Emmanwori Week 1 Unclear as Seahawks Add Bell

Nick Emmanwori's Week 1 availability is still a question, and the Seahawks just stacked another safety on the practice squad to cover it. Seattle signed D'Anthony Bell on Saturday and released outside linebacker Marvin Jones Jr. to make room, per Seahawks.com, three days before the Patriots visit Lumen Field.

Wednesday night is a Super Bowl rematch. Seattle is not guessing on secondary depth.

Only three safeties on the 53

Bell becomes the fourth practice-squad safety alongside AJ Finley, Rodney Thomas II, and Maxen Hook. The active roster still lists just three: Julian Love, Ty Okada, and Emmanwori. Seahawks.com flat-out said the club "very likely could" elevate one or two of those practice-squad safeties for Wednesday.

Bell knows the building. He played 14 games with two starts for Seattle in 2025 before Carolina claimed him off waivers late, then returned on a free-agent deal this offseason and got cut in the final 53-man trim. Bringing him back is not nostalgia. It is insurance for a thin room.

If Emmanwori cannot go, Seattle's game-day safety math gets ugly fast. Love and Okada cannot cover every snap alone against a Patriots offense that still wants to run it.

Ankle timeline into kickoff

Emmanwori had ankle surgery in July on the same joint he played through in Super Bowl LX. He came off the physically unable to perform list Aug. 11 after passing a physical, but multiple reports into early September still framed him as iffy for the opener. That is why Bell's signing landed with weight instead of a shrug.

Kickoff is Wednesday, Sep. 9 at Lumen Field. Jadarian Price is set to handle a big Week 1 role with Zach Charbonnet still recovering. The defense needs Emmanwori's range, or it needs Bell and friends elevated. Seattle just made sure Option B exists.

Three days. One rematch. The safety room just got thicker on purpose.