The Seahawks made an expected roster move Saturday, activating offensive lineman Christian Haynes off IR and placing OL Jalen Sundell on IR.
Sundell, who started Seattle’s first nine games at center, suffered a knee injury in Sunday’s 44-22 win over Arizona and will be out “multiple’’ weeks, according to coach Mike Macdonald, but is not expected to be out for the season.
Haynes, a third-round pick in 2024, has been on IR all season with a pec issue but returned to practice two weeks ago and is now healthy.
Haynes will serve as depth at guard and center behind Sundell. Rookie Bryce Cabeldue can also play both spots.
Haynes, the 81st overall pick in the 2024 draft out of UConn, played in 16 games as a reserve and on special teams last season.
The Seahawks on Saturday also elevated linebacker Patrick O’Connell off the practice squad for the game against the Rams. O’Connell will be depth at the ILB spot, where Ernest Jones IV has been cleared to play but is coming off a knee injury suffered on Nov. 2 at Washington. He’ll also play on special teams.
Rams boast some familiar faces
It was well-documented all week that the game will mark a homecoming for current Seahawks and former Rams Jones and receiver Cooper Kupp. Cornerback Derion Kendrick also played for the Rams the last three seasons before being waived in August and claimed by Seattle.
But there are a few other connections between the two teams.
Among the former Seahawks now with the Rams are defensive lineman Poona Ford and tight end Colby Parkinson. Ford has started four games this season and has 25 tackles and a sack. Parkinson has 13 receptions for 109 yards and a touchdown.
Scott Huff, who was Seattle’s offensive line coach last season, is now the tight ends coach for the Rams and earned a shoutout this week from Macdonald, who noted how well the Rams’ tight ends are playing.
And former UW head coach Jimmy Lake is in his second season with the Rams as a senior defensive assistant.
Seahawks preparing for Rams’ offensive “attack’’
The statistics may not do justice to how much Sean McVay and the Rams’ offense try to keep defenses off-balance.
According to Pro Football Reference, the Rams have run only 48 plays out of a no-huddle offense this year, compared to 524 out of a huddle.
But the Seahawks say it’s not just plays that would be categorized as no-huddle that can be an issue but also plays when the Rams huddle but then “attack’’ at the line of scrimmage.
Seattle defensive lineman Leonard Williams explained it this way: “An attack play is the center and the whole O-line is pretty much set up and well, the center is like the last person out (of the huddle), but the whole offense is set. The center gets out there last second, puts the ball on the ground and just snaps it so you catch the defense standing up or not set.”
Such plays, Seahawks defensive coordinator Aden Durde said, typify how McVay likes to try to use changing tempos to his advantage and present a challenge in preparation.
“You have to rep different tempos of speed,’’ Durde said. “Really good offenses and guys that operate on a high level, they tend to take the line with intent. They take the line with speed, no matter where the snap count is coming from, they put pressure on you from the moment they run out of the huddle, and these guys do that. You just have to practice it. Our offense gives us great looks on it when we’re doing good on good, because they do it. We just constantly rep it and constantly go through it.”
NOTES
— There was one fine from last Sunday’s Arizona-Seahawks game on Cardinals safety Budda Baker for a hit on Seattle receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba near the goal line that was flagged as a personal foul. Baker was fined $17,389 for what was termed a hit on a defenseless player.
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.