The Seahawks found themselves short-handed at tackle due to injuries during Sunday's mock game, and with their first preseason game coming up this weekend, they have added depth at that position, signing Lukayus McNeil, a versatile lineman who went undrafted out of Louisville in 2019.
The Seahawks also made a change at receiver, signing Anthony Ratliff-Williams and waiving Darece Roberson, who was signed just before the start of training camp. Tight end Michael Jacobson, a former college basketball player who was signed last week, was also waived to make room on the 90-man roster.
McNeil, who is 6-foot-6, 328 pounds, signed with the Raiders as an undrafted free agent in 2019, later signed with Dallas, then was signed to Atlanta's practice squad in October of his rookie year. McNeil was not on an NFL roster last year.
At Louisville, McNeil started 46 of 49 career games played, playing both tackle at guard. At Decatur Central High School in Indianapolis, McNeil was a three-sport athlete, who in addition to being a football standout, also averaged 14.0 points and 16.0 rebounds as a senior in basketball, and was a state champion in the shot put with a throw of 61 feet, 10 inches.
McNeil steps into a position group that has had its depth tested of late, with Jamarco Jones (back spasms), Cedric Ogbuehi (bicep strain) and Tommy Champion (groin) all dealing with injuries, and with starting left tackle Duane Brown also currently not practicing.
Ratliff-Williams, who went undrafted out of North Carolina in 2018, signed with the Tennessee Titans as an undrafted free agent in 2019, and later spent time on the Raiders' practice squad. A former high school quarterback, Ratliff-Williams converted to receiver at North Carolina and earned All-ACC honorable mention honors in 2018 when he had 42 catches for 689 yards and two scores. Ratliff-Williams also returned kicks at North Carolina and earned first-team All-ACC honors as a return specialist as a sophomore when he had 895 kickoff return yards, the second highest total in the nation in 2017.
