The Seattle Seahawks are set to take on the New England Patriots as the NFL opens the 2026 season with a rematch of the final game of the 2025 season.
Both teams have seen changes to the roster, and in the case of Seahawks safety Nick Emmanwori, ankle surgery in July could push the 2026 debut of the second year player back later than Week 1.
Specifically, according to a report from NFL insider Brady Henderson of ESPN, Emmanwori is “iffy” for Week 1, even as the Seahawks have released two safeties who could fill some of Emmanwori’s snaps.
The catch, of course, with both Rodney Thomas II and D’Anthony Bell being released is that neither is subject to waivers. That means as long as both players want to stick around in Seattle, the Seahawks can sign the pair to the practice squad on Monday and elevate one or both to the active roster for the Week 1 matchup against New England.
Of course, there’s still a week and a half until the season opener against the Pats, and the initial injury report for the Week 1 showdown won’t be filed by either team until Saturday, so it’s a situation that bears watching in the coming days.
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* [Seattle Seahawks Injuries](/seattle-seahawks-injury-report)
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