Seahawks Elevate Jimmy Ciarlo With Two LBs Out vs. Chiefs

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The Seattle Seahawks elevated linebacker Jimmy Ciarlo from the practice squad on Saturday, October 24, making him available for Sunday night’s Week 7 game against the Kansas City Chiefs. The timing is meaningful: Seattle has ruled out linebackers Drake Thomas and Chazz Surratt for the second straight game.

Ciarlo is not the favorite to replace Thomas in the starting lineup. Tyrice Knight started alongside Ernest Jones IV last week and recorded seven tackles. Ciarlo’s clearest path is as reserve linebacker depth and a special-teams contributor, with the inactive list and opening rotation determining whether his role expands.

What Seattle confirmed about Jimmy Ciarlo

Seattle’s official roster announcement confirms that Ciarlo and defensive back Trevon Diggs were elevated from the practice squad. The same update activated right guard Anthony Bradford from injured reserve and waived receiver Montorie Foster Jr.

This is Ciarlo’s second consecutive elevation. He made his Seahawks debut in the Week 6 overtime loss at Denver, recording one assisted tackle. The standard elevation makes him eligible for Sunday’s game without permanently occupying a spot on the 53-man roster.

Ciarlo’s official Seahawks profile lists him at 6-foot-2 and 229 pounds. Seattle signed him to the practice squad on September 30 after previous stops with the Jets, Bills, Dolphins and Titans.

Why the linebacker injuries matter

Seattle’s final Week 7 injury report rules out Thomas with an ankle injury and Surratt with a calf injury. Thomas will miss a second consecutive game, while Surratt will miss a fourth straight contest.

Knight remains the logical replacement for Thomas after starting in Denver and producing seven tackles. Ciarlo gives Seattle a second layer of protection behind Knight and Jones, while helping cover special-teams units that can lose multiple contributors when injuries thin one position group.

The move also matters because three outside linebackers carry game-status questions. Uchenna Nwosu, DeMarcus Lawrence and Connor O’Toole are all questionable. Their roles differ from Ciarlo’s off-ball assignment, but the broader uncertainty increases the value of every healthy linebacker available on game day.

Ciarlo’s Army background and NFL path

Seattle’s September practice-squad announcement notes that Ciarlo went undrafted out of Army in 2024 and missed his rookie season because of a knee injury. He appeared in one game with Buffalo in 2025 before moving through several practice squads.

The Seahawks’ current biography credits Ciarlo with 119 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss and two fumble recoveries across 40 games at Army. He was a senior captain, an important detail for a reserve linebacker whose fastest route to sticking on a roster is reliability in assignments and on special teams.

His Week 6 debut was modest on the stat sheet, but appearing one week and being elevated again the next suggests Seattle valued the job he did enough to keep the same depth solution while Thomas and Surratt remain unavailable.

Week 7 matchup impact against Kansas City

Seattle’s official matchup preview describes a difficult assignment against an unbeaten Kansas City offense. The Chiefs enter the game averaging 8.3 yards per pass attempt, while their 17.8 percent explosive-play rate ranks second in the league.

That is not a matchup that encourages experimental personnel. Seattle should lean on Knight and Jones for the core defensive workload, using Ciarlo only in defined packages or when rotation and game flow require it. His special-teams snaps may be more secure than his defensive snaps.

The Seahawks’ broadcast guide sets kickoff for 5:20 p.m. Pacific on Sunday, October 25, at Lumen Field. The game will air nationally on NBC.

Fantasy football and IDP advice

Ciarlo should remain on waivers in standard IDP leagues. One assisted tackle in his Seattle debut and a likely reserve role do not create a playable floor, even with two linebackers ruled out.

Knight is the more relevant short-term IDP name after starting last week and making seven tackles. Managers in tackle-heavy formats can monitor Knight’s usage, while Ciarlo belongs only on watch lists in very deep dynasty leagues or formats that score special-teams tackles.

The Ciarlo elevation is a small depth positive for the Seahawks D/ST, but it does not change the unit’s fantasy ranking by itself. Kansas City’s efficiency and explosive-play profile should carry far more weight in lineup decisions.

What to watch Sunday night

First, confirm that Ciarlo is active. Elevation makes him eligible but does not guarantee that he dresses. Second, track whether his opening snaps come exclusively on special teams or whether Seattle uses him in an early defensive rotation.

A repeat of last week’s limited role would confirm that he is emergency depth. Multiple defensive series, work next to Jones or Knight, or involvement in pressure packages would be evidence that Seattle’s confidence in him is growing.

Football Nation conclusion

Ciarlo’s second straight elevation is a practical response to a depleted linebacker room. Knight remains the expected starter and the better IDP target, while Ciarlo provides game-day insurance and special-teams help. His status is worth monitoring, but fantasy managers should wait for a real defensive snap share before investing.