Seahawks release veteran cornerback Shaquill Griffin
RENTON – The initial 53-man roster for the Seahawks didn’t stay intact long.
The Seahawks claimed cornerback Derion Kendrick off waivers from the Rams on Wednesday morning after Kendrick was waived by LA on Tuesday.
To make room, the Seahawks released veteran cornerback Shaquill Griffin, who was announced as making the 53-man roster the day before.
However, it appears Griffin won’t be gone for long.
Seahawks general manager John Schneider essentially confirmed after practice Wednesday that the team plans to re-sign him to the practice squad.
“He’ll stick around for sure,” Schneider said. “We love Shaq.”
Since the 30-year-old Griffin is a vested veteran – he’s entering his ninth season –he becomes an immediate free agent and does not have to go through waivers, so he can simply re-sign with the Seahawks to their practice squad on Thursday.
Schneider inferred the move was made to add a younger cornerback in Kendrick, a 25-year -old who Schneider said impressed with his play in the preseason. Had Seattle not claimed Kendrick and made the roster move it did Wednesday to add him to the roster, the Seahawks might not have been able to get him later.
“He was a guy we identified last night and trying to work with that group to have as many corners as you possibly can,” Schneider said.
Kendrick, who won national titles playing at both Clemson and Georgia, was taken 212th overall in the sixth round of the 2022 draft. He was originally a wide receiver before making the move to corner during his sophomore season in 2019.
Listed at 6-foot, 199 pounds, Kendrick played in 15 games as a rookie with the Rams in 2022 and started 12 games in 2023 before missing all of the 2024 season with an ACL tear.
Kendrick has one career interception, that coming against the Seahawks off a Drew Lock pass in a 17-16 LA win over Seattle at SoFi Stadium on Nov. 19, 2023.
Lock played two full series in the game after Geno Smith suffered a triceps injury and Kendrick’s pick came on a pass 40 yards downfield intended for Tyler Lockett on a third-and-11 play.
“We‘ve competed against him,’’ Schneider said, then noted a few other Rams with the Seahawks now who played with him. “Obviously (receiver) Coop (Cooper Kupp) knows him, (linebacker) Ernest (Jones IV). He’s a competitor, really nice mover, really good ball skills, came back from his ACL strong. We thought he had a really nice preseason.’’
Other cornerbacks on the Seahawks’ roster include listed starters Devon Witherspoon and Riq Woolen and backups Josh Jobe and Nehemiah Pritchett.
Griffin, 30, signed a one-year deal with the Seahawks in July worth up to $3 million with $1.75 million guaranteed. That included a $1 million guaranteed salary that the team can now put toward paying for him on the practice squad.