The Seattle Seahawks made two moves Tuesday involving players who had already helped them through injuries this season.
Seattle waived safety AJ Finley and placed running back Jacardia Wright on practice squad injured reserve, per the team’s transaction log.
Finley’s departure stands out. He made his first career start just nine days earlier, filling in for Julian Love against the Washington Commanders. Wright, meanwhile, gave Seattle one of its most memorable plays of the preseason and had remained on the practice squad as running back depth.
The moves accompanied Seattle’s signing of running back Robert Henry Jr. from Washington’s practice squad. ESPN’s Brady Henderson reported that Finley would be a logical candidate to fill one of the Seahawks’ open practice squad spots if he clears waivers.
Finley Goes From Starting to Waivers
Finley earned a place on Seattle’s active roster before its season opener after injuries thinned the safety group. When Love missed the Sept. 27 game against Washington with a calf injury, coach Mike Macdonald chose Finley to start alongside Rodney Thomas II.
Love praised the replacement afterward.
“AJ Finley is a guy we trust and really believe in,” he told Seahawks.com, adding that Finley brought calmness to the defense on short notice. Love returned for Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Tuesday’s move is another turn in Finley’s comeback. He tore his ACL during Seattle’s 2025 training camp and missed that season. At the same team event a year later, he intercepted a pass in practice and called it a “full-circle moment”. By September, he had worked his way into an NFL starting lineup.
Finley first joined Seattle on a waiver claim in November 2024 and re-signed this offseason. His release creates a path back to the practice squad, though another team can claim him first. For now, the Seahawks have moved on from a safety they recently trusted with a start.
Wright Returns to Practice Squad IR
Wright’s placement is a setback at a position where Seattle has already had to make several changes. The Seahawks didn’t specify the injury in their transaction listing, leaving its nature and Wright’s timetable unclear.
The 25-year-old exemplified his potential in August. Facing the Tennessee Titans’ starting defense during a preseason game, Wright broke through for a 69-yard touchdown. He finished with 81 rushing yards on eight carries and added 12 yards on three receptions, per the team’s recap.
Wright’s only regular-season appearance came in 2025, when he gained 20 yards on five carries against the New Orleans Saints. An injury in that game ended his rookie season and sent him to practice squad injured reserve. Tuesday marks a second trip to that list, though the team has given no indication that the injuries are related.
For Finley, the next step depends on waivers. For Wright, it depends on his recovery. Both had shown Seattle what they could contribute; neither is available to help the Seahawks this week.
Seahawks Cut Recent Starter, Place 69-Yard TD Preseason Standout on IR