The Seattle Seahawks’ decision to release Trevon Diggs only to bring him back on the practice squad made more sense after the final episode of HBO’s “Hard Knocks.”
Diggs, who signed with Seattle less than two weeks before final roster cuts, told head coach Mike Macdonald that he believes he needs “a couple more weeks” to become comfortable enough with the Seahawks’ defensive scheme.
That timeline helps explain why Seattle kept the former All-Pro cornerback in the organization without putting him on its initial 53-man roster.
During a one-on-one meeting shown on “Hard Knocks,” Macdonald first made it clear that the Seahawks wanted to continue building Diggs toward being ready to play.
“To me it’s like let’s keep getting your legs back,” Macdonald told Diggs. “Let’s get you a window so you can go play. And then let’s go. Whatever it takes for us to get to that point.”
Macdonald then asked Diggs how much time he thought he needed from a scheme standpoint.
“The stuff that I did in the game, I’m comfortable with that stuff,” Diggs said. “Probably just a couple more weeks.”
That may be the most revealing part of the conversation.
Trevon Diggs Still Getting Up to Speed With Seahawks Defense
Diggs did not join the Seahawks until August 19, leaving him very little time to learn Macdonald’s defense before the regular season.
He had participated in only two practices before making his Seahawks debut in the August 28 preseason finale against the Kansas City Chiefs, according to the team. Diggs played three defensive series and intercepted a pass.
Afterward, Macdonald praised how quickly Diggs had absorbed the defense despite his limited time in Seattle.
“He’s really come up to speed, which is saying something,” Macdonald said after the game, via Seahawks.com. “He knows ball. All it is, is just kind of connecting dots and connecting some of that, all the things that he’s heard to the new techniques, the new words and stuff.”
Diggs sounded ready to keep pushing.
“Hopefully I showed that I can still play,” he said. “I’m ready to go. I’m ready to play. I’m ready to help this team win.”
The “Hard Knocks” conversation adds an important qualifier. Diggs may feel physically capable of playing and comfortable with the portion of Seattle’s defense he has already used, but he acknowledged that completely getting up to speed with the scheme could take another couple of weeks.
Macdonald’s reference to getting Diggs’ “legs back” also indicates Seattle is considering more than just the playbook as it ramps up a veteran who arrived late in August.
Why Seahawks Could Release Diggs and Bring Him Back
Seattle released Diggs while setting its initial 53-player roster on August 30, but the move did not signal that the Seahawks were moving on from him.
As a vested veteran, Diggs was not subject to waivers. The Seahawks could release him and then re-sign him to their practice squad if both sides wanted to continue the relationship. Seattle officially added him to that group the following day.
NFL rules allow teams to carry as many as six players with unlimited accrued seasons on the practice squad. That gives teams considerably more flexibility to retain experienced players than older versions of the practice-squad rules allowed.
For Seattle, it creates a useful runway for Diggs.
Instead of using one of the initial 53 spots on a cornerback who had been in the defense for less than two weeks, the Seahawks can give him additional practice time while keeping him in their plans.
The team has made clear that those plans could eventually include a significant role.
Seattle’s official announcement of its practice squad specifically noted that Diggs “will factor into the competition” to become the Seahawks’ third cornerback.
Devon Witherspoon and Josh Jobe are established at the top of the position group, while Nehemiah Pritchett, Julian Neal and recently acquired rookie Avery Smith were among the cornerbacks Seattle carried on its initial roster.
Diggs now has something those players did not have before the “Hard Knocks” finale aired: a rough timetable.
If his estimate proves accurate, the Seahawks could have a much better idea within the opening weeks of the season whether Diggs is ready to turn an unusual practice-squad stint into a role in Macdonald’s defense.
Seahawks Get Timeline from Trevon Diggs After Practice Squad Move