Seahawks Surprisingly Cut Cornerback Days After Acquiring via Trade

Getty Pete Carroll's Seahawks say they are happy with new quarterback Drew Lock.

The Seattle Seahawks made a flurry of moves to get closer to their final 53-man roster, but one of the most surprising releases was cornerback John Reid. The Seahawks officially acquired Reid from the Texans via trade on August 25th in an effort to bolster their secondary.

Reid did not last a week on the team before being cut. Seattle gave up a conditional seventh-round pick, and it would make sense if Reid’s status on the roster impacted the Seahawks sending that selection to the Texans.

“He has played nickel, shows versatility, plays inside and outside, shows real good speed,” Carroll noted after the trade, per Seahawks.com. “He’s been an active player. We’re continuing to seek depth, and he had played for (assistant special teams coach Tracy Smith) in Houston, so he had some background on him and we knew what we were getting so it helps us out.”

Reid Could Be Re-Signed to the Practice Squad

The News Tribune’s Gregg Bell sees Reid as a potential practice squad candidate if the corner passes through waivers unclaimed. Despite the massive cuts, the Seahawks roster is still likely to see some changes before Week 1.

“The Seahawks released the cornerback they acquired last week in a trade with Houston, John Reid,” Bell detailed. “He’s likely to clear waivers and come back to the practice squad. Reid played only 13% of the Texans’ defensive snaps last year as their rookie draft choice.”

The Seahawks Acquired Sidney Jones from the Jaguars

Reid became a bit more expendable after the Seahawks acquired Sidney Jones from the Jaguars. Jones started six games for Jacksonville last season but has battled injuries throughout his career.

Cornerback continues to be one of the positions on the Seahawks roster that faces the most uncertainty. D.J. Reed revealed that he is starting to play on the left side of the field as the Seahawks try to finalize their secondary rotation.

“Here’s another interesting development with the Seahawks’ cornerback situation in addition to their trade for Sidney Jones: D.J. Reed revealed Tuesday that he’s been moved to the left side, where Ahkello Witherspoon has been playing,” ESPN’s Brady Henderson detailed. “Reed has been competing on the right side with Tre Flowers, who’s gotten rave reviews from Pete Carroll. DC Ken Norton had a more mixed review recently of Witherspoon. Reed, who’s back from a hip injury, played on both sides during his strong finish to last season.”

Here is a full list of the Seahawks’ roster cuts.

Seahawks Roster Cuts 2021