Analysis: 5 'Must-Haves' For Seahawks' Practice Squad
Yesterday, the Seahawks trimmed their roster down from 80 players to 53—well, 52, barring the finalization of the Sidney Jones trade. Of the 29 they bid farewell to, 26 are currently sitting on the waiver wire until 1:00 p.m. PDT today. If they go unclaimed by that time, they will officially become free agents and can sign back to Seattle's practice squad or any other team.
Under new league rules, the practice squad has become more valuable than ever. Expanding to 16 players, two can be elevated per game without sacrificing anyone from the regular 53-man. Any veteran can also be signed to the practice squad and teams can choose to protect four players from signing elsewhere per week.
Once the waiver deadline passes, there should be a flash flood of practice squad signings being reported. Not only will that consist of players returning to the teams that cut them the day prior, but also a handful of players who decide they're in need of a change of scenery. But looking at the 29 men the Seahawks parted ways with, here are five they must reunite with if they have the opportunity to do so this afternoon.
S Aashari Crosswell
Seattle took a gamble exposing Crosswell to the waiver wire. He was a star in training camp for them and had a solid preseason, though he didn't necessarily stand out a ton in the games. But if teams are doing their homework—spoiler alert: they are—they'll find a very promising prospect in the undrafted rookie out of Arizona State. But will a team like him enough to claim and roster him? If the answer is no, then the Seahawks will likely jump at the opportunity to bring him back.
WR Penny Hart
Coming in as arguably the most surprising cut the Seahawks made, Hart is another player they'll have to sweat out the process for. The talent and versatility on both offense and special teams is obvious, but an ankle injury suffered in the team's mock game in early August forced him to miss significant time in camp and seemingly tanked his stock to make the team. With the new practice squad rules, Hart could be regularly elevated on gamedays—especially with Seattle carrying just four receivers on its roster right now.
DT Myles Adams
Hardly anyone talked about Myles Adams this summer, but the second-year man out of Rice had a really nice preseason. While he's still a little raw, he proved effective in the trenches and showed some nice pass rush ability against the Chargers, teaming up with Jarrod Hewitt on a sack. If he makes his way out of waivers unclaimed, he'd make for some strong depth on the interior.
RB Josh Johnson
Johnson's odds of making the team, no matter what he did this preseason, were fairly low. The Seahawks already have a bit of a logjam at running back as is, currently carrying five on their active roster. Nevertheless, the undrafted rookie out of Louisiana-Monroe looked explosive in the preseason and showed why he's a great fit in Shane Waldron, Mike Solari and Andy Dickerson's outside zone running scheme. There are quite a few teams out there in need of ball carriers, so it wouldn't come as a surprise if another team takes a flier on him. But if not, this is another player Seattle should sign as soon as he becomes available.
LB Aaron Donkor
As expected, Donkor looked incredibly raw in his first taste of the NFL. But against the Chargers, he impressed with some explosive rushes off the edge once the Seahawks let him pin his ears back. If they're able to retain him, he would not count towards the 16-man player pool as part of the International Player Pathway Program. Essentially, Seattle could have a 17th man with a fun project like Donkor, which should be an absolute no-brainer if it's an option.
