Seahawks Activate S Rayshawn Jenkins
Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald announced that Rayshawn Jenkins would be activated from injured reserve, per Michael-Shawn Dugar of The Athletic. Seattle is expecting their veteran safety to take the field on Sunday against the Cardinals for his first appearance in Week 6.
Jenkins started the Seahawks’ first six games, racking up 38 tackles and a 102-yard fumble return touchdown, the longest in the NFL this season. He played with a cast over his left hand in Weeks 5 and 6, but landed on injured reserve on October 16 to allow his injury to fully recover. The 2017 fourth-round pick returned to practice this week and quickly got back up to speed in the defense.
Jenkins arrived in Seattle this past offseason on a two-year, $12MM contract to pair with Julian Love as starting safeties in Macdonald’s new defense. In Jenkins’ absence, third-year defensive back Coby Bryant has stepped up at safety, ranking fifth on the team with a 73.2 overall defensive grade from Pro Football Focus (subscription required).
While Jenkins is expected to return to a starting role this weekend, Bryant’s emergence will give Macdonald more options in a defense that prioritizes interchangeability between versatile defensive backs. All three players are capable of playing deep safety or sliding into the slot. Jenkins also saw plenty of time in the box in dime packages, so Macdonald could also call more three-safety formations.
The Seahawks currently have 52 players on their active roster, so they will not need to make a corresponding move to accommodate Jenkins’ activation.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/20/24
Today’s minor NFL moves:
Chicago Bears
- Signed to active roster: WR Collin Johnson
Denver Broncos
- Reverted to season-ending IR: S Delarrin Turner-Yell
Los Angeles Rams
- Practice window opened: G KT Leveston
Minnesota Vikings
- Designated to return from IR: TE Nick Muse
Philadelphia Eagles
- Designated to return from IR: WR Britain Covey
Seattle Seahawks
- Placed on IR: OLB Jamie Sheriff
Washington Commanders
- Designted to return from IR: DE Javontae Jean-Baptiste
Unfortunately for Turner-Yell, head coach Sean Payton told the media that it “became too much of a challenge to active” the young safety off the physically unable to perform list, per Chris Tomasson of the Denver Gazette.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/20/24
Wednesday’s practice squad moves:
Chicago Bears
- Signed: S Adrian Colbert
Detroit Lions
- Signed: S Kaevon Merriweather
- Released: CB Erick Hallett
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: WR Alex McGough
Houston Texans
- Signed: CB Myles Bryant, RB J.J. Taylor
- Released: T Cameron Erving, DE Rashad Weaver
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: RB Chris Collier, CB Keenan Isaac
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: S Emany Johnson
- Released: TE McCallan Castles
New York Giants
- Signed: TE Jordan Murray
New York Jets
- Signed: DT Bruce Hector
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: DT Siaki Ika
- Released: WR Kyle Philips
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: DE Jonathan Garvin
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: TE Tyler Mabry, QB John Rhys Plumlee
Seahawks Designate S Rayshawn Jenkins For Return
Going through significant changes at safety this offseason, the Seahawks made Rayshawn Jenkins one of their solutions. While the team has moved on from both its stopgap linebacker starters (Jerome Baker, Tyrel Dodson) already, Jenkins remains in the team’s plan for the regular season’s final third.
The Seahawks designated Jenkins for return Wednesday, The Athletic’s Michael-Shawn Dugar notes. Jenkins has missed time due to a hand injury. The offseason pickup had played multiple games with a hand cast and needed an IR stay; that stint looks to be coming to an end.
Jenkins joined the Seahawks on a two-year, $12MM deal. Considering how Quandre Diggs and Jamal Adams (among other veteran safeties) fared upon being cut, the offseason Jaguars release did well to catch on. Seattle guaranteed the former Jacksonville and Los Angeles starter more than $6MM and used him as a first-stringer exclusively.
Seattle has Julian Love as its new centerpiece safety, having extended the former Giant this summer. The team took on more than $30MM in combined dead money by cutting Adams and Diggs, doing so without post-June 1 designations, but still has shown a preference for veterans on the back end.
Jenkins, 30, has made 86 career starts between his time with the Chargers, Jags and Seahawks. He made a notable impact during the Seahawks-Giants matchup, returning a fumble 102 yards for a touchdown. Seattle has used 2022 fourth-round pick Coby Bryant in Jenkins’ place over the past four games. Pro Football Focus ranks Bryant and Love as top-20 regulars among safeties, which could make for an interesting decision once Jenkins is activated. Although the Seahawks have placed George Fant on IR a second time, they are in good shape for injury activations, holding six going into Week 12.
NFC West Notes: Seahawks, 49ers, Higbee
Signed to similar contracts during the summer of 2022, Deebo Samuel and D.K. Metcalf have each become two of the NFL’s better wide receivers — each being chosen in the 2019 second round. The Seahawks nabbed Metcalf at No. 64 via trade-up, and ESPN’s Adam Schefter notes the team had aimed to first draft Samuel at No. 35. GM John Schneider had worked out a trade-up from No. 37 to No. 35, via the Raiders, but Schefter adds the Silver and Black backed out of the deal. The Raiders instead dealt with the Jaguars, who drafted Jawaan Taylor at 35. The 49ers chose Samuel at 36.
The Seahawks still do not know why the Raiders reneged on the trade, Schefter adds. The Seahawks initially held a higher second-round choice than the Jags, who picked at 38. After Samuel went off the board, Seattle dealt 37 to Carolina (Greg Little) and drafted safety Marquise Blair at No. 47. The Seahawks had planned to pair Samuel and Metcalf, rather than the Ole Miss product — who famously fell to No. 64 after having teams divided during the pre-draft process — being a Samuel fallback option. Though, Metcalf as a WR contingency plan — with Doug Baldwin retirement rumors circulating during the draft — rather than pairing him with Samuel makes a bit more sense due to Tyler Lockett being just 27 at the time. Samuel and Metcalf are going into the final year of their contracts; each team rebuffed trade offers this year.
Here is the latest from the NFC West:
- Samuel’s San Francisco status may have changed once Brandon Aiyuk suffered an ACL tear. The older 49ers WR had been a rumored 2025 trade chip, as the team prepares for a Brock Purdy payday. Although some around the league have wondered if the 49ers will pay Purdy the going rate (mentioning a Kirk Cousins trade as a backup plan), The Athletic’s Matt Barrows expects Purdy to indeed receive a top-market deal from San Francisco. Purdy going from Mr. Irrelevant to a deal in the $55-$60MM-per-year range would represent one of the most dramatic rises in NFL history; the 2025 offseason is the window for that to happen.
- Staying on the 49ers-in-2025 theme, the team has seen promising early returns from second-round rookie Renardo Green. The 49ers have viewed Green as a player who can work inside and on the perimeter; that matches Deommodore Lenoir‘s profile. Lenoir is now signed long term, but All-Pro Charvarius Ward is in a contract year. With Lenoir locked in, Ward appears headed back to free agency. As such, Barrows adds Green should be considered the favorite to start opposite Lenoir on the boundary in 2025. Pro Football Focus rates Green as the sixth-best CB regular this season, albeit on only 298 snaps.
- While Sean McVay said right tackle Rob Havenstein could be back this week, the eighth-year Rams HC indicated (via ESPN.com’s Sarah Barshop) Tyler Higbee remains weeks away from returning. Higbee is still rehabbing the ACL and MCL tears sustained during the Rams’ wild-card loss to the Lions. The ninth-year tight end remains on Los Angeles’ reserve/PUP list. Havenstein has missed the Rams’ past two games with an ankle issue.
- Jake Moody missed time due to injury this season, being one of three 49ers kickers to go down, and did not impress upon return. Moody missed three field goals against the Buccaneers, prompting a heated Samuel to take issue with the recovered kicker (and long snapper Taybor Pepper). John Lynch said later the 49ers have not considered replacing Moody. “We didn’t blink,” Lynch told KNBR (h/t The Athletic’s David Lombardi). “We have a lot of faith in this kid. We all have rough days. There’s a lot of context to put in these things and Jake has earned a lot of respect from this organization.” Moody’s third-round contract runs through 2026.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/18/24
Today’s practice squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: S Andre Chachere
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: DT Sam Roberts
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: DT Trysten Hill
Las Vegas Raiders
- Released: WR Jalen Guyton
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: DB A.J. Green
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: NT Brandon Pili
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/18/24
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Waived: OT Charlie Heck
Baltimore Ravens
- Waived from IR: LB Deion Jennings
Dallas Cowboys
- Placed on IR: QB Dak Prescott (story)
- Signed to active roster: DB Josh Butler
- Promoted: TE Princeton Fant, DB Kemon Hall
Green Bay Packers
- Activated from IR: RB MarShawn Lloyd
Houston Texans
- Promoted: DT Tommy Togiai
New England Patriots
- Activated from IR: CB Alex Austin
- Waived: CB Marco Wilson
New York Jets
- Signed to active roster: K Anders Carlson
- Waived: DL Bruce Hector
Seattle Seahawks
- Waived: TE Tyler Mabry
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed to active roster: CB Troy Hill
- Waived: S Kaevon Merriweather
MarShawn Lloyd‘s path back to the Packers active roster has taken an unusual turn. The rookie third-round pick landed on IR in September with an ankle injury. He returned to practice last week but suffered appendicitis only a few days later, putting his activation within the 21-day window in doubt.
Worried that Lloyd wouldn’t be ready to play by his early-December activation deadline, the Packers consulted with the NFL about the best route forward (per ESPN’s Rob Demovsky). That ultimately led to today’s transaction, which is only the start of several transactional machinations. As Tom Silverstein of Milwaukee Journal Sentinel notes, Lloyd will temporarily join the active roster before landing on the non-football injury list. That means he won’t count against the team’s roster limit until he’s healthy enough to return to the field.
Lloyd doesn’t have a return timetable from this recent setback. While the rookie entered the year as the hopeful RB2 behind Josh Jacobs, there’s a good chance he’ll also behind Emanuel Wilson for the stretch run of the season.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/16/24
Saturday’s minor moves, including standard gameday practice squad elevations:
Baltimore Ravens
- Elevated: LB Kristian Welch
Buffalo Bills
- Elevated: TE Zach Davidson, T Richard Gouraige
Cincinnati Bengals
- Elevated: T Devin Cochran, LB Shaka Heyward
Cleveland Browns
- Signed to active roster: DT Sam Kamara, DE Elerson Smith
- Elevated: WR Kadarius Toney
- Placed on IR: DT Mike Hall Jr.
Denver Broncos
- Elevated: LB Zach Cunningham, S Keidron Smith
Detroit Lions
- Signed to active roster: LB Zeke Turner
- Elevated: TE James Mitchell
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed to active roster: LB Liam Anderson
- Elevated: G Atonio Mafi, G Josh Sills
- Waived: DT Adam Gotsis
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Elevated: WR Velus Jones, LB Anthony Pittman
Kansas City Chiefs
- Elevated: LB Cole Christiansen
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed to active roster: LB Shaquille Quarterman
- Elevated: CB Eli Apple, OLB Caleb Murphy
- Waived: CB Dicaprio Bootle
Los Angeles Rams
- Elevated: T Geron Christian, DL Jonah Williams
Miami Dolphins
- Elevated: LS Tucker Addington, T Jackson Carman
Minnesota Vikings
- Elevated: LS Jake McQuaide
New England Patriots
- Elevated: LB Keshawn Banks, LB Joe Giles-Harris
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed to active roster: P Pat O’Donnell
- Elevated: S Tashaun Gipson, CB Nick McCloud
- Placed on IR: CB Darrell Luter Jr.
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed to active roster: TE Tyler Mabry, WR Cody White
- Elevated: LB Patrick O’Connell, S Ty Okada
- Placed on reserve/retired list: C Connor Williams (story)
- Waived: NT Brandon Pili
Tennessee Titans
- Signed to active roster: C Corey Levin
- Elevated: T Isaiah Prince, S Daryl Worley
Toney is set to make his debut for the regular season. The former first-round pick out of Florida has had a rocky first four years in the league, despite coming away with two Super Bowl rings in Kansas City. He was signed to the Browns’ practice squad just after the season opener and will be eligible to see game action with Cleveland in Week 11.
O’Donnell was added to the 49ers’ practice squad earlier this week given the chance of Mitch Wishnowsky missing time. The latter is now on injured reserve, ensuring at least a four-game absence. O’Donnell, 32, is a veteran of 145 games but Week 11 will mark his first regular season action since 2022.
Seahawks C Connor Williams Retires
Seahawks center Connor Williams is retiring, as announced by head coach Mike Macdonald in a press conference Friday, per Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times.
Williams tore his ACL last December, tanking his free agency stock with his availability to start the 2024 season in question. He managed to pass a physical and sign with the Seahawks eight months later and started all nine of the team’s games at center this season.
Macdonald cited “personal reasons” as the explanation for Williams’ retirement and said that his knee injury in 2023 was not a factor in the decision, according to Condotta. The first-year head coach doesn’t believe that Williams will change his mind and return to the Seahawks this year.
Williams finishes his career with 86 starts and 92 total appearances across a seven-year career. He began as a second-round pick by the Cowboys in 2018 and quickly earned the starting left guard job in Dallas.
He hit free agency in 2022 and signed with the Dolphins on a two-year deal worth just over $14MM. He started all 17 games at center for Miami in 2022, but struggled with multiple injuries in 2023 before ultimately tearing his ACL in December. Williams’ return to the field this year was viewed as impressive given the extent of his knee injury, but he opted to retire rather than finish the season. He ends his career with $22.3MM in career earnings, per OverTheCap.
Seattle will turn to Olu Oluwatimi at center moving forward. The 2023 fifth-rounder started one game with 128 total snaps at center as a rookie. Oluwatimi’s insertion into the starting unit is yet another shake-up for a Seahawks offensive line that recently lost George Fant to injured reserve for the second time this year. Abraham Lucas is set for his season debut, per Condotta, though Macdonald said the third-year right tackle would be on a snap count.
Seahawks Activate Abraham Lucas, Place George Fant On IR
The Seahawks activated right tackle Abraham Lucas from the Physically Unable to Perform list and placed George Fant on injured reserve on Wednesday, per ESPN’s Brady Henderson.
Head coach Mike Macdonald indicated on Monday that he expected Lucas to start in Week 11 after finally recovering from offseason knee surgery. However, his activation is no guarantee that he make his season debut on Sunday. Seattle opened Lucas’ practice window 21 days ago, so he had to be moved to the active roster to avoid reverting to the PUP list for the rest of the season.
The Seahawks will certainly be hoping that Lucas can start at right tackle this weekend after moving Fant to injured reserve for the second time this season. He suffered a knee injury after 19 snaps in Week 1 and returned in Week 9 for just 17 snaps before re-injuring his knee and exiting the game.
This is the second year in a row that Seattle has struggled with health at the tackle position. Left tackle Charles Cross injured his toe in Week 1 in 2023 and missed the next three games. Lucas was placed on injured reserve after a knee injury in Week 1 and returned in Week 13 for five starts before going down once more, with then-head coach Pete Carroll calling it a “chronic” problem. The Seahawks then signed Fant to a two-year, $9.1MM in the offseason as insurance for Lucas’ ongoing recovery from knee surgery. Fant appeared in 16 games for the Texans in 2023, but played just 36 snaps this season with knee issues of his own.
All of the tackle injuries have pressed 2021 sixth-rounder Stone Forsythe into a starting role for the second year in a row. He started eight games in 2023 – three at left tackle and five at right tackle – along with four relief appearances across the two positions. Forsythe then replaced Fant in Week 1 this year and started the next five games at right tackle before landing on injured reserve with a hand injury. Rookie Michael Jerrell then started in Weeks 7 and 8 before relieving Fant in Week 9 after the recurrence of his knee injury.
While Lucas is expected to play in Week 11, Jerrell will start at right tackle if the Seahawks wants to give their 2022 third-rounder more time before he takes the field.