The Seattle Seahawks have made a move to bolster their quarterback depth, signing Sean Mannion from the practice squad. This move comes amid uncertainty surrounding Geno Smith, who is dealing with a hamstring injury.
Mannion, who was originally signed by the Minnesota Vikings in 2015, has spent the past two seasons with the Los Angeles Rams. He was released by the Rams in September and signed to the Seahawks’ practice squad in October.
The 28-year-old Mannion has appeared in just four NFL games, all with the Rams, and has thrown for just one touchdown and three interceptions. He has yet to take a regular season snap for the Seahawks, but he is familiar with head coach Pete Carroll’s system, having played under him at USC.
The move to sign Mannion comes as Smith’s status for Sunday’s game against the San Francisco 49ers remains uncertain. Smith suffered a hamstring injury in last week’s loss to the Los Angeles Chargers and did not practice on Wednesday. If Smith is unable to play, Mannion would likely serve as the backup to Russell Wilson.
The Seahawks have been searching for quarterback depth since cutting backup Paxton Lynch earlier this season. With Mannion now in the fold, they have a veteran presence behind Wilson should Smith be unable to play.
It remains to be seen how long Mannion will remain on the active roster, but his signing could provide some much-needed stability at the quarterback position for the Seahawks.
