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The Seattle Seahawks waived safety Jerrick Reed II on Tuesday, a move that frees a spot on the 53-man roster as newly acquired wide receiver/returner Rashid Shaheed arrives in Seattle. Beat reporters first flagged the transaction via the NFL wire, noting Seattle will hope Reed clears waivers and can return to the practice squad. Why Seattle Moved on From Reed II Today Reed, 25, has bounced between the practice squad and active roster this fall, primarily contributing on special teams while the secondary cycled through injuries. He was signed off the practice squad over the weekend after starting safety Julian Love landed on injured reserve, a blow that left Seattle thin on the back end. The Seahawks placed Love on IR on Saturday, meaning he must miss at least four games. Reed’s waiver on Tuesday signals the club is rebalancing its numbers after addressing receiver and returner needs at the trade deadline. The timing also lines up with Seattle’s deadline-day push. With Love sidelined, the Seahawks initially leaned on internal depth and practice-squad elevations. Once the front office secured help on offense and special teams (more on that below), the staff had to clear a spot on the 53. Reed becomes the roster casualty, with Seattle likely aiming to slide him back to the practice squad if he clears waivers, as has happened earlier in the season. The Seahawks drafted Reed in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL Draft. During his time in Seattle, he has 18 total tackles over the course of the past two full seasons. This season, he appeared in five games for the Seahawks. What Rashid Shaheed Adds Immediately Seattle acquired Shaheed from the New Orleans Saints on Tuesday in a deal announced by the team and corroborated by national reporting. The trade is pending a physical. Shaheed brings elite straight-line speed, instant return value and a vertical receiving threat who can stretch coverage for Sam Darnold and offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak. This season alone, Shaheed has 44 catches for 499 yards and two touchdowns through nine games, production that should translate right away in Seattle’s spacing-heavy scheme. Beyond pure production, Shaheed’s presence could ripple across multiple units. On offense, he threatens the third level and forces safeties to honor the go route, which can open intermediate windows for Jaxon Smith-Njigba and tight ends in play-action. On special teams, Shaheed offers a field-position weapon the Seahawks have lacked consistently; even when return lanes aren’t clean, his speed changes how opponents punt and kick. Those two factors – explosive returns and deep shots – help explain why Seattle prioritized finding the roster spot on Tuesday. What’s Next on the Depth Chart With Love on IR, the Seahawks still need stability at safety. That likely means more snaps concentrated among the remaining veterans and hybrid options in sub-packages while the team monitors the market and the health timeline. If Reed clears waivers, Seattle can retain a familiar special teamer who knows the system and can elevate as needed. For now, Tuesday’s move is about maximizing immediate impact: adding a dynamic returner/WR while shuffling the bottom of the roster to fit deadline additions.
