With a few hours left until the Seahawks host the Rams on Thursday Night Football, a pair of roster moves have come down at the receiver position. According to ESPN insider Field Yates, Seattle has placed rookie pass-catcher Dee Eskridge on injured reserve and elevated receiver Phillip Dorsett from the practice squad for tonight's game.
Eskridge, the team's first selection in the 2021 NFL Draft at pick No. 56, has missed the last three games with a concussion suffered in the fourth quarter of Seattle's season opener in Indianapolis. He's since occasionally appeared as a limited participant in practice but has struggled to fully clear concussion protocol.
Now on injured reserve, Eskridge will be forced to miss at least three more games. In his absence, second-year wideout Freddie Swain will continue to be the Seahawks' tertiary receiving option behind the star duo of DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. Since the loss of Eskridge, Swain has caught nine of 11 targets for 125 yards and two touchdowns. He's also registered three rushing attempts for 21 yards.
Eskridge's move to injured reserve now opens up a spot on the Seahawks' 53-man roster, which may be filled by the return of tight end Gerald Everett ahead of tonight's game. Everett, who's vaccinated against COVID-19, has already tested negative for the virus once this week and must do so again in order to be cleared to play. If so, he would automatically revert back to the active roster.
The Seahawks, however, are now carrying just four receivers: Metcalf, Lockett, Swain and Penny Hart. Nevertheless, options are aplenty on the practice squad with Dorsett getting the call-up tonight and Cade Johnson and Aaron Fuller still eligible for two elevations as well.
This will be Dorsett's first elevation after signing with Seattle's practice squad on September 29. Nursing a foot injury, the 28-year old speedster was unable to debut for the team in 2020 and entered free agency after his one-year contract expired.
Initially, a reunion did not come together as Dorsett joined forces with former Seahawks offensive coordinators Darrell Bevell and Brian Schottenheimer in Jacksonville. But after a lackluster preseason, he was cut by the team and subsequently signed to its practice squad. The Jaguars wound up moving on entirely on September 27.
While it's unclear if he still possesses the 4.3-second speed he displayed at the 2015 NFL combine, the Seahawks will finally get to see what he looks like in their offense tonight. If he impresses, perhaps a role on the team's 53-man roster will be in his future.
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