Seahawks Cut Ties With Ex-24 TD Playmaker Days Before SNF Game vs. Commanders
The Seattle Seahawks are moving on from a familiar running back just weeks after adding the Pacific Northwest favorite to the roster. Seattle made the move to open up a roster spot for newly signed running back and specialist Velus Jones.
The Seahawks released former Washington Huskies standout running back Myles Gaskin. This news comes less than one month after Seattle initially signed Gaskin.
The running back had four straight college football seasons topping 1,000 rushing yards at Washington but has struggled to find the same success in the NFL. Gaskin posted 1,380 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns in 2017. The playmaker added 232 receiving yards and three TDs through the air during the same season.
Here’s the latest Seahawks news ahead of the team’s Sunday Night Football matchup against the Washington Commanders.
New Seahawks Playmaker Velus Jones Has Experience Playing Running Back & Wide Receiver
Jones gives Seattle a little more versatility as the veteran has played both wide receiver and running back in the NFL. Prior to joining the Seahawks, Jones played 34 games amid stops with the Chicago Bears, Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints.
The newest Seahawks playmaker is a speedster running a 4.31-second 40-yard dash ahead of the 2022 NFL draft. Following an impressive college career at Tennessee, the Bears selected Jones in the third round. Here’s how Bleacher Report outlined Jones as a prospect ahead of the 2022 NFL draft.
“Velus Jones Jr. is more of a return specialist than a wide receiver right now, but speed like his will always be a premium in the NFL,” Bleacher Report detailed in April 2022. “Jones sprinted to a 4.31 40-yard dash at the NFL combine, and he backs that speed up on film. He may not have the immediate acceleration of some other stud speedsters, but once Jones gets rolling, he is tough to catch from behind.
“That rings true both with and without the ball in his hands, making Jones as much of a deep threat as he is a yards-after-catch weapon. With the ball in his hands, Jones can weave smoothly in between traffic and shows off impressive contact balance for a receiver of average size. That being said, Jones is not a complete receiver right now. His route tree was largely limited to go balls, screens and slants.”
Seahawks Guard Christian Haynes Is on Verge of Returning From IR
Seattle also revealed some good news ahead of the team’s primetime showdown against the Commanders. Guard Christian Haynes has been designated to return after starting the season on injured reserve.
The move does not necessarily mean Haynes will play against the Commanders. Seattle has 21 days to put Haynes on the active roster or move back to injured reserve.
Seattle Will Wear Throwback Uniforms vs. Commanders
The Seahawks are 3-point favorites against the Commanders in the Sunday Night Football clash, per FanDuel. Seattle will once again be dusting off the team’s throwback uniforms.
The Seahawks will wear their royal blue jerseys with silver helmets and pants for the primetime matchup. Seattle is now in danger of safety Julian Love being sidelined after sustaining a setback.
“Julian Love had a bit of setback with his hamstring last week, so he won’t practice today, and his game status right now is in jeopardy, so we’ll work through that the rest of the week moving forward,” Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald said of Love, per Seahawks.com.
Texans QB C.J. Stroud Sends Strong Message About Broncos Before Matchup
The Denver Broncos are not sneaking up on any opponents. So, it is not surprising to hear C.J. Stroud of the Houston Texans, Denver’s Week 9 opponent, speaking candidly about the challenges that the Broncos present for opposing offenses like his.
Stroud and the Texans have won three of their last four outings, and they were a playoff team last season.
The Broncos present a formidable test, but they will need their vaunted pass rush to show up.
C.J. Stroud Praises Broncos Pass Rush Before Texans Game
GettyNik Bonitto #15 and Jonathon Cooper #0 of the Denver Broncos celebrate after a sack against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Stroud met with the media on Wednesday after the Texans’ first practice of Week 9 as they prepare for the Broncos.
The Broncos lead the NFL in sacks this season, and Stroud had been sacked multiple times in every game this season before last week. Similarly, the Broncos have recorded multiple sacks in every game but Week 2.
Stroud is aware that outside linebackers Nik Bonitto and Johnathon Cooper can wreck games.
“They have a really good rush. Starts on their edge with Bonitto and Coop. They do a good job playing relentless, and just – they don’t give up. They play really tough, and the interior, they have really good interior guys as well. So, they’re really good line,” Stroud told reporters on October 29.
“Playing hard right back [is how the Texans slow the pass rush]. Scheme, trying to do some things to help our guys up front. So, yeah. I think it’ll be a good matchup.”
Stroud has completed 66.8% of his passes for 1,623 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions this season. It will be up to those interior linemen – namely starters John Franklin-Myers and Zach Allen and top backup Malcolm Roach – to flush Stroud toward Bonitto and Cooper.
Texans HC DeMeco Ryans Praises Broncos
GettyNik Bonitto #15 of the Denver Broncos celebrates a sack against the Tennessee Titans.
Stroud was not alone in his high praise for the Broncos. Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans echoed his quarterback’s sentiments about Bonitto and Cooper, as well as the Broncos’ interior defensive linemen.
Ryans also put the onus on the Texans’ offensive line to keep the Broncos at bay.
“The Broncos rush group is a really good group. All five guys they have are really good on the edges. I say Bonitto is a really good speed rusher,” Ryans told reporters on Wednesday. “There’s not many guys like that in the league who have the explosiveness and the first-step quickness that he has, which has allowed him to get a few sacks.
“It’s going to take a ton of effort, ton of work to get it done. But we just have to play our technique. Don’t overthink it. Just play our technique. Really strain to get them blocked up front, knowing that they’re a really solid group, and really solid in the inside as well. They’ll play a five down front. It’s just everybody across the board is going to have to win their one-on-one matchup.”
Despite being the road team, the Broncos are 1.5-point favorites against the Texans as of October 30, per Vegas Insider.
That is notable since the Broncos will be without All-Pro cornerback Pat Surtain II for this contest and several more. The Broncos will get linebacker Dre Greenlaw back from a one-game suspension, though, which should help muddy the waters for Stroud on medium passes.
