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The Seattle Seahawks lost two playmakers heading into Week 17 as the team placed starting tight end Will Dissly on Injured Reserve, and the Green Bay Packers signed rookie receiver Bo Melton off their practice squad. NFL rules dictate Dissly must miss a minimum of four games once placed on IR, and the only chance the tight end has of returning from a knee contusion is if Seattle makes a deep playoff run.
As for Melton, NFL teams are allowed to sign players off another team’s practice squad if they are added to the active 53-man roster. Melton is a player the Seahawks were high on after selecting the former Rutgers wideout in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL draft.
The speedster notched a 4.34-second 40-time during the NFL combine and flashed his playmaking abilities during the offseason. Not only is Seattle battling Green Bay for the final NFC playoff spot, but now the Seahawks lose their rookie receiver to potentially catch passes from Aaron Rodgers.
Dissly has spent the last three seasons as the Seahawks starting tight end notching a career-high 349 receiving yards to go with three touchdowns during 15 appearances in 2022. The news puts added pressure on Noah Fant and Colby Parkinson to take additional snaps in Dissly’s absence.
Fant Should See an Uptick in Targets During Dissly’s Absence
Fant and Dissly served as 1a and 1b at tight end this season after Seattle acquired the former first-round pick from the Broncos in the blockbuster Russell Wilson trade last offseason. The former Denver tight end has 44 receptions for 426 yards and four touchdowns through his first 15 games with the Seahawks this season.
Melton had yet to make an impact this season but was an intriguing developmental prospect for the future. Prior to the season, the Seahawks released Melton as the team finalized their 53-man roster, but Seattle was able to re-sign the wideout to the practice squad one day later after the speedster passed through waivers unclaimed. Heading into the draft, Fantasy Pros’ Thor Nostrom labeled Melton a “big-time sleeper” citing his less than ideal situation at Rutgers as part of the reason for the receiver being a late-round prospect.
“Rutgers WR Bo Melton is a big-time sleeper,” Nystrom tweeted on March 3. “Sudden off the line, sweet feet, and now confirmed 4.34 speed. Rutgers O and QB play hurt him badly. Leading receiver last 3 years, last two of them by almost double next-highest guy.”
The Seahawks Made Several Roster Moves Heading Into Week 17
It was a busy day at Seahawks headquarters as the team announced several additional roster moves. Seattle was awarded defensive tackle Isaiah Mack off waivers after the veteran defender was released by the Ravens. Mack also had short stints with the Titans and Patriots during his four NFL seasons. The Seahawks released defensive tackle Daviyon Nixon after successfully landing Mack via their waiver claim.
Seattle also signed cornerback Xavier Crawford to the active roster after previously being on the team’s practice squad. The Seahawks inked former Dolphins safety Steven Parker to the available practice squad spot opened up by Crawford’s permanent elevation. Seattle needs wins over the Jets and Rams in their final two contests to keep their playoff hopes alive.
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