Seahawks re-sign Justin Coleman to active roster, add QB Sean Mannion to practice squad

RENTON — The Seahawks made a flurry of roster moves Wednesday on the day after setting their initial 53-man roster, including re-signing cornerback Justin Coleman, who had been released Tuesday as part of some roster shuffling, and signing veteran quarterback Sean Mannion to the practice squad.

Coleman was released because, as a vested veteran, he did not have to go through waivers, allowing the Seahawks to carry two players to the point where they could be put on injured reserve without having to sit out the season — cornerback John Reid and defensive end L.J. Collier. Had either been placed on IR before the roster was set at 53, they would have had to sit out the year. They can return after four games.

Coleman “did us a solid” in agreeing to be released and re-signing a day later, general manager John Schneider said.

Coleman was back on the practice field Wednesday and presumably atop the depth chart at nickel cornerback. Coleman was signed in March and is expected to be the starting nickel. Rookie Coby Bryant has also been playing there in the preseason.

Coleman became the seventh cornerback on the roster, which included Isaiah Dunn, who was claimed off waivers from the Jets earlier in the day. But only five are healthy, with Sidney Jones IV (concussion) and Artie Burns (groin) nursing injuries. Dunn, who played at Oregon State, played in 12 games for the Jets last season.

To replace Collier, the Seahawks added defensive end Darryl Johnson off waivers from the Carolina Panthers. Johnson is a veteran of 34 NFL games, 31 with the Buffalo Bills, who made him a seventh-round pick in 2019.

Collier, the team’s first-round pick in 2019, suffered an elbow injury in the team’s mock game on Aug. 6 and did not see action in the preseason.

To make room to add Coleman, Dunn and Johnson, the Seahawks waived rookie linebacker Joshua Onujiogu, who had been one of the surprise players to make the 53-man roster Tuesday as an undrafted free agent out of Division III Framingham (Ma.) State. They hope to get him back on the practice squad.

Seahawks sign Sean Mannion to practice squad

Among the players the Seahawks signed to fill out its 16-man practice squad was Mannion, a move that meant they have moved on from former UW and Lake Stevens standout Jacob Eason, who was the No. 3 QB in camp and was waived Tuesday. It was reported Wednesday that Eason will sign with Carolina’s practice squad. 

Schneider confirmed the signing and noted Mannion’s familiarity with the offense after being in camp with the Seahawks last year as well as spending two years with the Rams when offensive coordinator Shane Waldron was an assistant there.

“It was really tough,” Schneider said. “Jake did a great job with us. It’s just our situation right now. … Sean is probably going to end up being a head coach in this league at some point. He’s just another coach in the room for Geno and Drew.”

The 30-year-old Mannion led the Seahawks in passing in the 2021 preseason going 33-for-49 for 228 yards, a touchdown and no interceptions. He was released at the cutdown to 53 and re-signed with the Vikings, for whom he had played in 2019 and 2020. 

Mannion has three career NFL starts including one a year ago when he went 22-for-36 for 189 yards and a touchdown in a 37-10 loss to the Packers.

The Seahawks claimed Eason off waivers from the Colts last October in the wake of Russell Wilson’s injury, and he stayed on the 53-man roster all season but did not appear in any games.

Eason played in two preseason games this year going 19-for-39 for 148 yards with no touchdowns and an interception.

Eason was a fourth-round pick of the Colts in 2020 and played in one game for Indy in 2021, going 2 of for 25 yards and an interception before being waived by the Colts on Oct. 19 and claimed by the Seahawks the next day.

Seahawks sign 12 to practice squad

The Seahawks announced the signing of 12 other players to the practice squad Wednesday. They are WR J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, T Greg Eiland, WR Cade Johnson, LB Vi Jones, TE Tyler Mabry, WR Bo Melton, CB Quandre Mosely, LB Tanner Muse, S Scott Nelson, T Liam Ryan, RB Darwin Thompson and LB Aaron Donkor.

Mosely visited the Seahawks on Tuesday. The rest were with the team during training camp.

Because the Seahawks get an exemption for Donkor as an international player they can have 17 players on their practice squad.

Schneider mentioned that the Seahawks had signed two other players from the outside to join the practice squad — offensive lineman Jalen McKenzie, who played at USC and was waived by the Titans; and cornerback Xavier Crawford, a veteran of 21 games in three NFL seasons (including 12 last year with the Bears) who was recently released by the Jaguars.

McKenzie is the son of former Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie, one of Schneider’s close friends, and he said he remembers once holding Jalen McKenzie in his arms as a baby but wouldn’t be able to do that now — McKenzie is listed at 6-6, 322.

Notes

• Asked what he’s heard from team chair Jody Allen about the future of the franchise, Schneider reiterated the team’s consistent stance that it is not for sale.

“There’s no signs that she’s willing to sell it,” Schneider said. “That’s all I’ve been exposed to.”