Seahawks waive kick returner Laviska Shenault Jr.
Dec 2, 2024, 2:48 PM
Laviska Shenault Jr. of the Seattle Seahawks returns a kick against the Rams on Nov. 3, 2024. (Rio Giancarlo/Getty Images)
(Rio Giancarlo/Getty Images)
The Seattle Seahawks waived kick returner and wide receiver Laviska Shenault Jr. on Monday.
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The move comes one day after Shenault muffed two kick returns in Seattle’s 26-21 win over the New York Jets. The first muff forced the Seahawks to begin a drive at their own 12-yard line. The second muff resulted in a fumble that handed New York the ball at Seattle’s 38-yard line. Shenault also lost a fumble on a kickoff during the Seahawks’ 36-24 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in Week 6.
Shenault’s issues handling the ball overshadowed his big-play ability, which he displayed with a 97-yard kickoff return touchdown in that loss to the 49ers. He is one of just six players with a kick return touchdown this season under the NFL’s new kickoff rules.
Shenault, who signed a one-year deal with Seattle in April, served alongside rookie return specialist Dee Williams as the team’s two primary kick returners this season. Shenault returned 16 kicks for 459 yards, averaging 28.7 yards per return. He also had five catches for 36 yards and one carry for 1 yard. He played just 45 offensive snaps in 11 games.
Shenault, a 2020 second-round draft pick by Jacksonville, reached the 600-yard receiving mark in each of his first two seasons with the Jaguars. But after being traded to Carolina, his production dipped. He totaled 272 yards receiving in 2022 and then just 60 yards last year while missing half the season with injuries.
Shenault was looking to revive his career in Seattle, where his Swiss Army knife skill set earned him a roster spot after a strong preseason campaign.
Shenault isn’t the only Seahawks returner who has struggled to keep control of the ball. Williams lost a muffed punt against the Denver Broncos in Week 1, muffed a kick against the 49ers in Week 6 and then lost a fumble on a kick return against the Jets on Sunday.
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