Seahawks Scramble for Safety Depth Hours Before Opener

Opening night is supposed to be about fresh starts and perfectly executed game plans. Instead, the Seattle Seahawks are doing the NFL equivalent of cramming for a final exam in the hallway outside the classroom.

Safety Nick Emmanwori is officially questionable for tonight’s opener against the New England Patriots with an ankle injury. Because nothing says "we feel great about this" like last-minute roster gymnastics, Seattle just signed AJ Finley off the practice squad and elevated Rodney Thomas II to the active roster.

When a team calls up two different guys at the exact same position hours before kickoff, you do not need a medical degree to read between the lines. Emmanwori's ankle is clearly a massive red flag, and the Seahawks are suddenly staring down a depth chart held together by hope and practice squad reps.

For anyone holding a ticket on the under or expecting Seattle's secondary to come out looking locked in, this is the kind of update that makes you sweat. The Patriots are not exactly an offensive juggernaut, but any NFL coordinator worth their headset is going to test a patched-together safety rotation early and often.

We will find out exactly how limited Emmanwori is when the final inactive list drops before kickoff. Until then, Finley and Thomas II better have their chin straps buckled, because New England is absolutely going to see if the new guys know the playbook.