49ers Division Rival Claims Speed 1st Round Pick Off Waivers

Getty Johnathan Abram could face off against the San Francisco 49ers with the Seattle Seahawks in Week 15.

As the San Francisco 49ers prepare for life without Elijah Mitchell, who is expected to miss 6-8 weeks with an MCL injury, the Seattle Seahawks are getting better, claiming Johnathan Abram off of waivers.

Initially selected out of Mississippi State with the 27th overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft by the then-Oakland Raiders, Abram started all but two games he appeared in for the now-Las Vegas-based team before being waived on November 8th to allow the team to give more run to young players like Roderic Teamer. From there, Abram was claimed by the Green Bay Packers but was unable to notch out a role long-term, as, following a loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, the team has extensively turned their attention to long-term evaluation, as their chances of making the playoffs are slim.

After playing just 29 snaps over two games – one on defense and 28 on special teams – Abram was waived once more, with Seattle now marking his third team in less than a month. Will the third time be the charm? Only time will tell, but Abram does have an opportunity to play meaningful snaps for a playoff contender, which is certainly something.

Jonathan Abram Has A Chance To Play Meaningful Snaps For Seattle

The Seahawks have been hamstrung with injuries, specifically at the safety spot, in 2022. They began the year with Quandre Diggs at free safety and Jamal Adams at strong safety, which, in Pete Carroll’s scheme, are more like center fielder and an additional weakside linebacker, respectively. Entering the season, Adams was supposed to be the veteran presence in an otherwise rebuilding defensive backfield, but after suffering a torn quad tendon in Week 1, he was replaced by Ryan Neal, a fifth-year pro who suffered a similar fate in Week 12, Pete Carroll announced that he suffered an elbow and shoulder injury against the Las Vegas Raiders.

While the Southern Illinois product did return to practice on Thursday, if he’s limited or ultimately unable to play in Week 13, the team only has one “true” strong safety on the roster other than Abram in Josh Jones, another former Packer who earned some starts early on in the season but was replaced by Neal. With the team currently sitting at 6-5 with six games to go, Abram has a chance to carve out a role with the Seahawks as they fight for the playoffs, which, while a far cry from his experience in Las Vegas, is considerably more encouraging for a player heading into free agency than being stuck as a practice squad-only player on a team with a five percent chance of making the playoffs according to the New York Times.

The San Francisco 49ers Could Face Jonathan Abram In Week 15

Despite not claiming him off of waivers after either of his releases, members of the 49ers could still end up taking the same field as Abram in 2022, as San Francisco will travel to Seattle to face off against the Seahawks in Week 15. Should Abram take the field with Seattle, he will face a tough task, as, according to ESPN, his team only has a 32.1 percent chance of winning the game.

If the Seahawks are able to overcome the odds, they will even the in-season record to 1-1 and effectively swing the NFC West playoff race by two games, as they will move up one spot, and the 49ers would go down one spot. If, however, the 49ers are able to sweep the series 2-0, it will make their chances of winning the division skyrocket, which, considering they already have an 87 percent chance of winning the division according to Bet California as per BetMGM, should make fans incredibly pleased.