a practice squad deal hours after the deadline. Tearing an ACL in 2023, Hufanga is uncertain to return this season due to a wrist injury.
  • On the subject of NFC West safeties, Budda Baker looks to have a path to stay in Arizona after his contract expires. Some around the league view the prospect of a third Baker-Cardinals contract as realistic, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes. The perennial Pro Bowler asked out of Arizona during the 2023 offseason and only received incentives to stay. Baker’s contract expires at season’s end, and he will be 29 by free agency, opening the door to a lucrative third contract. The safety market has been hot and cold in recent years, but if the Cardinals want to retain Baker, an upper-crust contract should be required. Now that Arizona has taken steps forward, Baker certainly could fit into the team’s long-term plans. He has expressed interest in sticking around long term.
  • The Cardinals have been using in-season pickup Chad Ryland at kicker, but Matt Prater‘s injury is not viewed as season-ending. Jonathan Gannon expects (via AZCardinals.com’s Darren Urban) the Cardinals to have their 40-year-old regular kicker back at some point. Prater is down with a left knee injury, which has cost him six games.
  • Bailing on both their top linebacker options by the midpoint, the Seahawks have some reorganizing to do coming out of their bye. After trading Jerome Baker to the Titans for Ernest Jones, the Hawks waived Tyrel Dodson. Seattle’s free agency plan of Baker and Dodson is out, and Mike Macdonald said (via ESPN.com’s Brady Henderson) rookie Tyrice Knight is the lead candidate to play alongside Jones. Seattle drafted Knight in Round 4; Dodson is heading to Miami via waiver claim.

Seahawks’ Abraham Lucas Expected To Debut In Week 11

November 11th, 2024 at 8:57pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Seahawks are expecting to have right tackle Abraham Lucas back in the starting lineup for their Week 11 matchup with the 49ers.

Head coach Mike Macdonald said that it is a “realistic expectation” that Lucas would make his season debut next Sunday, according to ESPN’s Brady Henderson.

Lucas started the 2024 on the Physically Unable to Perform list while recovering from offseason knee surgery. He first injured his knee in Week 1 last year and did not play again until Week 13. Lucas then started Seattle’s next five games before leaving Week 17 with a recurrence of the same injury that required corrective surgery and a lengthy rehab process.

Seattle relied on Stone Forsythe and Jake Curhan to replace Lucas in 2023, but both players struggled in their starts. The Seahawks signed George Fant in the offseason to fill in at right tackle during Lucas’ recovery, but he could be in line for his second stint on injured reserve this season after re-injuring his knee last week, per Henderson. Fant first landed on IR in September, forcing Forsythe to step into starting duties for a second year in a row with Curhan now in Chicago.

Lucas’ extended absence has negatively impacted Geno Smith‘s pass protection this season. The Seahawks allowed 38 sacks in 2023, the 10th-fewest in the NFL, but have already allowed 28 sacks in nine games this year, the 10th-most in the league. A successful return from Lucas would help Seattle stay in contention for the NFC West crown.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/11/24

November 11th, 2024 at 8:06pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Here are today’s NFL practice squad updates:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Cincinnati Bengals

Houston Texans

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

The Bengals signed Brightwell after hosting several veterans for workouts on Monday, per FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz. Leonard Fournette and Xavien Howard were among the players who auditioned in Cincinnati, but neither player left with a deal.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/11/24

November 11th, 2024 at 6:34pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Here are today’s minor moves around the NFL:

Dallas Cowboys

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

  • Reinstated from suspension, one-game roster exemption granted: DE Mario Edwards

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Seattle Seahawks

Williams completed his three-game suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy. He remains on injured reserve after a season-ending knee injury suffered during training camp.

Edwards served a four-game suspension for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy and is now eligible to be reinstated to the Texans’ active roster. Houston requested and received a one-game roster exemption to give Edwards an additional week to practice with the team before being added back to the 53-man roster.

Seahawks Waive LB Tyrel Dodson

November 11th, 2024 at 2:34pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Seahawks are underperforming on defense this season, and a notable move is on tap at the linebacker spot. Seattle plans to waive Tyrel Dodson, ESPN’s Brady Henderson reports. The move has now officially been made.

Dodson spent his first five seasons with the Bills, serving in a depth capacity as a rookie and taking on a key special teams role across the 2021 and ’22 seasons. The former UDFA saw his playing time jump to 51% last season, though, and he responded with career highs in tackles (74) and sacks (2.5). That landed him a free agent deal with the Seahawks in March.

The 26-year-old has logged over 600 snaps through nine games this year, already more than what he handled in any previous season. Given his major workload – which has included a team-leading 71 tackles along with a pair of sacks, two pass breakups and a forced fumble – today’s news comes as a surprise. Dodson’s one-year deal had a base value of $4.26MM, but its only guarantees consisted of a $1MM signing bonus which has already been paid out.

Dodson was in line to continue collecting per-game active roster bonuses through the remainder of the season, but that will not be the case if he is not retained by the organization. After the trade deadline, all players let go by their respective teams are subject to waivers. An interested club could therefore put in a claim and send the Texas A&M product to a new environment. If not, Dodson will become a free agent, keeping open the possibility of re-signing to Seattle’s practice squad.

This move represents another notable change at the linebacker spot for the Seahawks. The team sent Jerome Baker to the Titans last month, receiving Ernest Jones in return. Jones has started each of his two Seattle contests so far, and that is set to continue moving forward. 2023 UDFA Drake Thomas or fourth-round rookie Tyrice Knight could step into a first-team role to replace Dodson.

Seattle started the year 3-0 under first-time head coach Mike Macdonald, hired in no small part for his potential in delivering improvement on defense. The team now sits at 4-5 on the year, and it ranks outside the top 20 in several defensive categories. Dodson could play a role in helping generate a turnaround if he remains in the fold, but it remains to be seen if that will be the case.

Steelers Inquired On Seahawks’ D.K. Metcalf

November 6th, 2024 at 3:53pm CST by Sam Robinson

Had Christian Kirk not gone down with a broken collarbone, the Jaguars wide receiver may well have become the Steelers’ long-sought-after wide receiver solution. With Kirk’s Week 8 injury taking him out of the equation, Pittsburgh zeroed in on the Jets’ roster.

The Steelers had targeted Davante Adams, among many others, this year but assumed during talks with the Raiders that the Jets would end up with the ex-Aaron Rodgers target. They were right, leading to the Williams pursuit. While some posturing may have taken place on the Jets’ part after Allen Lazard‘s IR trip, but the Steelers sending over a fifth-round pick finished the deal to end a months-long WR pursuit.

Known more for selling than buying at the receiver position, the Steelers conducted a search that moved beyond Kirk, Adams and Williams. It involved both Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk, and after having trade parameters in place with the 49ers on Aiyuk, that failed deal preceded Cooper Kupp inquiry. The Steelers’ NFC West effort did not stop with the California teams; they are believed to have asked about D.K. Metcalf as well, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes.

When a recent report surfaced indicating teams were inquiring with the Seahawks on Metcalf, it was safe to assume the Steelers were part of that mix. It does not seem like the Seahawks ventured as far down the trade road compared to the Rams or 49ers with their respective receivers, as Fowler adds Seattle closed the door on such a transaction quickly.

Having slipped to the back of the second round in 2019, Metcalf joined Samuel, A.J. Brown, Terry McLaurin and Diontae Johnson as higher-end starters from Day 2 of that draft. That batch all signed extensions during the 2022 offseason, with Metcalf tied to a three-year, $72MM deal that runs through 2025. This timeline gives the Seahawks an extra year to evaluate Metcalf in Ryan Grubb‘s offense, and while it would stand to reason teams will check in again come 2025 — perhaps the Steelers, as Williams’ contract expires at season’s end — the sixth-year veteran will not be easy to pry away.

The Seahawks saw Jaxon Smith-Njigba take a step forward in Metcalf’s absence Sunday, but the latter has been the team’s top wideout for a couple years. The big-bodied target has three 1,000-yard seasons on his NFL resume. Tyler Lockett is now 32, with Metcalf profiling as the more logical piece who will be tabbed to play alongside Smith-Njigba going forward. Metcalf, 26, is tied to an $18MM base salary in 2025. Three void years are on the contract, which would spike the dead money to $21MM in the event of a Hawks trade next year.

Williams will attempt to assimilate into Arthur Smith‘s offense alongside George Pickens, who becomes extension-eligible in 2025. The Steelers’ search for a longer-term WR2 figures to involve the draft, where the organization typically finds its receiver answers. Between this past draft and Tuesday’s trade deadline, however, the Steelers searched far and wide for a veteran to help Pickens in their now-Russell Wilson-led offense.

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