The Seattle Seahawks have waived cornerback Derion Kendrick, cutting ties with the playmaking defensive back just days before their Week 13 home matchup against the Minnesota Vikings. The move showed up on the NFL transaction wire on November 25, leaving an unexpected hole in Seattle’s cornerback depth chart heading into the stretch run.
Earlier in the day, the Seahawks had reportedly signed safety Quandre Diggs, but most noted he would be on the practice squad – not a 53-man roster pick up, at least initially.
Kendrick’s release comes with Seattle sitting at 8-3 and firmly in the NFC playoff race, turning a routine transaction into a notable roster shake-up before a key game at Lumen Field.
Seahawks Cut Ties With Derion Kendrick Before Vikings Game
The news surprised quite a few. It’s a mild surprise given how productive he has been when called upon this season. The Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta went as far as to speculate that other moves were coming.
Kendrick, 25, appeared in 10 games for Seattle in 2025. He posted seven total tackles, one tackle for loss, two interceptions and five pass deflections, giving the Seahawks a physical outside corner who could make plays on the ball. Both picks came early in the year, when he grabbed interceptions in back-to-back weeks as the Seahawks’ defense took off.
Seattle only added Kendrick a few months ago. The former Los Angeles Rams starter was claimed off waivers on August 27 after being released during final roster cuts, a move that originally cost veteran Shaquill Griffin his spot on the 53-man roster.
A sixth-round pick by the Rams in 2022, Kendrick started 18 games over his first two seasons before missing all of 2024 with a torn ACL suffered in training camp. He also won national championships at both Clemson and Georgia in college, giving him the kind of big-game background that made his emergence in Seattle feel like a potential long-term win for the front office.
Now, instead of being a young building-block, Kendrick will hit waivers for a second time in 2025. If he goes unclaimed, he’d be free to sign with any team — including a possible return to the Seahawks on the practice squad.
What the Derion Kendrick Move Means for Seahawks’ Secondary
Cutting a two-interception cornerback is less about talent and more about a numbers crunch for Seattle. The Seahawks already had a crowded room at corner when they first claimed Kendrick, with Riq Woolen, Devon Witherspoon, Josh Jobe, Nehemiah Pritchett and Griffin all in the mix at various points this season.
As Jobe, Woolen and Witherspoon have stayed healthy and locked down starting roles, Kendrick’s snaps settled into a rotational and matchup-based role. Moving on from him frees up a roster spot that general manager John Schneider and head coach Mike Macdonald can use to bolster other positions before the final six weeks of the season.
Seattle has leaned heavily on aggressive roster churn under Macdonald, especially with injuries popping up along the defensive line and at wide receiver throughout the year. Waiving Kendrick fits that pattern: a tough decision on a productive depth piece in order to stay flexible as the playoff race tightens.
For Kendrick, the timing may actually help. With multiple teams around the league dealing with injuries in the secondary, a 25-year-old cornerback who has recent production and starting experience should draw at least some interest on waivers or in free agency.
Stats, Schedule & Context for Seahawks After CB Shake-Up
Derion Kendrick with Seahawks in 2025
- Games: 10
- Total tackles: 7
- Tackles for loss: 1
- Interceptions: 2
- Pass deflections: 5
Seahawks team snapshot
- Record: 8-3, second place in NFC West.
- Week 13: vs. Minnesota Vikings, Sunday, Nov. 30 at Lumen Field.
- Remaining schedule includes the Vikings, Falcons, Colts, Rams, Panthers and 49ers as Seattle pushes for its first division title since 2020.
That context is why Tuesday’s move stands out. The Seahawks are one of the NFC’s top teams, and they just cut ties with a playmaking cornerback who helped spark their early-season surge. Now they’ll try to keep their defense rolling — and their playoff hopes climbing — without him as they host the Vikings in Week 13.
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