Latest On Seahawks, Kam Chancellor
Kam Chancellor‘s neck injury has ended his 2017 season. Coach Pete Carroll has indicated that the injury could also be a career-ender for the safety, and that could have serious long-term ramifications for the Seahawks both on and off the field. As noted by Joel Corry of CBSSports.com (Twitter links), the Seahawks could be on the hook for $12MM if he cannot suit up again. That’s because Chancellor’s $6.8MM 2018 base salary and a $5.2MM portion of his 2019 base salary are guaranteed for injury.
[RELATED: Kam Chancellor Done For Season]
The Seahawks won’t have much time to evaluate things before Chancellor’s 2018 skill and salary cap guarantees lock in. As dictated by the contract, the $6.8MM will be iron clad five days after 2018 waivers begin. This year, that falls on February 10. In theory, the Seahawks could cut Chancellor loose before that date, but the safety would have serious ammo to file a grievance case against the team.
Chancellor, 30 in April, had 49 tackles and two passes defended before suffering the neck injury in Week 10. The metrics at Pro Football Focus rank him as the sixth-best safety in the NFL this year, so it’s clear that he’s still playing football at a very high level. Hopefully, he’ll be able to continue doing what he does best.
Practice Squad Updates: 11/27/17
Here are today’s practice squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: LB Kevin Snyder
- Cut: LB Connor Harris
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: CB Lorenzo Doss
- Waived: OL Will Pericak
Chicago Bears
- Signed: DB Alex Carter
- Waived: WR Mario Alford
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: DL Josh Tupou
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: DB Jacob Hagen
Detroit Lions
- Signed: WR Jace Billingsley, DB Stefan McClure
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: DT Jeremy Liggins
- Waived: G Ian Silberman
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: DE Francis Kallon
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: LB Brooks Ellis, WR Jaelen Strong
- Waived: DL Marcus Hardison
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: TE Johnny Mundt, DB Marcus Sayles
- Waived: OL Jeremiah Poutasi
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: RB De’Veon Smith
New England Patriots
- Waived: DT Mike Purcell
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: FB Kyle Coleman, LB Kache Palacio
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: WR Jake Lampman, T Givens Price, CB David Rivers
Seahawks S Kam Chancellor Out For Year
As expected, Seahawks safety Kam Chancellor will be sidelined for the remainder of the 2017 season, head coach Pete Carroll said during an appearance on 710 ESPN (Twitter link).
Chancellor originally suffered a neck injury during Seattle’s Week 10 game against the Cardinals, but Carroll didn’t rule out the possibility of Chancellor returning at some point later this year. However, the ailment is serious enough that hard-hitting defensive back won’t play again in 2017, and Carroll also hinted that Chancellor’s long-term future could be in doubt, noting that beyond this season, “it’s up to [Chancellor]” to determine his outlook.
With Chancellor out, the Seahawks have turned to Bradley McDougald — a former Buccaneer who inked a one-year contract this spring — to fill in at safety opposite Earl Thomas. But the club’s vaunted Legion of Boom has now taken two serious hits, as Chancellor joins fellow stalwart Richard Sherman on injured reserve.
Seattle signed Chancellor to a three-year, $36MM extension in August that contains $13MM guaranteed. As such, the notion that the 29-year-old Chancellor will retire at any point in the near future seems far-fetched, as he’d simply be leaving too much money on the table.
Willson, Richardson Injured in Win
- The Seahawks came out of their win over the 49ers with few injuries of their own. Head coach Pete Carroll said that defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson was “Ok” after leaving in the fourth quarter, reports Brady Henderson of ESPN.com. However, Henderson also passes along that second-string tight end Luke Willson suffered a bit more serious of an injury after he was removed in the second quarter with a concussion. Carroll did mention to reporters that the tight end has a chance to play in next week’s game, but he obviously must pass concussion protocol first. In the meantime, both Jimmy Graham and third-stringer Nick Vannett were able to find the end zone without Willson in the lineup.
Latest On Joeckel, Avril, Chancellor; Are Seahawks A Fit For McFadden?
- Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll indicated that there will soon be more clarity on the injuries to defensive stalwarts Cliff Avril and Kam Chancellor, as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes. Avril is battling a serious stinger and numbness in his arm that was initially reported to be career-threatening, while Chancellor is contending with a neck injury that will likely sideline him for the rest of the year, though Carroll recently kept the door open on a return for his star safety.
- Seahawks left guard Luke Joeckel, who has missed the last five games following arthroscopic knee surgery, is expected to return to action for today’s matchup with the 49ers, as Brady Henderson of ESPN.com writes.
- The Cowboys have waived Darren McFadden, and Ed Werder names the Seahawks as a potential fit for the former first-round pick (Twitter link). As Werder observes, Seattle is the only ream in the league without a running back that has rushed for 250 or more yards, making a McFadden-Seahawks marriage eminently plausible.
Griffin, Aboushi Out For Week 12
The Seahawks defense continues to take hits on the injury front as the team has now learned that starting cornerback Shaquill Griffin has been ruled out for Sunday’s game vs. the 49ers with a concussion, according to Gregg Bell of The News Tribune (Twitter link). Bell adds that lineman Oday Aboushi will miss the matchup with a shoulder injury as well, so Seattle will once again have to expose backups to expansive playing time.
Seattle’s roster looks a whole lot different without the likes of Griffin, Richard Sherman and Kam Chancellor in the starting lineup, which has contributed greatly to the Seahawks up-and-down sort of season. The team still has an outstanding defensive line and is right in the thick of the playoff race, but is currently facing a lot of adversity as it continues to lose quality players as the season wears on.
49ers To Stick With Beathard Vs. Seahawks
49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters that rookie quarterback C.J. Beathard will receive his fifth consecutive start when the team hosts Seattle on Sunday, according to Ian Rapoport (Twitter link). That means the recently acquired Jimmy Garoppolo will have to wait at least another week to receive his first snaps in San Francisco. 
Though Shanahan said Garoppolo, who the team traded for before the deadline from the Patriots, is making progress, he doesn’t expect the quarterback to be fully up to speed in the team’s offense this season. “Is Jimmy going to be the best he can? To me, that’s impossible. He just hasn’t been here long enough. … I don’t think we’re going to see Jimmy’s best football, to be fair to him, until next year. Because that’s what guys need.”
Fans in the Bay Area might be ready to see what Garoppolo can do, but it is also tough to bench the third-round signal-caller just one game after he delivered the team’s first victory. In Week 10 vs. the Giants, Beathard completed 76 percent of his passes for 288 yards and two touchdowns and added another score on the ground.
San Francisco didn’t trade for the Eastern Illinois product for no reason, however, and the team is sure to give him a chance to show what he can do in Shanahan’s offense should Beathard make a misstep.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/22/17
Here are today’s minor moves:
Detroit Lions
- Waived: WR Jace Billingsley
- Promoted to active roster: DT Christian Ringo
Miami Dolphins
- Promoted to active roster: LB Neville Hewitt
New York Giants
- Waived from injured reserve: WR Kevin Norwood
Seattle Seahawks
- Promoted to active roster: WR David Moore
Lions Claim Dwight Freeney
The Lions have claimed Dwight Freeney off waivers, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Freeney was released by the Seahawks on Tuesday. 
Once among the league’s most dominant edge rushers, the 37-year-old isn’t quite the world-beater that he used to be. Still, Freeney could be a useful situational player, as evidenced by the three sacks he compiled in four games with Seattle. He was also effective in small doses for the Falcons in 2016. Freeney scored three sacks and 26.5 pressures for the Falcons last year while playing roughly a third of Atlanta’s defensive snaps.
In Detroit, Freeney will help to serve as depth behind starters Anthony Zettel and Ezekiel Ansah. If Ansah’s knee keeps him from the field on Thanksgiving, Cornelius Washington will draw the start at right defensive end, potentially putting Freeney in line for significant playing time. Jeremiah Valoaga and the newly-promoted Christian Ringo will also be in the same boat.
Freeney has a chance to reach the postseason with the Lions, who are 6-4. He also has a chance to move up the all-time sack chart. Currently, he sits 17th with 125.5 career sacks, putting him within range of Derrick Thomas (126.5) and Rickey Jackson (128). If he plays in 2018, he might have a chance at leapfrogging Lawrence Taylor and Leslie O’Neal (132.5).
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/21/17
Here are today’s practice squad moves.
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: DE Nordly Capi
Denver Broncos
- Signed: DE Stansly Maponga
Houston Texans
- Signed: RB Troymaine Pope
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: LB Adam Bighill
Oakland Raiders
- Signed: LB Brady Sheldon
Seattle Seahawks
- Cut: CB Alex Carter
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Cut: CB Senquez Golson
- Cut: T Justin Murray