Seattle Seahawks activate Jerrick Reed II, elevate pair of CBs to face Buffalo Bills

After not appearing on Friday’s final injury report, the Seattle Seahawks activated second-year safety Jerrick Reed II from the PUP list and added him to the 53-man roster ahead of their Week 8 home game. against the Buffalo Bills.

Reed, a 2023 sixth-round pick out of New Mexico, suffered a torn ACL during a kickoff last November against the Rams at SoFi Stadium and underwent surgery to repair the injury shortly after. Despite making good progress in his recovery during the offseason program, he opened training camp on the PUP list and missed the first six games before being designated to return to practice earlier this month.

Before landing on injured reserve last November, Reed emerged as one of the Seahawks’ best special teams players as a rookie, finishing second on the team with nine tackles in kick and punt coverage. Although he played primarily on special teams, Reed also played 29 defensive snaps at both safety spots as a situational reserve on nickel and dime sets.

With starter Rayshawn Jenkins on injured reserve, Seattle started Coby Bryant last week in Atlanta alongside Julian Love with veteran K’Von Wallace filling in for a handful of snaps in three-safety appearances. Coming off the PUP list, Reed may not be incorporated into the defensive rotation yet, but he should return immediately as one of the team’s top special teams contributors as he prepares for his 2024 debut.

While Reed will return to action for the first time in nearly a calendar year, the Seahawks opted not to activate veteran tackle George Fant to the 53-man roster after returning to practice this week. With him sidelined for at least another week, Abraham Lucas not yet ready to activate and Stone Forsythe landing on injured reserve on Tuesday, rookie Mike Jerrell will receive his second straight start at right tackle against the Bills.

In additional roster news, Seattle elevated cornerbacks Josh Jobe and Faion Hicks from the practice squad for the second straight week. The team listed Tre Brown and rookie Nehemiah Pritchett as questionable on Friday’s final injury report, and the decision to promote both Jobe and Hicks suggests at least one of those players won’t be available Sunday.

If Brown and/or Pritchett can’t match up against the Bills, Jobe could be in line to play extended snaps as a borderline cornerback on defense. Last week, he enjoyed a stellar debut with the Seahawks, allowing just three receptions on seven targets and producing a pair of pass deflections against the Falcons. Hicks will be available as safety at nickel behind Devon Witherspoon.

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