No, the Seattle Seahawks didn't cut their rising hybrid safety, Nick Emmanwori, but his injury, accompanied by an uncertain return date, mixed in with the roster cuts on Sunday at his position, does leave some unanswered questions for the Seahawks on defense, and an Emmanwori-sized hole until he returns.
The Seahawks finally have their 53-man roster set and ready to unleash on the NFL in two weeks when they kick off the 2026 campaign against the New England Patriots in Week 1, the very same team they defeated in last season's Super Bowl. Emmanwori will eventually be back, but five players competing for safety this offseason are likely gone for good.
Even after cutting D'Anthony Bell and Rodney Thomas II and waiving AJ Finley, Maxen Hook, and Tysheem Johnson, who all competed for a safety position with the Seahawks, the team remains solid with its core safety trio. That said, after the roster trim, they're down to just that trio, which means Seattle is thin at depth. Finding depth is the next step, especially with Emmanwori's situation.
The Seattle Seahawks can look to their practice squad or the free agent market to bolster the safety position
That said, the trio includes Emmanwori, Ty Okada, and Julian Love. At the end of the day, again, they're a solid group, and all fully capable starters. What's behind them is the problem, and there's nothing behind them, at least for now.
The injury to Bud Clark, whom the Seahawks drafted 64th overall in the second round this summer, not only buried the anticipation of seeing Clark develop as a rookie but also wiped a body off the board. If Clark were available, the Seahawks would be in better shape at safety, despite Clark being a rookie.
For this season, at least, Clark won't be a factor, so Seattle will need to make another signing or two to fill in the depth behind Emmanwori, Okada, and Love. Their first option could be to bring back either of two players they just let go: Bell or Thomas. Bell has the higher chance of re-signing with the Seahawks practice squad.
His familiarity with the system and head coach Mike Macdonald's defense work in his favor. Bell has also cleared the vested veteran release rules, which open the door to a return. The waiver wire is another option for Seattle, but bringing Bell back makes the most sense.
The Seahawks can also go the route of signing a free agent available after being cut by another team. The most notable names currently on the market are former Buffalo Bills safety Gino Stone, former seven-year Cowboys veteran Donovan Wilson, Quandre Diggs, All-Pro veteran Jordan Poyer, and Super Bowl winner Mike Edwards.
Whether via the practice squad or free agents, the Seahawks have more than one good option to pursue. Bringing Bell back is the expected course of action, so there should be no surprise if he's back with the Seahawks this week.
Seattle will spend the next few days shoring up their remaining holes and needs, especially on defense. Safety has to be a priority, though. With Emmanwori unavailable, Seattle is down to two safeties.
Should Seahawks fans be overly concerned? No. John Schneider is one of, if not the best, general manager in the league today; he's got everything covered, and it will be just in time.
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