Seahawks set initial 53-man roster as Uchenna Nwosu avoids injured reserve
SEATTLE – The Seahawks set their initial 53-man roster for the 2024 season Tuesday, waiving 31 players, releasing four veterans and leaving three players on the physically unable to perform list.
The biggest news might have been a move not made as the Seahawks did not put outside linebacker Uchenna Nwosu on injured reserve. They still could, but leaving him on the 53-man roster indicates they think he will be back sooner rather than later after suffering a sprained MCL in Saturday’s preseason finale. If Nwosu was on the IR, he would have to miss the first four games.
Among the players the Seahawks waived were 2021 second-round pick Dee Eskridge and linebacker Jon Rhattigan.
The initial 53-man roster includes seven of the team’s eight 2024 draft picks. The only one waived was sixth-round cornerback D.J. James.
One big surprise making the initial roster was undrafted rookie free-agent offensive lineman Jalen Sundell of North Dakota State, who didn’t sign until the day before training camp began on July 23. He was one of two undrafted free agents to make the team. The other was cornerback and return specialist Dee Williams.
The players the Seahawks waived were: LB Sundiata Anderson, LB Michael Barrett, DT Kyon Barrs, CB Lance Boykin, LB Nelson Ceaser, T McClendon Curtis, WR Eskridge, TE Michael Ezeike, TE Devon Garrison, LB Easton Gibbs, T Garret Greenfield, WR Hayden Hatten (Idaho), RB George Holani, CB James, CB Carlton Johnson, DT Mario Kendricks, DE DeVere Levelston, RB Kobe Lewis, TE Tyler Mabry, G Ilm Manning, LB Patrick O’Connell, S Ty Okada, G Raiqwon O’Neal, T Max Pircher, LB Rhattigan, RB Kairee Robinson, WR Ty Scott, LB Jamie Sheriff, WR Cody White and WR Easop Winston Jr. (Washington State).
The Seahawks terminated the contracts of safety Marquise Blair, cornerback Artie Burns, linebacker Blake Lynch and quarterback PJ Walker.
They also waived as injured tight end Jack Westover.
The Seahawks kept offensive tackle Abraham Lucas (WSU) on the physically unable to perform list as well as safety Jerrick Reed II. Both are recovering from knee surgeries. That means they must miss the first four games of the season.
The Seahawks signed veteran George Fant as insurance at right tackle in case Lucas wasn’t ready for the season, and Fant is in line to start there in the opener against Denver on Sept. 8.
Also remaining on the PUP list is defensive tackle Cameron Young, who has been out with a lower-body injury.
Sundell is listed as a tackle but has been playing center and has been with the second team since the trade of Nick Harris to Cleveland following the first game. Free-agent signee Connor Williams is expected to take over the starting spot with Olu Oluwatimi as the backup.
Williams is still coming back from an ACL injury last Dec. 11 and has not done a full-contact practice and did not play in the preseason, and the team could be keeping Sundell as insurance. He played 70 snaps at center in the preseason and earned a solid 73.7 run blocking grade from Pro Football Focus.
Maybe the biggest name waived was Eskridge, a receiver taken 56th overall and the third-highest receiver selected since John Schneider became the team’s GM in 2010, behind only Jaxon Smith-Njigba (20th, 2023) and Paul Richardson (45th, 2014).
Eskridge was taken seven spots before Kansas City selected center Creed Humphrey, who many analysts had mocked to the Seahawks. Humphrey signed a new four-year contract last week worth up to $72 million, making him the highest-paid center in NFL history.
Eskridge re-signed with the Seahawks on a one-year deal in the spring after three injury-plagued seasons in 2021-23 in which he played just 24 games.
That included playing just four games last season when he missed the first six after being suspended by the league for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy. Eskridge was mostly healthy through the preseason and played in the first and third preseason games with three catches for 19 yards. He also had one run for 22 yards. He made his biggest impact on special teams, returning one kickoff for 26 yards and two punts for 82, including a 79-yard TD in Saturday’s 37-33 preseason finale win over Cleveland.
His return ability had some thinking he might make the 53-man roster, especially with the change in the kickoff format this year compelling teams to have two returners deep for kickoffs. Eskridge is likely moving on, eligible to be claimed off waivers, or if he passes through, to sign with another team as a free agent – and Eskridge hinted after the game he would look into options to move on.
“I would love for (my future) to be with the Seahawks, but obviously we know this business and wherever I land, wherever I stay it’s a blessing regardless,” Eskridge said.
Rhattigan has been a special teams standout the last three years, playing in 36 games.
He re-signed to a $2.985 million non-guaranteed restricted free agent tender in the spring and it was long thought that the team would be unlikely to pay that much for a backup linebacker and special teamer.
If Rhattigan is not claimed, the Seahawks will surely try to get him back either on the 53 at a lesser contract, or first via the practice squad.
Players who have less than four seasons of accrued experience are waived and can be claimed to any other team’s 53-man roster by 9 a.m. Seattle time on Wednesday.
Once players clear waivers they can re-sign to practice squads, which teams can begin assembling Wednesday. Expect the Seahawks to re-sign some of the players waived/released Tuesday to the PS soon after that deadline passes.
The practice squad can consist of 17 as long as it includes offensive lineman Max Pircher, for whom the team gets an exemption since he is a part of the international player pathway.
Players with four or more accrued seasons are listed as being released and become free agents and can sign with any other team immediately.
The roster churn figures to continue through the week as teams claim players off waivers and make other moves. Last year, the Seahawks made two waiver claims who bumped off two players who had been on the initial 53-man roster.
In fact, players are not assured of getting a gamecheck for the first week unless they are on the roster as of Tuesday at 1 p.m. In some ways, that makes that date more relevant in terms of the 53-man roster.
But for now, the bulk of the roster Seattle figures to take into its regular season opener against Denver at Lumen Field on Sept. 8 is set.
Here is the Seahawks’ initial 53-man roster:
Quarterback (2): Geno Smith, Sam Howell.
Running Back (3): Kenneth Walker III, Zach Charbonnet, Kenny McIntosh.
Receiver (6): DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Jake Bobo, Laviska Shenault Jr., Dareke Young.
Tight End (4): Noah Fant, Pharaoh Brown, Brady Russell, AJ Barner.
Offensive Line (11): Charles Cross, Laken Tomlinson, Connor Williams, Anthony Bradford, George Fant, Olu Oluwatimi, Christian Haynes, Jalen Sundell, Sataoa Laumea, Michael Jerrell, Stone Forsythe,
Defensive Line (6): Leonard Williams, Jarran Reed, Johnathan Hankins, Byron Murphy II, Mike Morris, Myles Adams.
Outside Linebacker (5): Uchenna Nwosu, Dre’Mont Jones, Boye Mafe, Derick Hall, Trevis Gipson.
Inside Linebacker (4): Tyrel Dodson, Jerome Baker, Tyrice Knight, Drake Thomas.
Cornerback (5): Devon Witherspoon, Riq Woolen, Tre Brown, Nehemiah Pritchett, Dee Williams.
Safety (4): Julian Love, Rayshawn Jenkins, K’Von Wallace, Coby Bryant.
Specialist (3): K Jason Myers, P Michael Dickson, LS Chris Stoll.