The Emerald City was buzzing for the NFL kickoff at Lumen Field on Wednesday night, a Super Bowl 60 rematch against the New England Patriots. But our dynamic, hybrid safety/linebacker Nick Emmanwori was officially inactive, a move many expected but one that still stings. He couldn’t do to the Patriots what he’d done in the Super Bowl, terrorizing Drake Maye and New England’s offense from the sideline in a hoodie.
The Super Bowl Hero’s Missing Presence
Emmanwori’s absence is a big deal, even if the team listed him as questionable on Tuesday in what felt like some pure gamesmanship to keep the Patriots guessing. This dude hasn’t fully practiced since minicamp back in June, and he underwent arthroscopic surgery on his ankle in July. Remember, he sprained that ankle in February, just four days before Super Bowl 60, and still played a part in our domination of the Patriots in that championship game. We needed that energy tonight against a familiar foe.
Scrambling in the Secondary and Other Inactives
It’s not just Emmanwori, either. Starting deep safety Ty Okada is also out with a hamstring injury. These absences forced our Hawks to make moves, signing safety AJ Finley to the 53-man roster. They also elevated veteran safety Rodney Thomas II, a former Indianapolis Colts starter, and running back Velus Jones Jr. from the practice squad. To make room for Finley, we waived second-year guard Bryce Cabledue. Pre-game warmups saw Finley deep at safety alongside Julian Love, who was literally the only healthy safety on the active roster when the day started. Rookie Julian Neal, our third-round pick this spring who missed most of preseason and August with a leg injury, was outside at corner. That allows Devon Witherspoon to move inside when Coach Mike Macdonald wants to unleash a nickel package with five defensive backs. Neal’s injury, combined with Nehemiah Pritchett’s tackling struggles at third corner, prompted the signing of former Dallas Cowboys All-Pro Trevon Diggs late last month. Diggs, though, remained on the practice squad for tonight’s opener. NFL rules limit teams to elevating just two players from the practice squad per game, so Diggs is on deck.
Beyond the secondary shuffle, we’re also missing injured wide receiver Tory Horton, rookie backup guard Beau Stephens, third quarterback Jalen Milroe, tight end Nick Kallerup, and defensive end Mike Morris. The Patriots, for their part, are without running back TryVeyon Henderson due to an ankle injury. Tonight isn’t just an opener; it’s a Super Bowl rematch, a chance to set the tone for the entire season. With key pieces missing, the Emerald City defense needs to step up big time against a familiar foe. Let’s see how Macdonald’s crew adjusts and brings the heat against New England.
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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