Seahawks safety Nick Emmanwori passes physical as he nears return from ankle surgery

RENTON, Wash. (AP) — Seahawks safety Nick Emmanwori passed his physical, the team said Tuesday, taking an important step toward being activated from the physically unable to perform list.

Seattle is hoping Emmanwori will be ready to play when it opens the 2026 NFL schedule on Sept. 9, hosting New England in a Super Bowl rematch.

Emmanwori suffered a low ankle sprain four days before the Super Bowl , but played through the injury to help Seattle win the title. The second-year player began training camp on the PUP list after undergoing offseason ankle surgery.

“I think the best way to describe it is something that he’s been dealing with since the Super Bowl,” coach Mike Macdonald said in July. “He was able to perform, did some things in the offseason program, but he just got to the point where it was the best for him for the long term to just go ahead and get it fixed.”

Emmanwori had 11 passes defended, an interception and 2 1/2 sacks in 14 games for Seattle. He finished runner-up in balloting for AP Defensive Rookie of the Year.

After wearing a boot and using a scooter earlier in training camp, Emmanwori has more recently been walking around under his own power during practice.

Fullback Robbie Ouzts was placed on season-ending injured reserve Tuesday. When most recently asked about Ouzts, Macdonald did not share details about why the second-year player was sidelined.

Ouzts played in 12 games last season. He was inactive for both the NFC championship game and the Super Bowl because of a neck injury.

Brady Russell, who last season switched from tight end to fullback, is the most likely candidate to replace Ouzts.

Seattle also signed former New England Patriots safety Brock Lampe last week.

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