Following Release of Anthony Rush, Has 'Snack Time' Finally Arrived for Seahawks?
Much to the delight of 12s everywhere, with the rival 49ers set to come to town this upcoming weekend, it may officially be time for some Snacks in the Pacific Northwest.
According to Ben Arthur of the Seattle PI, the Seahawks will release second-year defensive tackle Anthony Rush, creating an open spot on the 53-man roster. In all likelihood, this move will be a precursor to promoting veteran Damon Harrison from the practice squad.
Harrison, who signed with Seattle's 16-player practice squad on October 7, has needed the past three weeks to get back into football shape after missing training camp. Last Friday, coach Pete Carroll told reporters the team was evaluating him on a week-to-week basis and opted not to promote him for Sunday's game in Arizona.
"He's just working to get back in shape and make sure his conditioning is right and all that," Carroll remarked. "He's working on his weight and making sure he's as svelte as he can be and so he's going through a process getting right."
While the decision to release Rush doesn't necessarily guarantee Harrison will be elevated to the active roster, his departure leaves the Seahawks with only three defensive tackles available in starters Jarran Reed and Poona Ford as well as key reserve Bryan Mone. After giving him another week to tune up, odds are the former All-Pro will finally have the chance to make his debut at CenturyLink Field.
The 31-year old Harrison most recently started 15 games for the Lions last season, producing 49 tackles, 2.0 sacks, and three pass deflections. He was released in February and strongly considered retirement, but after the regular season started, he had an itch to play once again and the Seahawks signed him quickly after having him in for a visit earlier this month.
Renowned for being one of the best interior run defenders of the past decade, Harrison has started 111 career games with the Jets, Giants, and Lions over eight seasons. During that span, he's amassed 485 tackles, 11.0 sacks, and 37 tackles for loss along with 10 pass deflections and four forced fumbles.
With Reed and Ford playing well in the starting lineup, the Seahawks currently rank in the bottom 10 teams in the league for rushing yards and yards per carry. But after giving up 360 yards on the ground in the past two games alone, Harrison's arrival couldn't come at a better time and the massive 350-pound defender should immediately make it much tougher for opponents to run the ball, especially in short-yardage situations.
As for Rush, the Seahawks would be wise to open up a practice squad spot to retain him. The former UAB standout played well in four games before suffering a knee injury in Week 5 against the Vikings, producing five tackles and half a sack on 66 defensive snaps. Given Harrison's age and the fact he hasn't played yet this season, keeping Rush around would be excellent insurance if he slips through the waiver wire.
