Two former Seahawks from 2021 roster find new teams

We’re on the eve of training camp across the NFL, and there’s some news on a couple of former Seattle Seahawks players who now have new teams.

Defensive tackle Robert Nkemdiche, who was originally drafted in the first round by the Arizona Cardinals, has agreed to a contract with the San Francisco 49ers. He’s now just a stint with the Los Angeles Rams away from completing the NFC West cycle. Nkemdiche signed with the Seahawks in 2021 with the never-ending hope from Seattle that they can revive the career of a draft bust. Predictably, Nkemdiche was anonymous and only played in nine games, grading very poorly by PFF’s metric (if you care about that). There was never a chance he’d be re-signed and we’ve seen how much Seattle has looked to beef up the interior of its defensive line this offseason.

Meanwhile, cornerback Gavin Heslop has signed with the New York Giants. Heslop was a reserve corner who appeared in only three games for Seattle after an impressive 2021 preseason. He nearly gave the Seahawks a chance at a miracle win against Washington when he recovered an onside kick, but a procedure penalty took that heroic moment away. When Heslop did appear on defense in garbage time against the Houston Texans, he suffered a horrendous broken leg that ended his season. It’s good to see him signed before training camp with a chance to make the roster.

Notable 2021 Seahawks who remain unsigned include Duane Brown, Benson Mayowa, Brandon Shell, and Carlos Dunlap.