Will The Third Time Be The Charm For Jamie Sheriff?

If you’re a long-shot player trying to make the roster for the Seattle Seahawks, EDGE is probably the best position you could be. It’s within the realm of possibility that you make a positive impression this offseason, deter the team from making a signing or trade of a veteran rusher, and end up playing at some point during the regular season.

So that bodes well for Jamie Sheriff, a third year defender who has already overcome the odds just by still being in the NFL at this point in his career. It might not seem like much, but Sheriff wasn’t even signed as an undrafted free agent back in 2024 after the draft. He was a rookie minicamp invite of the Seahawks then, so even being here now is an accomplishment.

How He Got Here

The South Alabama product has some gas. — Seattle Seahawks linebacker Jamie Sheriff (44) pressures Cleveland Browns quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson (17). | Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

Sheriff played for the Terry Bulldogs in high school, breaking out as a senior with 60 tackles, 7 for loss, and 5 sacks. Of course, the town of Terry has a population of about 1,300, so putting up numbers there won’t get you much attention from the sports world. Jamie ultimately walked-on for the Mississippi Gulf Bulldogs, a JUCO team, for his first two years.

Those Bulldogs won the national title in 2019, going undefeated, and Sheriff was a big reason why with 50 tackles, 12 for loss and 8 sacks. It was enough to get him a transfer to the South Alabama Jaguars, where he played for three seasons (missing 2021 entirely due to an injury). 109 tackles, 17.5 for loss, and 10 sacks made him a notable NFL prospect.

After his rookie minicamp stint in Seattle, he actually worked as a beer deliveryman for a few months before getting the chance to play with the Seahawks in preseason. After failing to make the team, the Carolina Panthers signed him for one week to start the regular season, and then waived him. He found his way to the Seattle practice squad, which leads us to now.

What Does He Have?

He's got an uphill battle to make the team. — Seattle Seahawks outside linebacker Jamie Sheriff (50) during the game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Despite being a relatively low-level prospect, Sheriff has pro-level measurables in a few key areas. Most notably, his 10 yard split of 1.63 seconds is quite good, particularly given he tips the scales at 255 pounds. He can get the edge and win quickly. He’s got a good deal of versatility to his game as well, being able to play standing up or with his hand in the dirt.

Of course, he’s also rather short and has short arms for an EDGE in the NFL, which is part of the reason why he never advanced beyond the Group of Five Sun Belt in college. The injury that caused him to miss all of 2021 looms large in his history. He doesn’t have much bend, or any real counter moves to throw at linemen. Overall, there’s a lot of limitations.

What To Expect

Don't be shocked if we see him at some point. — Green Bay Packers running back Chris Brooks (30) is tackled by Seattle Seahawks linebackers Jamie Sheriff (50) and Patrick O'Connell (52). | Tork Mason / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Sheriff’s main draw over other young, unproven rushers on this team is the two years of NFL experience, one more than Connor O’Toole or Jared Ivey. Maybe that gets him a leg up on them, although he still has four established veterans ahead of him in D-Law, Nwosu, Fowler and Hall. So the practice squad may be his best bet once again.

Still, some teams carry five edge rushers, and even if the Seahawks don’t, if Sheriff can find a way to be the top guy off the practice squad he’ll likely get a call up at some point. He’s yet to play a defensive snap for the Seahawks across two years, but he has an opportunity to finally do so in 2026 if he has a good offseason.

— Enjoy free coverage of the Super Bowl champions from Seattle Seahawks On SI —

Sign Up For the Seahawks Daily Digest - OnSI’s Free Seattle Seahawks Newsletter

Add us as a preferred source on Google