The Seahawks waived cornerback Tre Flowers on Wednesday, parting ways with a cornerback who had been a starter for much of his four seasons with the Seahawks.
A fifth-round pick out of Oklahoma State, where he played safety, Flowers converted to cornerback with the Seahawks and ended up starting as a rookie. Flowers started 30 games his first two seasons, then was in and out of the lineup in 2020, starting seven games before ending up on injured reserve.
Flowers began this season as the starting right cornerback after a training camp that featured open competitions at both cornerback spots, but the Seahawks made a change in Week 4, inserting Sidney Jones IV into the starting lineup at left cornerback, with D.J. Reed moving from the left to the right side, taking Flowers' spot. In his four seasons with the Seahawks, Flowers started 40 of 47 games played, recording 212 tackles, 16 passes defensed, three interceptions, five forced fumbles and 2.0 sacks.
Waiving Flowers leaves the Seahawks with an open spot on the 53-man roster. The move leaves Seattle with four outside cornerbacks currently on the roster—Reed, Jones, John Reid and Bless Austin—but rookie Tre Brown has returned to practice and could be activated from injured reserve this week if the Seahawks want more depth there.
The Seahawks also made a practice squad move, signing quarterback Danny Etling. Etling, a seventh-round pick out of LSU in 2018, spent last season on Seattle's practice squad, then signed a reserve/future contract following the seasons. He was waived by Seattle early in training camp, then claimed off waivers by the Vikings, who waived him later in camp. Prior to joining the Seahawks, Etling previously spent time with the Patriots, who drafted him in 2018, as well as the Falcons.
With Russell Wilson recovering from finger surgery, Etling gives the Seahawks a third healthy quarterback behind Geno Smith and Jake Luton.
The Seahawks and the Steelers will meet on Saturday in Pittsburgh at Acrisure Stadium for their first preseason game of the 2022 season.. Take a look back at photos from the past games between the two teams.
Franco Harris of the Pittsburgh Steelers kept Seattle's Sammy Green at arm's length Sunday, Dec. 5, 1977 in second half action. (AP Photo)
Steelers Frank Lewis (43) is caught by Seattle cornerback Eddie McMillan, right, in the second half of the game. Pa. Steelers won, 30-20. (AP Photo)
Steve Largent of the Seattle Seahawks runs with the ball during game action against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Nov. 8, 1981. (AP Photo)
Pittsburgh Steelers running back Franco Harris (32) is tackled for no gain by Seattle Seahawk conerback Keith Simpson (42) in the first quarter of their National Football League game in the Seattle Kingdome, Nov. 28, 1982. (AP Photo/Gary Stewart)
Franco Harris (32) of the Pittsburgh Steelers slides into the end zone for six points after being hit by Kenny Easley (45) and Kerry Justin of the Seattle Seahawks in the first quarter of their game in Seattle, Wash., Oct. 23, 1983. (AP Photo/Barry Sweet)
Seattle Seahawks linebacker Brian Bosworth (55) in action during a 13 - 9 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on December 6, 1987 at The Kingdome in Seattle, Washington. (AP Photo / Al Messerschmidt)
FILE - In this Dec. 26, 1993, file photo, Seattle Seahawks quarterback, Rick Mirer (3) is sacked for a seven-yard-loss by Pittsburgh Steelers' Kevin Henry (76) during the second quarter of an NFL game in Seattle. Mirer and New England Patriots quarterback Drew Bledsoe were drafted back-to-back as No. 1 and 2. (AP Photos/Gary Stewart, File)
Seattle Seahawks punt returner Charlie Rogers (31) evades Pittsburgh Steelers' John Fiala as he runs the Josh Miller punt back for a touchdown in the first quarter in Pittsburgh on Sunday, Sept. 26, 1999. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)
Seattle Seahawks' Koren Robinson (81) flips while being tackled by Pittsburgh Steelers' Brent Alexander on a second-quarter pass play Sunday, Nov. 2, 2003, in Seattle. Robinson had 51 yards receiving in the Seahawks' 23-16 victory. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Seattle Seahawks running back Shaun Alexander (37) tries to break away from Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu during the first quarter of the Super Bowl XL football game, Sunday, Feb. 5, 2006, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) is pursued by Seattle Seahawks defensive end Bryce Fisher (94) in the second quarter during the Super Bowl XL football game Sunday, Feb. 5, 2006, in Detroit. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Holmgren, left and Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Bill Cowher greet each other before the Super Bowl XL football game, Sunday, Feb. 5, 2006, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Seattle Seahawks cornerback Marcus Trufant, right, breaks up a pass to Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Cedric Wilson in the first quarter of the football game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Oct. 7, 2007. The Steelers won 21-0. (AP Photo/Joe Sargent)
Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch evades a tackle from Steelers linebacker James Harrison and takes off down the field during a game on September 18, 2011. The Steelers defeated the Seahawks 24-0
Seattle Seahawks defensive back Richard Sherman (25) waits for the snap during an NFL game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, Nov. 29, 2015, in Seattle, Wash. The Seahawks won the game, 39-30. (Greg Trott via AP)
Seattle Seahawks running back Thomas Rawls (34) in action during an NFL football game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Seattle Seahawks Sunday, November 29, 2015, in Seattle, WA. (Tom Hauck via AP)
Seattle Seahawks tight end Will Dissly (88) makes a touchdown catch past Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Devin Bush (55) and other defenders in the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 15, 2019, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Don Wright)
Seattle Seahawks outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney (90) deflects a pass by Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) as he is blocked by offensive tackle Alejandro Villanueva (78) in the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 15, 2019, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Seahawks defensive tackle Poona Ford makes a tackle early in the game.
