The Seattle Seahawks are adding a linebacker whose NFL action has came mostly on special teams at a moment when head coach Mike Macdonald is demanding more from that phase of his roster.
KPRC 2’s Aaron Wilson reported Sept. 30 that the Seahawks are signing Jimmy Ciarlo, formerly of the Buffalo Bills, to the practice squad.
Repped by @EnterSportsMgmt
The move comes three days after Seattle’s 33-31 loss to the Washington Commanders and two days after Macdonald delivered a pointed assessment of the team’s special teams work through three games.
“To put it plainly, it’s not good enough,” Macdonald said Monday, according to the Seahawks’ official website.
Ciarlo has appeared in only one regular-season NFL game, but all 13 of his career snaps came on special teams for Buffalo in 2025, per Pro Football Reference. Seattle is looking for more consistency there, and Ciarlo’s game-day value has been in the exact area Macdonald wants tightened up.
Ciarlo Brings Special Teams Background to Seattle
Ciarlo, 25, entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the New York Jets in 2024 after a four-year career at Army. A knee injury wiped out his rookie season, and the Jets released him in May 2025.
The 6-foot-2 linebacker later landed with the Bills, spending time on the practice squad before appearing in one game. He didn’t play a defensive snap in that appearance. His 13 plays all came on special teams, accounting for 52% of Buffalo’s special teams snaps in that game.
Ciarlo also had a brief stop with the Miami Dolphins practice squad in 2025. He then returned to Buffalo on a reserve/futures contract in January 2026. The Bills released him Aug. 30.
Most recently, the Tennessee Titans signed Ciarlo to their practice squad Sept. 16 and released him Sept. 22, according to the team’s transaction log.
Eight days later, Seattle brought him aboard.
The football background fits the profile of a player who may have to earn opportunities through the kicking game.
Army named Ciarlo one of four captains in 2023, and he finished that season with career highs of 58 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and three sacks. He also had 34 reps on the 225-pound bench press at his pro day, a total that would have tied for second among participants at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine.
Seahawks Have Made Special Teams Improvement a Priority
Seattle’s interest in depth with special teams experience arrives after Macdonald made clear the defending champions have fallen short of their own standard.
The Seahawks’ official website noted Washington’s average drive started at its own 37-yard line Sunday. Meanwhile, Seattle’s average possession began at its own 26. Kick returns and a kickoff that failed to reach the landing zone helped create that gap.
“The standard is higher on special teams here,” Macdonald said, adding that there is “a sense of urgency” to get the unit playing Seattle’s preferred style.
The Seahawks went 2-1 through September and will host the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 4.
Ciarlo’s practice-squad arrival doesn’t automatically mean a promotion. But his history gives Seattle an option for a unit Macdonald has put under the microscope.
Seahawks Sign Former Buffalo Bills LB Following Special Teams Warning