Drake Thomas Is Out for Denver, and Tyrice Knight Gets the Call

Drake Thomas is listed out for Sunday, which moves Tyrice Knight into a starting role at linebacker against Denver. The depth chart already had Thomas third at the position behind Rodney Thomas and Patrick O'Connell, so this isn't a case of losing a starter — but it does compress a group that doesn't have much behind it.

Knight has been active and healthy, and his season numbers — 67 tackles and 2 sacks across 17 games — suggest he's been a reliable contributor rather than a situational piece. Stepping into a fuller role against Denver is a different ask, but he's logged enough snaps this year that the coaching staff isn't going in blind with him.

The broader context is one I've been tracking for a few weeks now: Seattle's defense has been managing availability issues at multiple spots simultaneously. Ernest Jones IV remains the anchor of this linebacker group with 151 tackles and 6 interceptions on the season, and as long as he's healthy, the unit has its spine. Thomas being out for one game is manageable. It's just one more thing to watch on a defense that has had a lot of things to watch lately.