The Seattle Seahawks made a quick roster move this Tuesday, swapping undrafted free agent rookie defensive tackles on their practice squad. Cole Brevard is in, and Gary Smith III is out. This went down during Week 10, and if you think it is just a routine change, you have not been watching closely.
UDFA Journeys, Raider Intel, and RAS Numbers
Both Brevard and Smith are UDFA rookies, and neither has suited up for a regular-season game yet. Their paths have been eerily similar, both signing right after the NFL Draft in late April/early May and grinding through rookie minicamp, mandatory minicamp, OTAs, training camp, and preseason. They both ended up waived during final roster cuts, just like so many hopefuls. But then their stories diverge, and the real questions begin.
Brevard spent his offseason with the Kansas City Chiefs. He signed to their practice squad on September 2, but was released that same day. That is it, no other NFL practice squad time for him until now. Smith, on the other hand, was with the Las Vegas Raiders. He made their practice squad on September 2, was released September 7, and then caught on with *our* Seahawks practice squad on September 29. And here is where it gets spicy: the Seahawks play the Raiders this week. Did the coaching staff already drain Smith of all his insider knowledge from his brief time in Vegas? Or is this just a crazy coincidence in timing? It makes you wonder, does not it?
Beyond the schedule, there is a legitimate difference in how these guys play. Lance Zierlein, the pre-draft guru, pegged Smith as a true run-stuffing nose tackle with very little pass rush upside. Brevard did not get a Zierlein or NFL.com evaluation, but he has a complete Relative Athletic Score, or RAS, which gives us some cold, hard data. Even stacked against Smith’s incomplete testing numbers, Brevard has the clear physical advantage. He is almost two inches taller, 24 pounds heavier, and shows good speed grades, especially in those crucial shorter 10- and 20-yard splits where Smith has no data. Neither guy is tearing it up in agility or explosiveness, but Brevard’s physical profile is just better on paper.
The Halloween Contest and Rookie Impressions
But here is the real kicker, the kind of story that you can only get in the NFL. Smith reportedly lost the Seahawks’ rookie Halloween costume contest last week. Yes, you read that right. Ascending cornerback Nehemiah Pritchett, who was there, explained it. He said, in a lighthearted way, that Smith showed a “lack of effort” and could not “match his action to his name.” Pritchett added that this would not “make or break Smith’s Seahawks career,” but he also emphasized that in this cutthroat league, you absolutely have to make a good impression. Every. Single. Day.
Think about it. Is a Halloween costume contest loss the sole reason for a practice squad swap? Probably not. But when you are an undrafted rookie fighting for every inch, every impression matters. It is a reminder that in this league, the margins are razor-thin, and opportunity knocks just once. Smith can use this as fuel for his next chapter, for sure, but for now, his time with our Hawks is done.
Cole Brevard now gets his shot on the practice squad. This week, our Seahawks are going up against the Raiders. Keep an eye on the defensive line depth and who is stepping up if we need them. Every player, even on the practice squad, is crucial to building that winning culture and staying ready. Go Hawks!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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