The Seattle Seahawks are waiving rookie wide receiver Emmanuel Henderson Jr., moving on from one of their 2026 NFL Draft picks as they trim their roster to 53 players.
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported the move Sunday, August 30, just two days after Henderson delivered his best performance of the preseason against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Seattle selected Henderson in the sixth round with the No. 199 overall pick in April. The former Kansas and Alabama receiver entered training camp competing for a reserve receiver job and a role on special teams.
His departure is particularly notable because Henderson made a late push for a roster spot in Seattle’s preseason finale.
Emmanuel Henderson Jr. Made Late Push for Seahawks Roster Spot
Henderson caught three of four targets for 58 yards in Seattle’s 9-9 tie against Kansas City on August 28.
That included gains of 26 and 30 yards from quarterback Jalen Milroe. Henderson’s 30-yard reception helped put Seattle in position for a potential game-winning field goal in the closing seconds, though Jason Myers missed from 52 yards.
Henderson also returned two kickoffs for 41 yards in the game.
The performance wasn’t enough to overcome a crowded receiver competition.
Seattle entered the final stage of roster cuts with Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Cooper Kupp, Rashid Shaheed and Tory Horton positioned as the clear top four receivers. That left Henderson competing with the likes of Montorie Foster Jr., Cody White and other depth options for limited remaining spots.
Henderson had been viewed as more than a developmental receiver because of what he could offer on special teams.
Seattle highlighted that versatility when drafting him. During his lone season at Kansas, Henderson earned first-team All-Big 12 recognition as a return specialist and third-team honors as a receiver.
He led Kansas with 766 receiving yards, finishing with 45 catches and five touchdowns. Henderson also returned 18 kickoffs for 455 yards and a touchdown, averaging 25.3 yards per return.
The Seahawks specifically noted after the draft that Henderson had experience playing gunner, another potential avenue for the rookie to earn a game-day role.
Instead, Seattle is willing to risk losing him during the final roster reduction.
Seahawks Could Still Bring Henderson Back
Being waived does not necessarily mean Henderson’s time with the Seahawks is finished.
As a rookie, Henderson is subject to the NFL waiver process rather than immediately becoming an unrestricted free agent. Another team can claim him and add him to its active roster.
If Henderson goes unclaimed, Seattle would then have an opportunity to sign him to its practice squad.
That possibility is worth watching considering the developmental traits that led the Seahawks to use a draft pick on him only four months ago. Seattle could have interest in keeping Henderson if the team believes it can get him through waivers.
The Seahawks can carry up to 16 players on their standard practice squad, with additional flexibility available through the International Player Pathway program.
For Henderson, clearing waivers would give Seattle a chance to continue developing a 23-year-old receiver who ran a 4.44-second 40-yard dash at the NFL scouting combine and showed some of that explosiveness in his final preseason appearance.
For now, though, one of Seattle’s eight selections from the 2026 draft class will not be part of the Seahawks’ initial 53-man roster.
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