Seahawks shuffle roster ahead of season opener, signing AJ Finley and elevating two from practice squad

The Seattle Seahawks finalized a series of roster adjustments on Wednesday as they prepared to kick off their season against the New England Patriots, promoting safety AJ Finley from the practice squad to the 53-man roster.

To clear space for Finley, Seattle waived guard Bryce Cabeldue. The move comes as the Seahawks contend with injuries in their defensive backfield: starting safety Ty Okada is sidelined with a hamstring issue, while defensive back Nick Emmanwori is listed as questionable for the game due to an ankle problem.

Finley, who saw action in four games for Seattle last season primarily on special teams, provides additional cover at safety as the club navigates its thinning secondary depth chart.

The team also made two practice-squad elevations to the gameday roster, bringing up safety Rodney Thomas II and running back Velus Jones Jr. Both are eligible to suit up for the opener, giving coach staff extra flexibility on special teams and in the defensive rotation.

Wednesday night’s matchup marks the season opener for both clubs, with kickoff scheduled for 8:20 p.m. ET. The game will air nationally on NBC and stream on Peacock, Comcast’s streaming platform.

Comcast’s NBC unit has long served as the home of the NFL’s Sunday Night Football package and carries marquee midweek broadcasts such as this season opener, making the league a centerpiece of the company’s sports media strategy. Comcast, classified in the Communication Services sector within Telecom Services, trades at $24.59, down 6.61% from its previous close of $26.33, with a market capitalization of roughly $92.5 billion.

What to watch

• Whether Nick Emmanwori is ultimately cleared to play, and how the defensive backfield snaps are distributed if he is limited or out.
• Rodney Thomas II’s and Velus Jones Jr.’s usage in their elevated roles, which could signal future roster decisions.
• Whether Seattle makes further practice-squad moves later in the week as injury statuses develop.

Source: original release