Seahawks OLB Uchenna Nwosu Activated From IR

Seattle Seahawks outside linebacker Uchenna Nwosu has been activated from injured reserve after missing the last seven games.

Connor Benintendi | Dec 5, 2024

Oct 30, 2022; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks linebacker Uchenna Nwosu (10) celebrates following a sack against the New York Giants during the fourth quarter at Lumen Field. / Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

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Seattle Seahawks

Continuing to get healthier late in the season, the Seattle Seahawks activated outside linebacker Uchenna Nwosu from injured reserve on Thursday, the team announced.

Nwosu is returning from multi-game absences for the second time this season. He missed the first four games of the season with a MCL sprain sustained in the Seahawks' preseason finale against the Cleveland Browns, and then suffered a thigh injury 20 defensive snaps into his season debut in Week 5 and has been out ever since.

When healthy, Nwosu has been one of Seattle's top defensive players. However, over the last two seasons, he's sparingly been available.

Nwosu, 28, has played in just seven games since the beginning of the 2023 season, right after signing a three-year, $45 million contract that rewarded his breakout campaign in 2022. He sustained a torn pectoral muscle last season that held him out the final 11 games.

In 24 career games for the Seahawks, Nwosu has piled up 85 tackles, 11.5 sacks, 16 tackles for loss and 32 quarterback hits, per Pro Football Reference. He's a huge addition to the defensive front when on the field, especially with rising stars all across Seattle's line.

His return will allow head coach Mike Macdonald to have a rotation of Boye Mafe, Derick Hall, Dre'Mont Jones and Nwosu — arguably one of the better edge rusher groups in the NFL.

On the same day Nwosu was activated, it was announced he was the Seahawks' nominee for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, one of the league's most prestigious awards for off-the-field contributions to the community.

Nwosu fills the vacancy on the active roster left by wide receiver and kick returner Laviska Shenault Jr., who was waived on Monday.