The Seattle Seahawks trimmed their roster to 53 players on Tuesday, less than two weeks before the start of the 2025 regular season. Among the cuts was free agent acquisition Marquez Valdes-Scantling, but while Seattle owed him $3 million, he wasn't good in training camp.
One player that was released was, however. Nose tackle Brandon Pili, who signed with Seattle in 2024 and was added to the practice squad, had a tremendous camp and preseason until he was injured. How bad the injury is has not been announced, but this might have had something to do with him being let go.
That is one way to try to understand the move anyway. After all, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), Pili was solid against the run in the preseason, and this is what he would be tasked with in real games. That is, if he were to have made the roster, but he didn't.
Seattle Seahawks could bring Brandon Pili back soon
To make matters a bit more confusing, the Seattle Seahawks appear to have left themselves intentionally thin along the interior of the defensive line. Jarran Reed remains, of course, but Pili, Quinton Bohanna were cut, and Jonathan Hankins was added to the reserve/non-football injury list.
12s can safely assume that while the 53-man roster is set for now, it could change quickly. Teams aren't forced to keep the players they initially name to their roster; the team just has to get down to 53 to begin with. Seattle could nearly immediately release a player that surprisingly made the team, such as tight end Nick Kallerup, and replace him with Pili or Bohanna.
Bohanna might be the more likely candidate to be added back soon due to Pili's injury. Of course, Pili, who began his career with the Miami Dolphins before joining Seattle, might have a minor injury. If he is brought back to the team, he might be ready for Week 1 against the San Francisco 49ers.
Someone will need to be. Going into a game with Reed, Byron Murphy II, and a lot of unknowns in the middle of the defensive line is not a smart move. General manager John Schneider and head coach Mike Macdonald know this, so expect Bohanna and Pili back with the Seahawks sooner rather than later.