The Seattle Seahawks made a notable pair of roster moves on December 11, waiving veteran cornerback Shaquill Griffin and running back Cam Akers and creating two open spots on the 53-man roster ahead of Sunday’s game against the Indianapolis Colts.
Seattle did not announce any corresponding additions, but the timing lines up with multiple injured players returning to practice who could be activated in the coming days.
Griffin, a 2017 third-round pick who began his career in Seattle, returned to the Seahawks this offseason and has bounced between the active roster and practice squad. He appeared in two games this season, including one start, before December 11’s move.
Akers, a sixth-year veteran running back, signed with Seattle to bolster depth after George Holani suffered a hamstring injury. Despite being on the roster for two games, Akers was inactive for both contests.
Seahawks Leave 2 Roster Spots Open Before Colts Matchup
By waiving Griffin and Akers without corresponding moves, the Seahawks are temporarily operating with two open spots on the 53-man roster. That flexibility gives them options as they evaluate several players coming back from injury going into a key matchup with the Colts.
Center Jalen Sundell and tight end Eric Saubert both returned to practice from injured reserve this week, putting them squarely in the mix to be elevated to the active roster before Sunday.
Head coach Mike Macdonald said the team is hopeful both could be available.
“We hope so, we hope they’re available,” Macdonald said previously. “These guys are coming off of extended breaks, so we have a plan for each guy. We’ll see how it pans out throughout the week, but we’re optimistic for this weekend. We’ll see how today goes, then we’ll kind of accelerate throughout the rest of the week and into next week.”
The Seahawks have already leaned on roster gymnastics throughout the season, shuffling veterans between the practice squad and active roster while managing a lengthy injury list. Griffin’s return earlier this year fit that pattern, and Thursday’s decision continues it as Seattle eyes reinforcements at positions of need.
What It Could Mean for the Seahawks’ Roster
With Sundell and Saubert both working back from injured reserve, the most straightforward scenario is that at least one of the newly open spots goes to help stabilize the offensive depth chart.
Sundell would add interior offensive line depth at center, a premium spot given the physical matchup expected against Indianapolis. Saubert, a veteran tight end, would bring another experienced blocker and pass catcher to a room that has dealt with its own bumps and bruises this season.
Seattle also has other options. Wide receiver Dareke Young returned to practice from IR last week after being sidelined with a quadriceps injury and could be a candidate if the Seahawks want to add size and special teams help at receiver.
On defense, rookie defensive lineman Rylie Mills is another name to watch. Mills opened the season on the physically unable to perform list after tearing his ACL late in his senior year at Notre Dame. He returned to practice two weeks ago but has not yet been activated from the PUP list, leaving the door open for a potential move if the Seahawks feel he’s ready.
Stats, Schedule & Context for Seahawks vs. Colts
- Current game: Seahawks vs. Colts, Sunday, December 14 at 4:25 p.m. ET on CBS.
- Seahawks record: 10-3.
- Colts record: 8-5.
- Recent Seahawks result: Beat the Atlanta Falcons 37-9 in Week 14 after a huge second-half surge.
- Key offensive injuries: George Holani (hamstring), multiple players recently returning from IR.
For now, the headline is the Seahawks cutting ties with a familiar face in Griffin and a recent addition in Akers. The next wave of news is likely to be who steps into those two open roster spots before the Colts come to town — and how those choices shape Seattle’s depth on both sides of the ball heading into Sunday.
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