The Seahawks claimed off waivers NFL safety Jonathan Abram, a 2019 first-round pick of the Raiders. Las Vegas waived him this month. Green Bay waived him this week.
RENTON
Pete Carroll’s reclamation projects with former first-round picks continue as the Seahawks have a sudden need.
Former Raiders No. 1 overall pick Jonathan Abram has been cleared of non-NFL waivers by Seattle on Wednesday. Defensive coordinator Clint Hurt confirmed the move after practice.
The team added new security starting with strong security. Ryan Neal missed practice with a severe elbow and shoulder injury.
“Talented young player,” Hurt said of the player he studied in Seattle out of Mississippi State ahead of the 2019 NFL Draft.
“I know we filed a lawsuit and got it, so I’ll know a lot more (about it) in the next 24 hours.”
Seattle is Abrams’ third team this month.
Green Bay waived Abram, 26, on Tuesday. The Packers only held him for 20 days. The Raiders waived him on Nov. 8.
He was one of their three first-round picks in the 2019 draft by then-Raiders coach Jon Gruden and general manager Mike Mayock from the previous regime. From the start of his rookie season until the end of last month, Abram was a strong safety for the Raiders. Las Vegas’ first-year coaching staff benched him and started Duran Harmon instead. Harmon started at safety against the Seahawks last weekend Raiders win in Seattle.
Abram suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in the first half of his first NFL game with the Raiders in 2019. In Las Vegas, he became known as a big-time risk-taker, often missing tackles and playing outside of designated defensive schemes.
He is the second waived former first-round pick the Seahawks have signed this month.
Wide receiver Laquon Treadwell made his debut in Seattle last weekend. Seattle signed the former Vikings top pick to the practice squad on Nov. 1.
In recent seasons, Carroll has also signed defensive end Robert Nkemdiche, defensive end Josh Gordon, defensive end Dion Jordan among other former NFL first-round picks.
Neal was injured late in regulation Seahawks loss to Raiders. In the first game, third stringer Josh Jones replaced Neal as the strong safety was the last play of the game, with Josh Jacobs running 86 yards straight through Seattle’s defense past Jones for the Raiders’ game-winning touchdown 11 minutes into overtime.
Neal surprised the Seahawks by taking part in a light passing practice Wednesday morning and was “much better” than the team expected. But he sat out the main training after lunch. Carroll said Neal is committed to playing Sunday when the Seahawks (6-5) play the Los Angeles Rams (3-8).
The Seahawks’ signing of Abram suggests Neal may not play, or they don’t have full confidence that Jones will need to play more if Neal remains hurt through the weekend.
Jones has been Seattle’s Plan C at strong safety ever since Jamal Adams tore his quadriceps tendon and hurt his knee in Game 1, Seattle’s win over Russell Wilson and the Denver Broncos. Adams is out for the season.
