Seahawks fill practice squad following signing of Phil Haynes

The Seahawks filled out their initial 17-man practice squad for the 2021 season Friday by signing guard Phil Haynes, whom the team had waived earlier this week.

Haynes, a fourth-round draft choice in 2019 out of Wake Forest, initially made the team’s 53-man roster but was waived when Seattle added center Dakoda Shepley off waivers from the 49ers.

Haynes had to clear waivers before being signed to the practice squad.

Seattle is allowed a 17^th player on the practice squad this year due to getting an exemption for International Pathways player Aaron Donkor, a linebacker. 

Seattle’s signing of tight end Mark Vital, who completed his college basketball career at Baylor by helping the Bears beat Gonzaga for the NCAA title in the spring, also was made official on NFL transactions Friday.

Here is a look at the full practice squad:

DT Myles Adams, LB Aaron Donkor, OL Greg Eiland, WR Aaron Fuller, WR Penny Hart, OL Phil Haynes, DT Jarrod Hewitt, CB Michael Jackson, WR Cade Johnson, RB Josh Johnson, G Pier-Olivier Lestage, TE Tyler Mabry, DT Robert Nkemdiche, CB John Reid, LB Jon Rhattigan, WR Cody Thompson, TE Mark Vital.

Seattle filling out its practice squad means that, for now, the team has not re-signed offensive lineman Jordan Simmons, who was a somewhat surprise cut off the 53-man roster. Simmons started six games for the Seahawks last season and consistently ran with the second-team offense in practice and played substantially in all three preseason games, with 99 snaps overall. As of Friday, Simmons was not on a practice squad or roster.

Among other players Seattle waived/released in the cutdown to 53 that it did not re-sign to the practice squad are cornerback Damarious Randall, who started the preseason finale while competing for the starting job on the left side, according to coach Pete Carroll; cornerback Gavin Heslop, who got substantial work with the second-team defense throughout camp and was praised by Carroll for his move up the depth chart; safety Aashari Crosswell, a rookie from Arizona State who made some big plays in practices early in camp; and receiver Connor Wedington, a Sumner High grad who played at Stanford. 

There tends to be pretty regular turnover of the practice squad during the season, and it’s not uncommon for players not signed initially to the practice squad to end up on it at some point.

Also, the trade of Ahkello Witherspoon means Seattle now has an opening on its 52-man roster. As of Friday afternoon, that spot had not been filled.