Seahawks Land Rival Hall of Fame Playmaker’s Son Days After Loss vs. Rams
The Seattle Seahawks are making roster moves days after the team’s loss to the Los Angeles Rams. Quarterback Sam Darnold could have another playmaker to throw to if the new addition works his way into the rotation.
The latest Seahawks player has an interesting wrinkle as Brenden Rice is the son of Hall of Fame receiver Jerry Rice. Seattle hosted a number of free agents wideouts for a November 18, 2025, workout but ultimately opted to sign Rice.
“Sources: The Seahawks are signing WR Brenden Rice, the son of Hall of Famer Jerry Rice,” NFL insider Jordan Schultz detailed in a November 18, message on X. “The former USC star (12 TDs as a senior) spent camp with the Chargers and was most recently on the Patriots’ practice squad.”
Here’s what you need to know about the Seahawks’ latest roster moves.
The Chargers Selected WR Brenden Rice in the 7th Round of the 2024 NFL Draft After a Standout Career at USC
Rice was a standout receiver at USC posting 45 receptions for 791 yards and 12 touchdowns in 12 appearances during the 2023 college football season. The Chargers selected Rice in the seventh round of the 2024 NFL draft.
Los Angeles released Rice as the team finalized their roster prior to the 2025 regular season. Rice had a week-long stint with the New England Patriots at the start of November before being released.
The Seahawks Also Hosted QB Hendon Hooker & WR Jalen Reagor for a Tryout
Rice is one of five receivers who Seattle hosted for a November 18, workout. Former first-round pick Jalen Reagor was also part of the tryout. Additionally, Montorie Foster, Jaylen Johnson and Dymere Miller visited the Seahawks.
Seattle opted to sign Rice as well as running back Velus Jones, who was part of the same workout. There was one other interesting visitor as the Seahawks hosted quarterback Hendon Hooker. After a standout college football career at Tennessee, the Detroit Lions selected Hooker in the third round of the 2023 NFL draft.
So far, the Seahawks have only announced the signings of Rice and Jones.
Brenden Rice’s Dad Jerry Rice Played With the Seahawks in 2004
The Seahawks offense is looking to recover from a frustrating outing versus the Rams, including Sam Darnold’s four interceptions. Rice faces an uphill battle to carve out playing time amid a stacked wide receiver group. Back in 2024, Bleacher Report outlined Rice’s pro outlook heading into the NFL draft.
“A two-year starter at USC, Rice was largely used on the vertical axis,” Bleacher Report detailed on April 10, 2024. “He played on the outside and ran a flurry of go routes, posts, curls, hitches and comebacks, all of which directly used his speed or made use of his speed as a threat.
“To that point, Rice’s acceleration is his major weapon. He erupts off the line of scrimmage and puts defensive backs on skates immediately. Rice brings the fight to them in a hurry. Given his thick frame and physical play style, Rice is tough to deal with when he’s just flying like that,” the scouting report added.
“… Rice can be a solid vertical X receiver in the NFL. He has the size, strength and explosive movement skills to do so. With that said, Rice still needs to learn to wield his strength more efficiently.”
Rice’s father is known as a San Francisco 49ers legend, but the playmaker also had a brief stint in Seattle. The star played 11 games for the Seahawks in 2004 posting 25 catches for 362 yards before retiring the following year. Rice signed with the Denver Broncos but opted to call it a career before suiting up in 2005.
Buccaneers Get Bad News On $71 Million Pro Bowler
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are already dealing with major injury issues on offense with a pair of NFL All-Pro players out in left offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs and wide receiver Chris Godwin.
Headed into the season opener on the road against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, September 7, their defense might also have its own problems.
“One of the Buccaneers’ key defenders has an injury concern entering Week 1,” Pro Football Talk’s Myles Simmons wrote on September 3. “Defensive tackle Vita Vea did not practice on Wednesday with a foot injury, according to the team’s practice report.”
Not having Vea against the Falcons would be a huge blow to Tampa Bay’s defense. He’s coming off arguably the best season of his career in 2024, when he had career highs in sacks (7.0), TFL (15) and QB hits (13) to go with 42 tackles.
Vea was ranked No. 76 on the NFL’s preseason list of its Top 100 players.
Vea wasn’t the only member of the defensive front to miss practice on Wednesday — free agent edge rusher Haason Reddick also was gone due to personal reasons.
“Vita Vea did not practice today due to a foot injury,” ESPN’s Jenna Laine wrote on her official X account on September 3. “Benjamin Morrison and Cade Otton were both limited today. Haason Reddick did not practice today but I did see him in the locker room after.”
Vea Making Big Money For Big Production
The kind of respect Vea carries around the NFL was evident when he made the leap from honorable mention in 2024 to No. 9 on ESPN’s annual preseason position rankings for interior defensive linemen.
Vea has 2 seasons remaining on the 4-year, $71 million contract extension he signed with the Buccaneers in January 2022 and was one of 3 players on the list to have won both a Super Bowl and make a Pro Bowl Kansas City’s Chris Jones (No. 2) and Philadelphia’s Jalen Carter (No. 3).
“Vea slimmed down last offseason, and the result was a career-high 7.0 sacks along with his usual run-stopping ways,” ESPN”s Jeremy Fowler wrote on July 8. “But the stats don’t tell the story with Vea, whose raw strength is undeniable.”
Bucs Franchise History In Vea’s Sights
Headed into 2025, Vea has 30.5 career sacks and is just 2.5 sacks away from entering the Top 10 career sacks leaders for the Buccaneers.
Lee Roy Selmon, the No. 1 overall pick in the 1976 NFL draft, is Tampa Bay’s career leader with 78.5 sacks from 1976 to 1984.
“The Buccaneers’ defense centers around imposing nose tackle Vita Vea,” Buccaneers.com’s Brianna Dix wrote on March 26. “The two-time Pro Bowl veteran wreaks havoc in the trenches, whether clogging holes or penetrating the backfield. He amassed 39 tackles (nine for loss), 7.0 sacks, 12 quarterback hits and one pass defensed in 15 games played in 2024.”
Part of Vea’s success in 2024 seemed to come via a new approach to fitness.
Listed at 6-foot-4 and approximately 350 pounds since he was drafted No. 12 overall in the 2018 NFL draft, Vea dropped around 20 pounds last offseason.
“(Vea) is having a great offseason,” Tampa Bay head coach Todd Bowles told Bucs Nation in April 2024. “We look for him to come back stronger and faster and quicker … We’ve talked about it for a long time. He’s finally taking it to heart … He’s really making the strides and the changes necessary.”
