Seahawks cut Will Tukuafu, add RB Terrence Magee to practice squad

RENTON – The Seahawks have released fullback Will Tukuafu. That move was listed on the NFL’s Wednesday transaction report along with Seattle’s signing of running back Terrance Magee to the team’s practice squad.

No corresponding move was listed or announced with Seattle’s 53-man roster, which has an opening with Tukuafu gone.

Gone for now, at least.

When the Seahawks released Tukuafu while setting their initial 53-man roster before the first week of the regular season, it gave them some contractual flexibility. As a player with more than four years of NFL experience, Tukuafu is what’s known as a vested veteran. As such, his entire salary for the 2016 season would have become fully guaranteed had he been on Seattle’s roster in Week 1, even if he had been released the following week or at any other point.

By releasing Tukuafu before the opener, the Seahawks gave themselves the ability to bring him back – which they did a week later – and release him as they please without being on the hook for his entire 2016 salary. They could essentially pay him on a week-by-week basis.

So while Tukuafu is gone for the second time in less than three weeks, there’s a decent chance that he could be back at some point.

Former Husky Tani Tupou played fullback for the Seahawks in Week 1 before they re-signed Tukuafu. He played seven snaps at fullback and four on special teams Sunday against Los Angeles.

Magee is a second-year player from LSU who spent time with Baltimore last season as an undrafted rookie and was with the Rams this past offseason. He’s listed at 5 feet 8 and 214 pounds.

His addition to the practice squad comes on the heels of Thomas Rawls sustaining a leg injury against Los Angeles. Coach Pete Carroll said Rawls is expected to play against San Francisco but that he’ll be limited in practice, at least on Wednesday.