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The Seattle Seahawks officially activated Pro Bowl safety Julian Love and veteran defensive tackle Jarran Reed from injured reserve on December 6, clearing both to play in Week 14’s road showdown against the Atlanta Falcons.

Seattle also elevated running back and returner Velus Jones Jr. from the practice squad, finalizing its game-day roster tweaks ahead of Sunday’s kick at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

The moves arrive with the Seahawks sitting at 9-3 and firmly in the mix for both the NFC West crown and the conference’s No. 1 seed, backed by a defense that already ranks among the league’s top units in scoring, run defense, sacks and takeaways.

Seahawks Activate Love & Reed, Elevate Velus Jones Jr. in Final Roster Moves

Love and Reed had their practice windows opened earlier in the week, but Saturday’s transactions made it official: both starters are back on the 53-man roster after extended injury absences.

Love has missed nine of the past 10 games while dealing with a hamstring injury that landed him on injured reserve after a strong start to the season. Reed has been sidelined for the last four contests following a second surgery to repair a fracture in his right hand.

Seattle didn’t need to make additional cuts to create room. Earlier in the week, the Seahawks waived running back Myles Gaskin and defensive tackle Quinton Bohanna, opening two roster spots; Gaskin returned on the practice squad, while Bohanna was claimed by the Green Bay Packers.

Jones’ elevation gives Seattle an extra backfield and special-teams option with No. 3 running back George Holani on injured reserve. It’s the second straight week Jones has been called up, signaling trust in his ability to handle return duties and depth snaps on offense.

Head coach Mike Macdonald has said there’s a return plan in place for Love, but no strict snap-count limitation has been publicly announced, suggesting the staff is comfortable leaning on the veteran safety as needed.

What a Fully Healthy Defense Means for Mike Macdonald vs. Falcons

With Love and Reed back, this is as close to full strength as Macdonald’s defense has been all season — and potentially the first time Seattle has its preferred starting 11 available together for a full game.

Even while shuffling pieces, Seattle has climbed into the NFL’s top tier defensively, ranking third in scoring defense and near the top of the league in rush defense, sacks and interceptions. Reed’s return bolsters a front that’s already top-two against the run and top-four in sacks, while Love’s versatility and communication stabilize a secondary that sits near the top of the league in picks. 

That matters against a Falcons team that, at 4-8, has struggled to find consistency but still features explosive talent, including running back Bijan Robinson, who is closing in on 1,000 rushing yards. Reed’s power inside and gap discipline are key to keeping Robinson in check, while Love’s range on the back end helps against play-action shots and tight-window throws.

If Seattle’s starters stay on the field, Macdonald can lean deeper into his pressure packages, simulated blitz looks and late-rotation coverages that helped fuel the team’s emergence as a top-five defense earlier in the year. 

Stats, Schedule & Context for Seahawks’ NFC Race
Record: Seahawks enter Week 14 at 9-3, right in the thick of a crowded NFC race for the top playoff seed. 
Defensive ranks: Seattle ranks third in scoring defense and top-four in both rush defense and sacks, plus near the top of the league in interceptions. 
Injury timeline: Love missed nine of the last 10 games (hamstring) and Reed missed the last four (hand) before being activated from IR this weekend. 
Week 14 matchup: Seahawks at Falcons, Sunday, December 7, 2025, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, airing on FOX. 
Falcons context: Atlanta is 4-8 and 3rd in the NFC South, averaging just over 20 points per game but still capable of explosive outings. 

If Love and Reed look like themselves immediately, Seattle’s defense — already one of the NFL’s stingiest — could get another late-season jolt at the exact moment the NFC playoff race tightens.

Erik Anderson is an award-winning sports journalist covering the NBA and NFL for Heavy.com. Anderson is also the host of The Rip City Pod on The I-5 Corridor, where he dives into the stories and personalities shaping the Portland Trail Blazers. His work has appeared in nationally-recognized outlets including The New York Times, Associated Press , USA Today, and ESPN. More about Erik Anderson

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