Getty The Seahawks made two roster additions heading into the first week of the preseason.
The Seattle Seahawks announced four roster moves with the team’s first preseason matchup just days away. The Seahawks signed wide receiver Anthony Ratliff-Williams along with offensive tackle Lukayus McNeil.
To make room for the two new additions, the Seahawks released wideout Darece Roberson and tight end Michael Jacobson. Seattle just signed Jacobson days ago, who was a unique addition given he is a former player in the Ukrainian Basketball SuperLeague.
McNeil gives the Seahawks some depth at tackle as Duane Brown continues to “hold in” during training camp as he seeks a new contract. The tackle went undrafted coming out of Louisville and bounced around several teams including stops with the Raiders, Cowboys and Falcons in 2019. McNeil did not play in the NFL last season as he looks to shake off the rust in Seahawks camp.
Ratliff-Williams was a standout wideout at the University of North Carolina and also flashed as a return man for the Tarheels. After going undrafted in 2019, the receiver had a brief stint with the Titans before being released. Ratliff-Williams signed a reserve contract with the Raiders in December 2019 before being released last August.
Here is a look at some of Ratliff-Williams’ top plays.
Wilson on Brown’s Future: ‘We Need to Figure That Out’
The newest Seahawks have the odds stacked against them to make the team’s final roster, but we have seen players who do so in the past then go on to play a key role in Seattle. The signing of McNeil shows Brown’s standoff with the Seahawks has no end in sight, but Pete Carroll emphasized the franchise left tackle would not have played in the preseason even if he was okay with his contract status. Russell Wilson made it a point to note the situation with Brown needed to be resolved.
“We need him game one, that’s for sure,” Wilson told reporters after the team’s mock scrimmage. “We need to figure that out, you know? ‘Cause he’s really special, obviously. Like I said, I think he’s one of the best left tackles in the game. I think he’s got several more years to play. I think he can definitely do it. I don’t think there’s anybody more athletic than him. You can see what he can do. He’s also our leader. He’s a guy who really leads our offensive line and just really he commands the offensive line and really can set the tone.”
The Seahawks Have a Loaded Receiver Group Heading Into 2021
Ratliff-Williams finds himself in an incredibly deep receiver group led by Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf. NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein labeled Ratliff-Williams as a bit of a project coming out of Chapel Hill and compared the wideout to Devin Fuller.
“Ratliff-Williams feel like more of a project than a prospect at this point in the process,” Zierlein explained. “He’s big, can run and has enticing athletic ability, but his lack of ball tracking and timing could be tough to overcome for a player who will be sold as a vertical target. He has the traits but may not have the feel for the position to live up to the traits long-term. His kick return ability and talent with the ball in his hands make him worthy of a late-round pick in hopes of sharpening his areas of weakness.”