The Seahawks made two expected moves Saturday, elevating safety D’Anthony Bell and nose tackle Brandon Pili from the practice squad for Sunday’s game at Pittsburgh.
Bell will likely fill the third safety role that had been planned for rookie Nick Emmanwori. Emmanwori has already been ruled out for the game due to a high ankle sprain suffered in last Sunday’s 17-13 loss to the 49ers.
Pili adds depth to the interior line and will likely get regular snaps in the defensive tackle rotation, specifically on run downs.
The elevations of Bell and Pili give Seattle 55 players on its roster heading into the day. Seven will have to get down to a gameday active roster of 48 by 90 minutes prior to kickoff.
Pili did not play last week as the Seahawks instead went with Quinton Bohanna, who was elevated off the practice squad and played 10 snaps in the rotation at nose tackle.
But the Seahawks may be trying to spread out the practice squad elevations between the two players. Players can be elevated off the practice squad three times before they have to be signed to the 53-man roster to play.
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Bell signed with the Seahawks in the spring as a free agent after spending the last three years in Cleveland. One reason he did is the influence of Seattle safeties coach Jeff Howard, who coached Bell with the Browns in 2022.
Bell played 392 defensive snaps with seven starts for Cleveland and played in 50 games overall.
Seattle also has Ty Okada as a backup safety on its 53-man roster.
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Those two will serve as depth behind starting safeties Julian Love and Coby Bryant.
There has been some thought, however, that the Seahawks could use Bryant at times as a nickel, a position he played much of his first two years with the Seahawks, to help fill the absence of cornerback Devon Witherspoon, who is listed as doubtful with a knee injury.
Witherspoon made the trip to Pittsburgh and coach Mike Macdonald said they will make a final decision on his status Sunday morning. Seattle signed Shaquill Griffin from the practice squad to the active roster earlier this week and he figures to serve as the third cornerback behind Josh Jobe and Riq Woolen.
One other roster question waiting the Seahawks is if they will have room to again have rookie quarterback Jalen Milroe on the active 53-man roster.
That could be more of a challenge this week with both of receivers Jake Bobo and Dareke Young cleared to play and likely to be active.
But Macdonald said on Monday that the team had more plays in its package last Sunday for Milroe than the one snap he got on the first series, seeming to indicate the Seahawks have plans on how to use him regularly.
The Steelers, meanwhile, elevated former Seahawk Jon Rhattigan off their practice squad for Sunday’s game. Rhattigan is expected to play significantly on special teams, taking the place of injured linebacker Malik Harrison.
Bob Condotta: bcondotta@seattletimes.com. Bob Condotta is a sports reporter at The Seattle Times who primarily covers the Seahawks but also dabbles in other sports. He has worked at The Times since 2002, reporting on University of Washington Husky football and basketball for his first 10 years at the paper before switching to the Seahawks in 2013.