Sometimes, the roster decisions NFL teams make don’t completely add up with what we see throughout training camp and the preseason. The Seattle Seahawks are no different.
Among the dozens of cuts announced around the league on Tuesday, the Seahawks released linebacker Patrick O’Connell as the team trims the roster down to 53 players.
O’Connell was expected to be a firm lock to make the 53-man roster. After all, he played a lot and quite well during the preseason. The second-year backer out of Montana picked up 12 tackles across all three games.
Seattle Seahawks linebacker picture shifts after surprise cut
But it wasn’t just production that made O’Connell’s roster spot seem secure. He was getting valuable reps at the top of the depth chart with Ernest Jones IV and Tyrice Knight each missing some time this summer.
With O’Connell being cut, the Seahawks still have Drake Thomas as a depth piece. He had 14 tackles this preseason. Knight is still working his way back (he was back on the practice field on Monday), and Thomas figures to be the next man up at Will linebacker.
As far as O’Connell’s situation, it’s certainly likely that the Seahawks are hoping he lands on the practice squad. Of course, he’ll have to clear waivers in order for that to happen. Nonetheless, O’Connell has been up and down from the practice squad a handful of times in Seattle over the past two seasons.
Still, Seattle could be active on the waiver wire in the coming hours to solidify the depth at linebacker. Some notable names who were cut at the position include Mark Robinson from the Pittsburgh Steelers and Chad Muma with the Jacksonville Jaguars, though there are certainly plenty of options beyond those two.
Either way, O’Connell is a player worth keeping an eye on over the next few days to see where he lands. If he does end up on Seattle’s practice squad, he’ll still provide quality depth if ever the Seahawks need to call him up.