Seahawks 90-Man Roster Primer: Cody Thompson
With the calendar flipping to June and offseason programs in full swing across the country, NFL training camps will begin around the league in less than two months. To celebrate the new incoming season, we will be breaking down the Seahawks' 90-man roster over the next several weeks, exploring best and worst case scenarios and what to expect from each player entering the 2021 campaign.
Cody Thompson, Receiver
Height/Weight: 6-foot-2, 205 pounds
2020 Stats: N/A
It'll be three years this fall since Thompson played his last game at the University of Toledo, and since then he's almost always had a job in the NFL. Yet, he's never been promoted to a team's active roster. A practice squad warrior, if you will, the 2019 undrafted free agent began his professional career with the Chiefs after becoming Toledo's all-time leader in touchdown receptions with 30 in his five seasons at the school. Cut from Kansas City's practice squad and eventually Cincinnati as well, he finished his rookie season in Seattle. Despite putting together an impressive training camp last July, Thompson was one of many players who fell victim to the lack of a preseason and never got an opportunity to show what he could do in game action. He'll get that chance this year, however, though he's set to battle it out with eight other receivers for one or two available spots on the Seahawks' roster.
Best Case Scenario: Opportunities are going to be hard to come by in this deep unit, but like John Ursua and Penny Hart, Thompson's fairly extended tenure with the Seahawks could be advantageous. If he can repeat his training camp performance from 2020 and translate that to the team's three preseason games this August, he may be able to put himself ahead of the pack and make his first NFL roster.
Worst Case Scenario: Thompson could be quickly overshadowed and phased out of this receiving corps. And that may not only spoil his chances for a spot on the 53-man roster, but for landing with the team's practice squad once again. There are quite a few talented pass-catchers on the back end of this roster and only so many opportunities to pass around, so if he's cut, there's a decent shot he goes elsewhere.
What to Expect in 2021: If Thompson is going to break through, it feels like this is the year. He's 25 years old now, has been with the Seahawks for nearly two years, and boasts a rich history of success in college. He was a playmaker for Toledo and proved capable of doing the same in team workouts last summer, earning high praise from coach Pete Carroll. Clearly, he's doing something right for Seattle to carry him this long. A strong route runner with good length, hands, and after-the-catch skills, he may be one of the more advanced receivers of those trying to make it in the Pacific Northwest and that could give him the upper hand in getting where he wants to go in 2021.
Previous Seahawks 90-Man Roster Primers
Alex McGough | Darvin Kidsy | Greg Eiland | Joshua Moon | Cam Sutton | Walter Palmore | Jared Hocker | Brad Lundblade | Aashari Crosswell | Myles Adams | B.J. Emmons | Jon Rhattigan | Aaron Fuller | Bryan Mills I Jake Curhan | Jarrod Hewitt | Connor Wedington | Nate Evans | Danny Etling | John Ursua | Gavin Heslop | Pier-Oliver Lestage | Tamorrion Terry | Tommy Champion
