With the NFL’s roster transactions for Friday now official, Seattle Seahawks sixth-round draft pick D.J. James will head into the weekend without a team.
After an inconsistent preseason, James was waived by the Seahawks during Tuesday’s roster cuts, making him the only member of Seattle’s 2024 draft class not to make the 53-man roster. The former Auburn cornerback figured to be a leading candidate to make the initial practice squad, but even that didn’t materialize.
What’s most interesting is that of the 25 waived draft picks, only James and Indianapolis Colts cornerback Micah Abraham (son of former Tampa Bay Buccaneers star Donnie Abraham) are still free agents. Everyone else has signed to the practice squad of the team that waived them, signed to the practice squad of another team, or claimed off waivers.
Chris Jahnke did some incredible work tabulating every draft pick to determine how many made their respective teams and who landed elsewhere.
Minnesota Vikings draft pick Khyree Jackson, sadly, had to be excluded due to his tragic death earlier this summer.
It’s an interesting peculiarity that James hasn’t immediately found his next team, and there’s not really any indication the Seahawks want him back. With Artie Burns aggravating his toe injury, the Seahawks have signed cornerbacks Josh Jobe and Faion Hicks in lieu of James.
We’re still a week out from the start of the regular season, but it seems as if despite the high regard for James as a potential sixth-round steal, the immediate interest in his services is low.
ESPN’s Brady Henderson reported that James was scheduled to visit with the New York Giants for a practice squad spot, but it looks like it hasn’t resulted in a contract. Given the frequency of practice squad changes, we’ll see if James is signed somewhere (Seattle included) sooner rather than later.
