Seahawks waive kick returner, claim potential replacement
Dec 5, 2024, 2:50 PM
Dee Williams of the Seattle Seahawks runs with the ball during a 2024 game. (Rio Giancarlo/Getty Images)
(Rio Giancarlo/Getty Images)
The Seattle Seahawks continued an overhaul to their return game Thursday, waiving rookie cornerback Dee Williams and claiming wide receiver Jaelon Darden of waivers from the Cleveland Browns.
Bump: 3 candidates to fill Seattle Seahawks’ kick returner opening
Williams was waived just days after he fumbled a kickoff return during a disastrous special teams performance by Seattle in a wild 26-21 win over the New York Jets.
.@matayo_echols comes up with the ball!
📺 #SEAvsNYJ on FOX pic.twitter.com/1eRlgmmMS9
— New York Jets (@nyjets) December 1, 2024
Williams’ fumbled kickoff return was one of two for the Seahawks last Sunday. Laviska Shenault Jr., who the team waived Monday, also fumbled a return and nearly lost another. Shenault has since signed to the Los Angeles Chargers’ practice squad.
Williams, who went undrafted out of Tennessee, has had a number of struggles this season as Seattle’s primary return man. He also had two fumbles lost on punt returns and was averaging just 7.4 yards while handling every punt return for the team. Seattle ranks 29th as a team in punt return yard average and 31st in total punt return yards. Williams also returned nine kickoffs for 254 yards.
Darden was a fourth-round pick by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2021. The North Texas product has largely been used as a return specialist during his four pro seasons. He served as Tampa Bay’s primary punt returner in 2022 and claimed the same role with the Browns this season.
Darden has 234 punt return yards and is averaging 10.6 yards per attempts on 22 returns this season. He has also returned four kickoffs this year and 27 total during his time in the NFL.
As a receiver, Darden has nine catches for 75 yards in 31 career games, including one catch for 6 yards over seven games in 2024.
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