Seahawks bring back Tukuafu, shuffle roster for Week 2

As the Seattle Seahawks prepare for a tough matchup in Los Angeles against the Rams, they’ve tweaked the roster slightly by bringing back a familiar face and adding a new defensive back.

The Seattle Seahawks shuffled their roster today, trading out two players for a pair of new ones. The didn’t add a QB as many thought they would. They also didn’t make a move at long-snapper.

Note that this doesn’t include practice squad shuffling, which happens almost continuously in Seattle.

• Signed DB Neiko Thorpe
• Waived CB Tharold Simon

Tharold Simon has tons of talent, but he never found a way to make use of it on the football field. Now he’s gone; for many fans, he won’t be missed.

To replace him the Seahawks brought in Neiko Thorpe from the Raiders. Thorpe is a very SPARQy athlete who plays both CB and safety (like DeShawn Shead and Tyvis Powell). He’ll likely needs some time before being ready to do anything except play special teams here in Seattle.

The Raiders gave him the 2nd round tender as a restricted free agent after he played extensively last year. Ultimately, he proved to be too costly on the salary cap to keep around in Oakland.

Thorpe started at CB against Seattle in the 4th preseason game. He looked good in that game, though admittedly it was mostly against Seattle’s backups.

I asked Moe Morton, who covers the Raiders for NFL Spin Zone and Bleacher Report why Thorpe was available.

"Outside of that 4th preseason game, he didn’t show much. 2nd-year CB Dexter McDonald boxed him out."

That’s not a particularly great endorsement. We’ll have to wait and see how he does.

• Signed FB Will Tukuafu
• Waived FB/DT Tani Tupou

The Seahawks pulled the whole “Don’t keep the vet for Week 1 so his contract isn’t automatically guaranteed” thing on Tukuafu this year. They played without him against Miami, and the offense suffered for it. Now he’s back.

Next: Don't Panic: That was typical Seahawks in Week 1

It was frustrating that the Seahawks would take such a risk. Do they really think they’re going to cut Tukuafu later in the season and want to be able to get out of his salary? His presence has appeared to be a necessity ever since Brandon Cottom got hurt.