Seahawks Promote Penny Hart from Practice Squad, Waive John Ursua
In a surprise swap of receivers just 48 hours after cut down day, the Seahawks have elevated Penny Hart from their practice squad to the active 53-man roster and waived John Ursua in a corresponding move.
The 24-year old Hart performed well in training camp, particularly over the last two weeks when he caught several touchdown passes from Russell Wilson during practice. Still, the former Georgia State standout didn't initially make the roster, as Ursua and rookie Freddie Swain beat him out for the final two receiver spots and signed with the practice squad after clearing waivers on Sunday.
Originally signing with the Colts as an undrafted free agent, Hart battled through injuries in training camp last year and eventually was waived by the team with an injury settlement. Once he passed through waivers, the Seahawks signed him to their practice squad and he signed a future contract with the organization shortly after the season ended in January.
Setting several school records starring at Georgia State, Hart wrapped up his illustrious college career with 203 receptions, 2,960 yards, and 19 touchdowns while also excelling as a kick and punt returner. He was a two-time First-Team All-Sun Belt selection, was named Sun Belt Freshman of the Year in 2015, and received an invitation to play in the Senior Bowl.
The decision to waive Ursua is a curious one, as he enjoyed a strong camp and looked poised to be a factor running routes out of the slot as well as returning kicks this season. After making just one reception as a rookie, offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer heaped praise on the 2019 seventh-round pick last month for "being on top of the details" and applauded his overall development as an NFL receiver.
Ursua also played well in Seattle's mock scrimmages, as the former Hawaii star made three grabs on an opening touchdown drive from Geno Smith in one of the games at CenturyLink Field last month.
Digging deeper, this may have simply been a case where Hart was at risk of being poached off their practice squad by another team looking for receiver help, but it is worth noting this year that all 32 teams have the ability to protect four players on their practice squad each week. If the Seahawks were that concerned about losing him, they easily could have used one of those four slots to protect him from being signed.
More likely, concerns about Phillip Dorsett's lingering foot issue were a driving force behind this move, as Hart ran a lot of routes as an outside receiver during camp and could fill in if the veteran receiver isn't healthy. Ursua doesn't provide the same flexibility, as he's largely limited to the slot. It's also possible this is a special teams-related move, as Hart was an explosive kick returner in college and could be used in that capacity next weekend.
Regardless of why the Seahawks chose to flip receivers, Ursua will now have to clear waivers, which isn't necessarily a given due to the interest other teams had in him coming into the 2019 draft. If he does slip through the waiver wire unclaimed, Seattle will be able to re-sign him to the practice squad and he could find his way back to the active roster at some point.
