Seahawks Gameday: Roster moves ahead of facing un-retiring Philip Rivers, Colts

It’s become one of the more interesting games of any recent NFL regular season.

First, a prelude.

The Seahawks’ Saturday was newsy ahead of Seattle (10-3) hosting 44-year-old quarterback Philip Rivers coming out of five years in retirement to start for the Indianapolis Colts (8-5) at Lumen Field (1:25 p.m., CBS television, KIRO-7 locally).

The Seahawks activated three players off injured reserve to the 53-man active roster: center Jalen Sundell, tight end Eric Saubert and, for the first time since they drafted him this spring, rookie defensive end Rylie Mills. Sundell and Saubert are likely to play against the Colts.

Though coach Mike Macdonald has avoided declaring it all week, it appears Sundell will return to being the starting center he was before he injured his knee last month, though he has experienced for the Seattle the last two seasons at guard. Olu Oluwatimi drew coaches’ praise for how he played in the last four games starting at center for Sundell.

“There’ll be a center out there on Sunday, I promise,” Macdonald said.

Saubert, 31, signed a one-year contract extension for 2026 on Saturday. The team had signed the ninth-year veteran standout in blocking and on special teams to a one-year deal this past spring. He played in seven games before he’s missed the last six with a calf injury.

“’Saub’ is the man. Got some great vibe-ry about him, the confidence that he brings,” Seahawks veteran wide receiver Cooper Kupp said this game week. “Just picking up guys around him, he’s awesome. He’s an awesome player for us.

“And as it’s been documented, he is probably the funniest guy on the team. …Everyone here loves him.

“It’s going to be great to have him back.”

Seattle drafted Mills in the fifth round this year. The team knew he’d miss most of this season recovering from reconstructive knee surgery. He got hurt in the first game of Notre Dame’s run in the College Football Playoff 12 months ago. He may need more than this first full week of practice since he last played a year ago to be ready to make his debut on the Seahawks’ defensive line.

“He is really strong. He’s conscientious. He wants to play well,” Macdonald said of Mills from his first practice days with the Seahawks. “He plays hard, and he’s emotional. It matters to him, and that’s really cool.

“If and when activated, he’ll be ready to go.”

The Seahawks had two open spots on their active roster entering the weekend after they waived veteran cornerback Shaquill Griffin and running back Cam Akers. Griffin and Akers signed back to Seattle on its practice squad Saturday. The Seahawks released running back Myles Gaskin and rookie wide receiver Jimmy Holiday from the practice squad. The third opening to the roster to add Mills was the team placing rookie tight end Elijah Arroyo on injured reserve Saturday. He injured his knee early in the team’s win at Atlanta last week.

The team again elevated running back Velus Jones Jr. from the practice squad for the game against the Colts. That’s the third time the Seahawks have done that.

Seattle Seahawks center Jalen Sundell (61) walks out before the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Lumen Field, on Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025, in Seattle.

Keys to Colts game

The Colts on Saturday announced they elevated Rivers from the practice squad they signed him to this past week. He is going to start after just three full practices with the team he played his last NFL game for at the end of the 2020 season.

Expect the coach and defensive mastermind Mike Macdonald to do more of what he does against QBs who have played every week the last few years: disguise and change coverages moving do-it-all rookie Nick Emmanwori and Pro Bowl cornerback Devon Witherspoon around the field before snaps.

Seahawks sacks leaders Leonard Williams, DeMarcus Lawrence and Byron Murphy have succeeded through 13 games pressuring quarterbacks far more mobile than a 44-year-old grandfather. It’s likely Macdonald will add to that blitzing Emmanwori and Witherspoon off the edge to box the static Rivers inside his own offensive tackles.

If the Seahawks get to Rivers as they have most other quarterbacks to become fourth in the NFL with 41 sacks, they will force Rivers’ passing game to be quick, short throws. All season, Witherspoon, Emmanwori, cornerback Josh Jobe and the defense’s back seven have made sure tackles to keep short passes as short gains.

It appears the desperate Colts, starting Rivers with three quarterbacks injured, plays into the Seahawks’ strengths on defense.

Asked what he thought of Rivers returning to play after five years in retirement, Seattle’s Williams, in his 11th NFL season, said: “It couldn’t be me. I feel like if I were retired that long it would be hard to come back into the NFL.

“Either way I feel like we always focus on ourselves regardless of who is playing. We want to rush and get to the quarterback regardless of who the quarterback is.”

Philip Rivers #17 of the Indianapolis Colts watches action during a game against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium on November 12, 2020 in Nashville, Tennessee. The Colts on Dec. 10, 2025, signed Rivers back to the NFL, to their practice squad, out of five years of retirement. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)

2nd key: Slow Jonathan Taylor

The Colts’ obvious strategy to make Rivers’ re-debut easier is to run NFL rushing leader Jonathan Taylor (1,356 yards) even more than the 19 carries he averages per game, second-most in the league.

“They’ve got an extremely good running game. It’s one of the best I’ve seen,” Seahawks defensive coordinator Aden Durde said. “I think the O-line are cohesive and connected. They play well. They run off the ball. They’re physical. And their runner is excellent.

“Jonathan Taylor doesn’t fall backwards much. He’s got elite acceleration and elite speed. He’s going to be a challenge for us.”

Seattle is fourth in the league in rushing defense allowing 91 yards per game. If they keep Taylor below that number that likely will keep the Colts from a lot of short-yardage third downs. Then the Seahawks’ pass rush can get after the stationary Rivers in obvious passing situations.

The pick

Rivers doesn’t get carried out of Lumen Field broken in half, as some are predicting. But the Seahawks manage Taylor’s day enough that they pressure Rivers with Macdonald’s tricks and schemes. That will prove decisive to beat a Colts team that has lost four of five games since a 7-1 start.

Seahawks 24, Colts 13

Seahawks Gameday: Roster moves ahead of facing un-retiring Philip Rivers, Colts

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