Seahawks Get Good News Days Before SNF Game vs. Commanders
The Seattle Seahawks head into Week 9 rested and hopefully recharged after a bye week. As the Seahawks prepare to face the Washington Commanders in primetime, Seattle received some good news.
The Seahawks running game could be getting a boost, but the question is when. Seattle announced that fullback Robbie Ouzts has been designated to return to practice ahead of the team’s showdown against Washington.
This move opens a 21-day practice window for Ouzts to either be moved to the active roster or remain on injured reserve. Ouzts had been on IR with an ankle injury and will now return to practice.
A fullback returning to the field is not typically viewed as massive in today’s NFL, but Seattle’s rushing attack has been inconsistent. Ouzts’ blocking ability could provide a boost to help jumpstart the Seahawks run game as the rookie shined during a limited sample size prior to injury.
The move does not guarantee Ouzts will suit up against the Commanders but indicates the rookie is inching closer to a return. Making a return to the practice field is the first step for Ouzts being able to play on Sundays.
Here’s the latest Seahawks news heading into the team’s Week 9 Sunday Night Football matchup against the Commanders.
Could the Seahawks Make a Trade Before the NFL Deadline?
The Seahawks have until November 4, 2025, to make a deal before the NFL trade deadline. It remains to be seen if Seattle will be aggressive in the coming days, but general manager John Schneider has not been afraid to strike a midseason move.
Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald made it clear that Seattle is open for business, if the right move is available.
“We’re always active,” Macdonald explained on October 27, per The Athletic’s Michael-Shawn Dugar. “You know how John rolls: We’re in everything. We’re constantly trying to do what’s best for us. Sometimes that’s through acquisition.”
The Seahawks Would Be Wise to Make a Trade to Bolster the Team’s Offensive Line
Seattle got a jolt during the bye with the San Francisco 49ers‘ loss in Week 8. The 5-2 Seahawks are now tied with the Los Angeles Rams for first place in the NFC West. If the Seahawks do make a move, linebacker and offensive line are two position groups to watch, per Dugar. It feels like a broken record, but the Seahawks offensive line continues to be a work in progress.
“The Browns (Joel Bitonio, Wyatt Teller) and Titans (Kevin Zeitler) have veteran guards on expiring contracts, though those teams might not see value in worsening the supporting casts in front of their rookie quarterbacks,” Dugar wrote in an October 28, story titled, “Trade deadline options: Seahawks should be buyers, even if a big deal seems unlikely.”
“Although the Jets might feel great after their first victory of the Aaron Glenn era, they could still sell off an expiring-contract player like left guard John Simpson. Evan Neal of the Giants might not be an upgrade, but the cost would likely be low, and Schneider is not afraid to take a swing on a first-round pick (Neal was selected No. 7 in 2022).”
The Seahawks are a 3.5-point favorite versus the Commanders in the Sunday Night Football matchup, per DraftKings.
Nikola Jovic breakout is finally incoming if former front office exec is right
The Miami Heat has seen both the good and bad from Nikola Jovic to start the season, but he continues to get love as a player who is primed for a breakout year. And if one former front office executive is proven right, Jovic will end up being one of the few young players who will truly hit his stride this season.
According to John Hollinger, Jovic was listed as one of his 10 breakout players from this season. In the same conversation as Bennedict Mathurin, Matas Buzelis, and others, Jovic finds himself in great company.
Jovic will have to prove it, though, and his performance has been pretty up and down to start the year for the Heat.
Considering his consistency (and availability) has always been an issue, it's certainly something to keep monitoring as we get deeper into the season. Through three games, Jovic is averaging 12 points, five rebounds, and three assists per game on 46 percent shooting from the field and 40 percent shooting from 3-point range.
However, he's had only one game truly worthy to be labeled as a "breakout" performance. That came against the Memphis Grizzlies, in which Jovic finished with 20 points, six rebounds, and four assists. But if you remove that game, Jovic is only averaging seven points and four rebounds on 31 percent shooting from the field.
Nikola Jovic should feast against second units
There's no question that if Jovic is going to live up to the expectations of a breakout player this year, he needs to be more consistent. Add in the fact that Jovic is likely going to play the bulk of his minutes (coming off the bench) against opposing teams' second units, and there isn't much of an excuse for him.
After starting on opening night, there's an expectation that Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra is going to stick with the starting frontcourt duo of Bam Adebayo and Kel'el Ware moving forward.
That means Jovic is likely going to remain in his role of coming off the bench for the foreseeable future. In such a role, Jovic should be feasting. He has the green light as soon as he enters the game, and should be relied on heavily as one of the team's most talented players on the second unit.
The Heat have gotten off to a somewhat surprisingly good start to the year, but if Jovic is able to put together the breakout year that many are predicting, this already altered ceiling for the Heat is only naturally going to rise even higher.
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