Tag: McClendon Curtis

Seahawks roster moves: Jerrick Reed II returns to practice, McClendon Curtis signed to practice squad

Seahawks roster moves: Jerrick Reed II returns to practice, McClendon Curtis signed to practice squad

The Seattle Seahawks are enjoying some good injury news on Monday morning. It was reported second year safety Jerrick Reed II has been officially designated to return to practice. Reed began his sophomore season on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list due to an ACL injury suffered last year.

According to NFL rules, Reed now has a 21 day window to practice to prove he is capable of re-joining the 53-man active roster. If he is unable to make the roster in this time frame, he will be shut down for the rest of the 2024 season.

Reed made his impact on special teams last year, recording 11 total tackles. Given how disastrous Seattle’s special teams have been this year, getting Reed back into the mix would give this important phase of the game a much-needed boost.

The other roster move the Seahawks made on Monday was re-signing tackle McClendon Curtis back to the practice squad, as his rollercoaster 2024 season spent between the practice squad and active roster continues. Keeping him in the Seattle organization is going to be critical for a team dealing with considerable offensive line depth issues.

[lawrence-auto-related count=4 category=1360]

Seahawks elevate RB George Holani and T McClendon Curtis to active roster

Seahawks elevate RB George Holani and T McClendon Curtis to active roster

The Seattle Seahawks listed starting running back Kenneth Walker III and right tackle George Fant as DOUTBFUL headed into Week 2. While no official word has been given as of now about their game status, we can read the tea leaves.

And the tea leaves say running back George Holani and tackle McClendon Curtis have been elevated off the practice squad.

Before the Walker injury, the Seahawks had three running backs on their active roster. Walker himself, Zach Charbonnet, and Kenny McIntosh. Despite a strong preseason from Holani – 15 carries for 66 yards and two touchdowns – it was not enough to convince Seattle to roster four running backs. Fortunately, Holani cleared Waivers and the Seahawks were able to bring him back to their practice squad.

As for McClendon Curtis, he was originally signed off the Las Vegas Raiders’ practice squad last year, and he found himself back on Seattle’s practice squad after being cut during the 53-man roster deadline this August.

Now, both have made their way back to the active roster just in time for Week 2 against the New England Patriots.

More Seahawks Wire stories

Tua Tagovailoa likely to miss Week 3 game vs. Seahawks

Patriots to honor 10-year anniversary of Super Bowl XLIX in Week 2

Seahawks to wear whit jerseys with blue pants in Week 2

Seahawks bring back LB Jamie Sheriff to practice squad

5 most important Seattle Seahawks practice squad signings

5 most important Seattle Seahawks practice squad signings

The Seattle Seahawks officially announced a 15-man practice squad on Wednesday afternoon. No, general manager John Schneider didn’t retain every talent via the practice squad that he probably wanted to. The Carolina Panthers claimed ex Seahawks linebacker Jon Rhattigan and EDGE Jamie Sheriff on waivers, potentially altering Schneider’s plans.

Schneider and the Seahawks still put together an intriguing practice squad. Mixing veterans with developmental rookies, Seattle’s backup squad has a healthy balance of players that could immediately help and ones that could turn into long-term contributors. With that in mind, we’ve identified the five most important practice squad signings.

George Holani, RB

Many believed the Seahawks would retain four running backs on the active roster, but Schneider stuck with just three. Sophomore back Kenny McIntosh won the RB3 job, and the Seahawks choose to pass undrafted rookie George Holani through waivers. Thankfully, Holani cleared, and has been placed on the practice squad after rushing for 65 yards and two touchdowns during the preseason.

Artie Burns, CB

Veteran cornerback Artie Burns wasn’t subject to the waiver wire process because he’s a vested veteran. Burns could have signed with any team of his choosing after being released, but he opted to re-join the Seahawks via the practice squad. Retaining the experienced cover-man, who occasionally worked with the first-team defense in training camp as the nickel corner, was a big victory for Schneider.

Michael Barrett, LB

The Seahawks acquired rookie linebacker Michael Barrett in a trade with the Carolina Panthers in exchange for cornerback Mike Jackson. Seattle still waived Barrett, but managed to get him back on the practice squad. He’ll spend the season developing under coaches he’s familiar with from his time at Michigan, including special teams coordinator Jay Harbaugh.

McClendon Curtis, IOL

Sophomore blocker McClendon Curtis spent the majority of last season on the 53-man roster. This offseason, he proved versatile enough to work at both offensive tackle and his more prominent guard positions. If the Seahawks suffer an injury across the offensive line, Curtis will be ready to join the game-day roster.

Easop Winston Jr., WR

Eason Winston Jr. was Seattle’s most productive wide receiver throughout the preseason. He posted team-highs in receptions (8), receiving yards (99), and touchdowns (1). The Seahawks were deep at wideout, so Winston Jr. had to settle for a developmental spot on the practice squad.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Backup Seahawks players to watch vs. Titans in preseason Week 2

Backup Seahawks players to watch vs. Titans in preseason Week 2

The Seattle Seahawks concluded their two-day joint practices with the Tennessee Titans on Thursday. The final of two shared sessions was particularly physical and taxing. Head coach Mike Macdonald will respond by letting the second-and-third stringers play the majority of Saturday’s preseason game.

There’s a decent chance not a single of Seattle’s 22 projected starters will take a snap versus the Titans. It will represent the best opportunity for fringe roster players to make their case ahead of 53-man roster cutdowns. We’ve identified backup talents worth monitoring against the Titans.

George Holani, RB

Undrafted running back George Holani is attempting to win the RB3 job from sophomore Kenny McIntosh. Holani rushed for 24 yards and a touchdown in Seattle’s first preseason game. He should receive an extended look versus the Titans after getting some first-team reps at joint practice.

Easop Winston Jr., WR

Eason Winston Jr. was Pro Football Focus’ highest-graded Seahawks player in their Week 1 preseason game. Winston recorded two receptions for 31 receiving yards, including an explosive 21-yard gain. He’s attempting to capture a reserve roster spot at receiver behind D.K. Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and Jake Bobo.

Brady Russell, TE

Sophomore tight end Brady Russell scored Seattle’s only passing touchdown last weekend, catching a 13-yard score from Sam Howell. Russell should play a lot on Saturday with starting tight end Noah Fant nursing a minor injury that’s likely to keep him sidelined for a meaningless exhibition game.

Carlton Johnson, CB

Seahawks undrafted cornerback Carlton Johnson consistently put forth strong reps during one-on-one drills with the Titans receivers. There’s a lot of competition at reserve cornerback with the Seahawks having drafted two rookies in Nehemiah Pritchett and D.J. James. Johnson needs to carry over his joint practice performances into Saturday’s game.

Tyrice Knight, LB

Fifth-round rookie linebacker Tyrice Knight put forth an eye-opening performance against the Los Angeles Chargers in the first preseason game. Knight should see another heavy workload versus the Titans with Jerome Baker and Jon Rhattigan nursing injuries. The other projected starter, Tyrel Dodson, is unlikely to play as well.

Easton Gibbs, LB

Undrafted rookie Easton Gibbs is in his second stint with the Seahawks already. He was waived earlier this summer after signing with the team as a UDFA after the 2024 NFL Draft. Macdonald needed bodies at off-ball linebacker for joint practices with Baker and Rhattigan being non-participants. Gibbs needs to take advantage of increased play-time on Saturday.

More Seahawks Wire stories

Seahawks to hold joint practices for the first time since 1991

Trash talk reigns supreme between the Seahawks and Titans

Position battles to monitor in Seahawks-Titans joint practices

Byron Murphy reportedly dominating the Titans

Riq Woolen continues to make plays 

Seahawks to host a couple veteran free agent offensive linemen

Regardless of what Seattle has planned for the 2024 NFL draft, adding some more experience to this unit is a good idea.

Last week, Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald admitted to reporters that the team’s offensive line is a work in progress. Now nearly three weeks removed from the beginning of free agency, the team has only signed a couple of career backups for their interior: Nick Harris from the Browns and Tremayne Anchrum from the Rams. Right now those two may project as the starters at guard, sandwiching Olu Oluwatimi at center. All together those three have only started six games in the NFL, though.

That means regardless of what Seattle has planned for the 2024 NFL draft, adding some more experience to this unit is a good idea. General manager John Schneider seems to agree and says the team will be bringing in a couple of free agent veterans for visits. Here’s what he told ESPN radio about the OL on Friday:

“We’re going to be bringing a couple veteran offensive linemen through (for visits during) this second phase of free agency and then (be) comparing that to what the draft looks like… Anytime you’re just drafting for need – that is a need on our team right now, I think it’s fairly obvious – but we like so many young guys (like Raiqwon) O’Neil, McClendon Curtis. I mean, there’s some guys in there, some younger guys that we like, too, that we’ve added … There’s some young players that a fan may not necessarily know, but that we’re excited about in the mix.”

Schneider has a point about O’Neil and Curtis, two highly-regarded members of the 2023 rookie class who combined for just 27 snaps as rookies – most of them coming on special teams. If either one can grow into a reliable contributor this year it might make a big difference at an exceedingly low cost – both are under salary for less than $1 million in 2024.

However, we would be surprised if the team doesn’t sign at least one veteran who has extensive experience as a starter at guard. We’ll be reviewing some of their best options tomorrow.

More Seahawks Wire stories

15 free agent offensive linemen Seattle could consider

21 biggest cap hits for Seahawks in 2024 after free agency

Seahawks go best player available in 3-round mock draft

Projecting starters at Seahawks offensive tackle spots for Week 2

Here’s a review of the team’s options and depth at each position assuming Cross is out as well as Lucas.

It didn’t take long for the Seahawks offensive line to get shaken up. Right tackle Abe Lucas has been placed on injured reserve due to knee soreness, knocking him out until at least Week 7. Meanwhile, left tackle Charles Cross is day to day with turf toe and did not practice yesterday – an indication he’ll also be out on Sunday against the Lions.

Since the team learned that both Cross and Lucas are injured they have been very busy on this front. Seattle has signed two offensive linemen to their practice squad, bringing back Greg Eiland as well as signing 41-year old veteran Jason Peters. Yesterday, the Seahawks signed two more offensive linemen to their active roster, poaching offensive tackle Raiqwon O’Neal off the Buccaneers practive squad as well as tackle/guard combo McClendon Curtis off the Raiders practice squad.

Let’s break it all down and see if we can project who will wind up starting at each spot this week. Here’s a review of the team’s options and depth at each position – assuming Cross is out as well as Lucas.

Left tackle:

  • Charles Cross
  • Stone Forsythe
  • Raiqwon O’Neal
  • Jason Peters

The next man up on the depth chart after Cross is Stone Forsythe, which doesn’t inspire a ton of confidence given his experience level. The former sixth-round draft pick has only one start under his belt and has only been on the field for a total of 149 offensive snaps in his career. If head coach Pete Carroll doesn’t like Forsythe’s chances against Lions second-year edge Aidan Hutchinson, he may roll with one of the new tackles he brought in this week.

The nine-time Pro Bowler Jason Peters is the most-logical option to start here given his extensive experience at left tackle (200+ pro starts). However, it sounds like Peters won’t be ready to go until next week. That makes Raiqwon O’Neal the next-best option on the blindside for Seattle against Detroit. He played two years at Rutgers then transferred to UCLA last season, where he started 13 games at left tackle.

Prediction: Our best guess is that Forsythe will begin the game starting. However, it won’t take much for Carroll to pull him in favor of O’Neal.

Right tackle:

  • Abe Lucas
  • Jake Curhan
  • McClendon Curtis
  • Greg Eiland

On the other side we know for sure that Lucas is out, and this spot is the far more concerning one. While Forsythe somehow graded out well in pass protection according to PFF, Jake Curhan put in another poor grade, getting a 53.0 mark in pass blocking, the second lowest on the team. Curhan did well in run blocking (72.7) but that won’t help Geno Smith when Aidan Hutchinson lines up on that side and comes crashing into the backfield to pressure his throwing arm.

Next up on the depth chart is McLendon Curtis, one of several Senior Bowl darlings that Seattle was widely expected to pick on Day 3 of the draft. Curtis is one of the most highly-regarded undrafted rookie linemen in the league. While he doesn’t have Curhan’s experience, we’re willing to bet that his ceiling is higher.

Seattle also has Greg Eiland as a distant third option. He may be elevated from the practice squad this week for depth but it’s unlikely he will play significant snaps unless the other options both fail miserably or get injured.

Prediction: We’re going to go out on a limb here and pick Curtis to start over Curhan – who was the team’s worst offensive lineman last season and would be their weakest link up front if he does wind up starting.

More Seahawks Wire stories

PFF grades for all 32 starting QBs in Week 1

NFL power rankings going into Week 2

Seahawks sign OL McClendon Curtis off Raiders practice squad

OL McClendon Curtis joins LB Drake Thomas as Raiders undrafted rookies headed to Seattle.

Following April’s draft, the Raiders added one of the highest rated available undrafted free agents when they signed former Tennessee Chatanooga OL McClendon Curtis.

With the need at guard, Curtis seemed like he had a decent shot of making the team. But ultimately, he was among the team’s cuts and was signed back to the practice squad. That lasted one week before the Seahawks scooped him up and signed him to their active roster.

Making the Raiders roster instead was Jordan Meredith who had spent time on the team’s offseason roster the past two years.

Curtis was widely considered the best guard to go undrafted. Easily making him the most high profile UDFA to sign with the Raiders.

But Curtis wasn’t alone. The Raiders didn’t keep any of their undrafted players from this offseason. Other notable UDFA’s to be signed and cut include T Dalton Wagner and LB Drake Thomas.

Curtis joins Thomas who was claimed off waivers by the Seahawks.

Seahawks put RT Abe Lucas on IR, sign two more offensive linemen

In that department, the team just announced three more roster moves – including placing one of their top OTs on injured reserve.

The Seattle Seahawks are attempting to cultivate more offensive line options following injuries to their two starting OTs this past week. In that department, the team just announced three more roster moves – including placing one of their starting linemen on injured reserve.

Here’s a quick review of today’s roster moves.

5 big questions on offense as Raiders wrap up minicamp

Raiders have a lot of pretty big questions facing them as they enter the heart of the offseason. Here are 5 facing the offense.

Every offseason brings questions that need answers. For this Raiders team, they may have more questions than answers. Some of these questions are no small thing.

Last week the Raiders wrapped up their offseason practices with their three-day mandatory minicamp. That means they have now entered the longest and final portion of the offseason. The next time these players convene will be training camp at the end of July.

They enter this six weeks with many things unsettled. Most of which will still be unsettled when camp begins, giving them a lot to think about over the next six weeks.

5 Raiders veterans who could lose their job to rookies

5 Raiders veterans who could lose their job to rookies

Few jobs are safe on a 6-11 team. It’s the Raiders coaching staff’s job to try and improve upon such a season, and much of the hopes for that rest in the new rookie class.

The team’s veterans know this. Many of them are aware they will be replaced by the new guys, or at very least they must leave it all on the field to hold them off.

By the same token, the youngsters must develop quickly to prove they can hang with the big boys.

These are the Raiders veterans who look to be in the most danger of being overtaken by a rookie this season.