Cody Thompson makes Seahawks' 53-man roster

Cody Thompson played in only one preseason game for the Seattle Seahawks, but a strong showing in training camp was enough to earn the Huron graduate a spot on the NFL team's initial 53-man roster, a huge development in the versatile wide receiver's football career. The Seahawks were one of the last teams to release their roster on Tuesday, the league's final cutdown day. Thompson, who signed with Seattle in 2020 and played in five games for the Seahawks last year, is on an initial 53-man roster for the first time. He played in his only preseason game on August 19, catching a 32-yard pass on a deep corner route against the Dallas Cowboys. Thompson missed the Seahawks' preseason opener with a groin injury and missed last Saturday's preseason finale against the Packers after being injured on his reception. Seattle coach Pete Carroll said Thompson "banged his shoulder" while catching a pass thrown by backup quarterback Drew Lock, who made the team as Geno Smith's backup. If Thompson's injury causes him to miss time, the Seahawks could place him on injured reserve and Thompson could return to the team early in the season. League rules state that players placed on injured reserve on Wednesday, after being on the initial 53-man roster, are eligible to return after missing four games. Thompson, who was a standout at Toledo, sat out the entire 2022 season with a shoulder injury. He had surgery after the injury in last year's preseason opener in Pittsburgh. By all accounts, he had a strong training camp and was working in the slot and wideout positions. Carroll spoke glowingly of Thompson during a training camp news conference on August 9. "Cody has just been tremendous fo us in terms of doing things right," Carroll said. "He knows all the spots, he can do anything. He's been a factor on special teams as well. He's gonna get some good reps there. "He can catch it, he can run, he can run routes and knows the system and he's a good blocker. He's all of that." Thompson is in his fifth season in the NFL and has spent most of his career on practice squads. He was signed by the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent in 2019. He also has spent time on the Cincinnati Bengals' practice squad. The Seahawks, whose receivers group is led by DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett, has been hit hard by injuries this month. First-round draft choice Jaxon Smith-Njigba broke a bone in his wrist in the Cowboys game. The former Ohio State star is unlikely to be ready for Seattle's regular-season opener September 10 vs. the Los Angeles Rams. Also, Dee Eskridge will miss the first six games after being suspended for a domestic violence incident. The Seahawks named six receivers to their 53-man roster. Joining Thompson, Metcalf, Lockett and Smith-Njigba are Jake Bobo and Dareke Young. Bobo, an undrafted free agent from UCLA, became a fan favorite in the preseason. The 53-man roster is not final. The Seahawks could claim players cut by other teams through the waivers process. Thompson, 27, underwent shoulder surgery on August 22, 2022 and was cleared by team doctors in February. He could not be reached for comment Tuesday, but told the Register in April: "I missed two seasons of my career now (he broke his right leg in 2017 while playing for Toledo). It's tough. What you've been doing your whole life and what you love has been taken away from you. It makes you appreciate the opportunities you have that much more." The Seahawks visit the Detroit Lions in Week 2 on September 17 and play in Cincinnati on October 15.