Seahawks set initial 53-man: Robert Nkemdiche cut, Penny Hart waived, Colby Parkinson on
The Seahawks’ initial, 53-man roster to begin the season cuts respected receiver Penny Hart, keeps five running backs but only four wide receivers, cuts former NFL first-round pick Robert Nkemdiche and has only three linebackers — officially, anyway.
Nkemdiche had been impressive as a quick, big defensive tackle early in training camp. But he missed the last weeks of the preseason with an injury. He saw this is as his last NFL chance, after Arizona and Miami gave up on him
Seattle has DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, Freddie Swain and top rookie draft choice Dee Eskridge as the only true wide receivers on the initial roster the team set by Tuesday’s league deadline to trim 27 players from the preseason. That could signal the Seahawks will be signing a wide receiver off league waivers that began Tuesday and end 1 p.m. Wednesday.
It could also signal how often Gerald Everett, technically the number-one tight end, plus Seattle’s five running backs will be split out wide in first-time offensive coordinator Shane Waldron’s new system.
Chris Carson, Alex Collins, Rashaad Penny, Travis Homer and DeeJay Dallas are the running backs.
Tight end Colby Parkinson, recently injured with his second foot injury in as many years, is on the initial 53-man roster. That could be to put him on injured reserve as soon as Wednesday. Players that go onto the IR after being on the first 53-man roster can return from IR in as few as three weeks. Players put on IR before the 53-man rosters are set are out for the season, such as linebacker Ben Burr-Kirven and wide receiver John Ursua last week for Seattle.
The team announced only 52 players on the roster as of Tuesday afternoon. That’s because it had yet to officially add new cornerback Sidney Jones to it. Seattle traded with Jacksonville for the former Washington Husky on Monday.
The Seahawks released the cornerback they acquired last week in a trade with Houston, John Reid. He’s likely to clear waivers and come back to the practice squad. Reid played only 13% of the Texans’ defensive snaps last year as their rookie draft choice.
Seattle’s linebackers are All-Pro Bobby Wagner, starting weakside backer Jordyn Brooks and Cody Barton. But listed defensive end Darrell Taylor is playing strongside linebacker on early downs. Linebacker/fullback and special-teams captain Nick Bellore is playing more defense than offense following backup middle linebacker Burr-Kirven’s season-ending knee injury.
The Seahawks waived Pierce County natives Connor Wedington (Sumner High School) and Lakiem Williams (Spanaway Lake). If they go unclaimed on waivers either or both could go onto Seattle’s 16-man practice squad.
So could West Point graduate Jon Rhattigan. He was waived, but after an impressive preseason finale last week could be back as a linebacker on the practice squad at that thin position group.
One undrafted rookie made the team, as at least one just about always does in Seattle’s Pete Carroll era. It’s Jake Curhan at a backup offensive-tackle spot. He’s one of 11 offensive linemen, more than Carroll and general manager John Schneider usually keep.
In January, Curhan was miscast by NFL scouts. They moved him to guard at the Senior Bowl because they thought his arms weren’t league-length for tackle.
The 6-6, 316-pound former University of California mainstay was a training-camp surprise at right tackle.
It also doesn’t hurt him that he graduated from Carroll’s alma mater, Redwood High School in Larkspur, California. That’s in Marin County, just north of San Francisco.
He laughed that off last week, saying it’s not like that gives him an in, or anything. And, no, they haven’t sung the fight song together.
They might now.
“He’s done a really good job. Yes, he has,” Carroll said. “He’s played very steady. We played him early at guard because we had a need there, and as soon as we put him back to right tackle, he did a really nice job.”
The Seahawks’ roster moves Tuesday:
Released:
DT Robert Nkemdiche
CB Damarious Randall
G Jordan Simmons
Waived:
DT Myles Adams
TE Ian Bunting
T Tommy Champion
S Aashari Crosswell
LB Aaron Donkor
G Greg Eiland
WR Aaron Fuller
WR Penny Hart
CB Gavin Heslop
DT Jarrod Hewitt
G Jared Hocker
WR Cade Johnson
RB Josh Johnson
G Pier-Olivier Lestage
C Brad Lundblade
TE Tyler Mabry
S Joshua Moon
CB John Reid
LB Jon Rhattigan
WR Darece Roberson Jr.
CB Will Sunderland
TE Cam Sutton
WR Cody Thompson
WR Travis Toivonen
WR Connor Wedington
LB Lakiem Williams
This story was originally published August 31, 2021 at 3:42 PM.
