Seahawks Elevate 2 Defensive Backs Amid Major Secondary Injury Concerns for Week 6
The Seattle Seahawks will receive reinforcements in the secondary from cornerback Shaquill Griffin and safety Jerrick Reed II for Week 6. The team appears to need them badly.
The Seahawks announced Saturday elevating both Griffin and Reed from the practice squad for Sunday’s Week 6 matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Seattle promoted both defensive backs while simultaneously ruling out cornerback Riq Woolen.
Fellow cornerback Devon Witherspoon and safety Julian Love are also both doubtful.
Woolen will miss Week 6 with a concussion, which he sustained on October 5 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Witherspoon and Love continue to deal with lower-body injuries. Witherspoon has a knee injury while Love is nursing a hamstring issue.
The defensive backs have each missed at least two games this season.
Griffin and Reed will both be dressing for their second game of 2025. Griffin didn’t record a statistic while playing three defensive snaps during Week 2. Reed had two combined tackles in Week 3.
Shaquill Griffin Has Made His Return for Seahawks
Since he briefly played during Week 2, Griffin will not be making his first appearance since returning to Seattle this year. But the veteran cornerback is in the midst of his second tenure with the club that drafted him.
Griffin began his career with the Seahawks as a third-round pick in 2017. He spent four seasons with the team, including the 2019 campaign when he made the Pro Bowl.
After his rookie contract expired, Griffin joined the Jaguars on a three-year, $40 million deal.
Perhaps Griffin will be motivated to face Jacksonville on Sunday. The Jaguars released Griffin after two seasons.
The cornerback spent the past two campaigns with the Houston Texans, Carolina Panthers and Minnesota Vikings. He agreed to rejoin the Seahawks in June.
Seattle also drafted Reed — during the sixth round in 2023. The safety has been off and on the team’s active roster and practice squad over three seasons.
Reed played five defensive snaps and 29 snaps on special teams in his first appearance for the Seahawks this season.
Seahawks Have Banged Up Secondary for Week 6
The Seahawks just can’t seem to get healthy in the secondary this season.
Witherspoon and Love each played in the season opener. But Witherspoon missed Week 2. The former No. 5 overall pick in 2023, Witherspoon returned for Week 4 but was sidelined again last week with a setback to his knee.
Love played in Week 2 and Week 4. But he missed Week 3 and last weekend’s matchup.
Woolen left Week 5 with his concussion.
Witherspoon and Love could still play during Week 6. But that’s unlikely with each carrying the “doubtful” tag entering Sunday. The Seahawks have already ruled out Woolen, along with edge rusher Derick Hall and offensive tackle Josh Jones.
The Seahawks will kick off against the Jaguars on Sunday at 10 am PT.
Broncos activate Malcolm Roach, place Ben Powers on IR
Malcolm Roach returned to practice recently, a development suggesting he could be available to the Denver Broncos for Week 6. That will indeed be the case.
The veteran defensive tackle was activated from injured reserve on Saturday, per a team announcement. Given the timing of when Roach had his 21-day practice window opened, it was expected Denver would make this move. He is now in line to make his season debut during the Broncos’ matchup with the Jets in London.
Roach is one of several former Saints who reunited with Sean Payton upon arrival in Denver. The 27-year-old logged a full campaign last year, setting new career highs in tackles (43) and sacks (2.5) along the way. Roach also recorded a personal best in terms of usage rate with a 42% snap share. A similar workload could be in store upon his return.
The Broncos’ defensive line also includes Zach Allen, D.J. Jones and John Franklin-Myers, of course. That trio has remained healthy through the early stages of the 2025 campaign and as long as that continues, each of its members will handle a large workload. Even in that case, Roach will be counted on to fill in on a part-time basis moving forward. As a pending free agent, his performance upon returning to action will be key in determining his market value.
To make room on the roster, the Broncos moved starting left guard Ben Powers to injured reserve. The 2023 free agent signing suffered a biceps injury in Week 5, and shortly after that game it became clear an IR stint would be necessary. Powers has not missed a game to date in his Denver tenure, but that will now change. A return to action in December is the team’s target in his case.
With Powers sidelined for at least the next four games (but quite probably more), depth up front will be something to monitor. The Broncos have elevated Calvin Throckmorton from the practice squad for tomorrow’s game. The former UDFA played two games last season with Denver, and he is now in position to make his season debut on Sunday.
