The Seahawks made some tough calls after Sunday’s 19-16 preseason loss to the Tennessee Titans, placing two promising young players on injured reserve. The roster moves, made after returning to practice on Tuesday, unfortunately confirmed some of the worst fears coming out of that game.
Tough News for the Hawks as Two Young Players Go Down
Man, that Titans game was brutal, and not just because of the 19-16 scoreboard. We saw two young guys go down hard, and now the worst fears are confirmed. Rookie safety Bud Clark, who looked ready to make an impact, broke his ankle on the very first defensive snap. Head Coach Mike Macdonald already told us he’d be out “multiple months,” and now the team’s made it official: we won’t see Clark back on the field until 2027. That’s a gut punch, especially for a guy trying to prove himself. And it gets worse: second-year offensive lineman Mason Richman, a guy who was seriously pushing for backup guard snaps, is also out for the entire season. He went down with what looked like a nasty non-contact right leg injury, and Macdonald’s “long-term” fears became reality. Losing two young players like that, before the regular season even truly begins, is a massive hit to our depth, especially with the grind ahead.
New Blood and a Familiar Name to Bolster the Roster
But the team wasn’t just sitting around feeling sorry for itself. They wasted no time filling those three open roster spots. Running back Justin Jones is back in the fold after a quick trip off the roster following the Dallas Cowboys game. With Anthony Hankerson heading back to college football, Jones gets another shot, and you know he’ll be eager to hit the ground running against the Kansas City Chiefs this Friday. We also snagged former Oregon safety Tysheem Johnson, which is a smart move given Clark’s injury and Rodney Thomas II still on the mend from hand surgery. You can never have too much depth in the secondary. And here’s the kicker, the one that got me hyped: we signed offensive tackle Derrick Graham. Our reserve tackle, Amari Kight, didn’t play last Sunday, so Graham’s addition is timely. But the real story here? His dad, also named Derrick Graham, was a starting right guard for our Seahawks back in ’96 and ’97. Talk about bringing that Emerald City legacy back to Lumen Field! This feels like more than just a depth signing; it’s a connection to our past, and a hopefully a boost for our O-line.
So, the Hawks are back at practice on Tuesday, regrouping after a tough Sunday and these roster shake-ups. It’s all eyes on Friday now, when we face the Kansas City Chiefs. These new guys, especially Jones and Graham, are going to have to prove their worth fast. The preseason might be about evaluation, but with two key players out for the season, every snap these new additions take matters. We need to see that fire, that grind, especially with our depth tested early. Let’s 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 Field Gulls.
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