NFL roster cuts 2018: Thomas Rawls, DeShawn Shead among ex-Seahawks released

While we’re waiting for the Seattle Seahawks to announce their roster cuts to finalize the 53-man roster for the start of the 2018 NFL season, several other teams have made their cuts public as early as Friday.

Of interest to Seahawks fans would be the number of players formerly affiliated with Seattle who are looking for a new team as of Saturday.

Headlining the list of names is running back Thomas Rawls, who was let go by the New York Jets.

Rawls was once a legitimate Offensive Rookie of the Year candidate in 2015, but his broken ankle in December, followed by other injuries, then just poor play in general, saw his time in Seattle come to a very disappointing end. He has the single-game postseason rushing record for the Seahawks, with 161 yards against the Detroit Lions two seasons ago. That feels like eons ago.

A bigger surprise is CB DeShawn Shead, who signed with the Detroit Lions and began training camp as a starter opposite Darius Slay. Apparently Shead, who tore his ACL in the Seahawks’ playoff loss to the Atlanta Falcons in 2017, had been battling a quad injury that caused him to miss two preseason games. He was guaranteed $1.5 million as part of his one-year contract in Detroit, but this move saves the Lions a little over $1.6 million in cap space.

The Indianapolis Colts have reportedly waived WR Kasen Williams, the Seahawks’ preseason darling of 2017 before being a surprise cut on deadline day. Williams went to the Cleveland Browns, didn’t stick around after Cleveland’s 0-16 season, and now he apparently finds himself a free agent again after not making the grade in Indy.

Down in Atlanta, the Falcons cut S Ron Parker, who spent time with the Seahawks in 2011 and 2012, but then carved out a five-season stint with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Lastly, linebacker Korey Toomer has been released by the San Francisco 49ers, who have quite a few ex-Seahawks on the defensive side of the ball (including Richard Sherman, of course). Toomer was a reserve linebacker and special teams contributor from 2012-2013, and was released in 2014 as part of final roster cuts. He was most recently with the Chargers, playing there in the 2016 and 2017 seasons.

Update: Former Seahawks punter Jon Ryan has been cut by the Buffalo Bills.