š„ BREAKING NEWS: Seattleās massive Week 13 roster shake-up exposes the bold plan the Seahawks have been quietly building toward ā”. DH
It was a busy day for the Seahawks, who made some surprise moves ahead of their game against the Vikings.
The Seattle Seahawks announced a flurry of roster moves on Wednesday, including the signing of veteran former standout running back Cam Akers and three-time Pro Bowl safety Quandre Diggs.
Akers was signed directly to the 53-man roster, while Diggs, a former defensive star with Seattle from 2019-23, was brought onto the practice squad amid injuries to the back-end of the Seahawks’ defense.
Seattle promoted linebacker Patrick O’Connell, who made his first career start in Week 12, and cornerback Shaquill Griffin to the active roster. To make room for those players, the Seahawks waived early season standout cornerback Derion Kendrick and placed linebacker Chazz Surratt on injured reserve.
Running back Myles Gaskin and wide receiver Jimmy Holiday, an undrafted rookie out of Louisiana Tech, were also added to the practice squad. Tackle Logan Brown was released to make room for those players.
As if all that wasn’t enough, the Seahawks designated rookie defensive lineman Rylie Mills to return to practice, opening his 21-day practice window to be activated to the 53-man roster. Mills, a fifth-round pick, has yet to see any time on the field after tearing his ACL in his final season at Notre Dame in 2024.
Analysis: Offensive movesEmpty heading
The Akers signing is curious but also unsurprising, considering running back George Holani’s recent injury. Signing him to the active roster indicates the Seahawks wanted a reputable backup to Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet. He may play on Sunday.
Akers, a former second-round pick in 2020, is changing teams for the sixth time since 2023. His best season was in 2022 with the Los Angeles Rams, playing in 15 games and totaling 188 carries for 786 yards and seven touchdowns.
The veteran running back spent time with both the Minnesota Vikings, who the Seahawks play on Sunday, and the Houston Texans in 2024 and was with the New Orleans Saints in the preseason. He has suffered achilles injuries multiple times in his career, which has held back a once-promising career.
Gaskin has been on-and-off the Seahawks’ practice squad multiple times this season. He’s the insurance to the insurance (Akers) behind the lead backs. The coaching staff may have felt it was prudent to get two, considering Walker was briefly on the injury report in Week 12 with a glute injury.
Holiday is an interesting add at receiver, especially since he was never particularly productive in college. The Seahawks now have three receivers on the practice squad, with Dareke Young and Tory Horton currently sitting on injured reserve.
Analysis: Defensive movesEmpty heading
Signing Diggs back is unsurprising. He was a fan favorite in his five seasons with the Seahawks and was incredibly productive with the franchise. The divorce between Seattle, Diggs and Jamal Adams wasn’t pretty after the 2023 season, but bridges don’t appear burned.
Things didn’t pan out for Diggs with the Titans, but he’s now back and could even be elevated for game day with Okada being injured. D’Anthony Bell may pull the start in Week 13 with Diggs as his backup.
Whether Diggs can continue playing at a high level at 31 years old is the major question.
O’Connell played well in Ernest Jones IV’s Week 12 absence. His promotion indicates the Seahawks aren’t confident Jones will return against the Vikings. It will likely be the O’Connell-Drake Thomas show at linebacker.
The choice of Griffin over Kendrick is curious, especially with how good Kendrick was early in the season (two interceptions, five pass breakups). Griffin is a veteran, however, and there may be other factors behind the scenes that the public isn’t privy to. Mike Macdonald and his coaching staff reward play in practice.
Mills returning to practice is a great sign, even if he needs the entire 21-day window to be ready to go. The Seahawks already have one of the best defensive lines in the league, and it’s remained mostly healthy outside of Jarran Reed going on IR.
If Mills can come in and make an impact late in the season, this could be a seriously dangerous Seattle front heading into mid-December.
