The Seattle Seahawks are taking a look at defensive help with two members of their secondary still working their way back from injuries.
KPRC 2 Houston’s Aaron Wilson reported on Sept. 15 that Seattle worked out three free agents: defensive back Devan Boykin, linebacker Austin Keys and defensive back Larry Worth III.
The session provided the Seahawks a look at two players with extensive secondary experience and another who already logged an NFL season as a special-teams contributor.
Boykin, a 24-year-old who was with the Pittsburgh Steelers after going undrafted out of Indiana, helped the Hoosiers finish 16-0 and win the 2025 College Football Playoff national championship.
It’s an interesting occasion since Nick Emmanwori and Ty Okada both missed the Seahawks’ 13-10 season-opening victory over the New England Patriots.
Boykin Brings National-Title Pedigree to Seahawks Workout
Boykin transferred to Indiana after five seasons at NC State and became a significant piece of the Hoosiers’ championship defense.
Via Indiana’s official bio, he appeared in all 16 games and made 10 starts in 2025, finishing the season with two interceptions while showing the versatility to move around the secondary.
Boykin also played in Indiana’s 27-21 national championship victory over Miami on Jan. 19, recording four tackles in the title game. His final college season capped a lengthy career in which he appeared in 61 games and made 30 starts between NC State and Indiana.
The Pittsburgh Steelers signed Boykin as an undrafted free agent following the 2026 NFL draft.
His first NFL stop ended at final cuts, with Pittsburgh officially waiving him on Aug. 30 while trimming its roster to 53 players.
The Seahawks entered Week 1 dealing with limited safety depth. Emmanwori missed the opener while recovering from ankle surgery, while Okada was ruled out with a hamstring injury.
Seattle signed A.J. Finley from the practice squad and elevated Rodney Thomas II to help cover those absences.
Worth III Returns to Seattle’s Radar Alongside Keys
Worth III is already familiar with the Seahawks. Seattle brought the 6-foot-4 Arkansas product to rookie minicamp in May as a tryout player before the San Francisco 49ers signed him to a three-year contract days later.
The former Arkansas defender played a hybrid role in college, and San Francisco listed him as a linebacker.
Worth III recorded 64 tackles in 12 games during his final college season and finished his career with 201 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, six passes defended and three forced fumbles. The 49ers waived him during their final roster reduction.
Keys has the most NFL regular-season experience of the trio.
The 6-foot-2, 244-pound linebacker made the Minnesota Vikings’ 53-man roster as an undrafted rookie in 2025 and appeared in 11 games, playing 191 special-teams snaps and recording one sack in eight defensive snaps.
The Arizona Cardinals claimed Keys in January before waiving him with an injury settlement in August.
Seahawks Work Out National Champion DB as Secondary Injuries Loom