Seahawks sign Myles Gaskin to practice squad

 By Bob CondottaSeattle Times staff reporter

RENTON — Myles Gaskin began Wednesday at his home in Lynnwood, fulfilling the duties of a new father.

“Burping my daughter and all that good stuff,” he said.

Then the phone rang and he had to set his 11-week-old daughter down to take a call from the Seahawks.

A few hours later, he was in the locker room at the VMAC, putting on a helmet and shoulder pads and getting ready for the team’s afternoon workout as a newly signed member of the Seahawks’ practice squad.

“Quick turnaround,’’ said Gaskin, the former UW and O’Dea High standout.

He hopes it turns into a long stay.

Related More Seahawks

Gaskin took the place on the practice squad of veteran Khalil Herbert, who was signed last week but terminated his contract with the Seahawks on Wednesday, possibly with an eye toward signing with another team. 

AdvertisingSkip Ad

That left the Seahawks with just three running backs on their roster and appears to have elicited the quick call to Gaskin to assure they had another in preparing for Sunday’s game against Tampa Bay.

Herbert and Gaskin had tryouts with the Seahawks as the team sought to replenish its practice squad after placing rookie Jacardia Wright on injured reserve with a foot injury suffered against the New Orleans Saints. 

Wright’s injury came a few days after the Seahawks released rookie seventh-round draft pick Damien Martinez off the practice squad. Martinez had a recent tryout with the Colts but remains a free agent.

The Seahawks signed Herbert last week as a fourth running back on the overall roster behind the three who are on the 53-man roster — Kenneth Walker III, Zach Charbonnet and George Holani.

Gaskin takes Herbert’s place as the fourth running back.

It’s a long time coming for the Lynnwood native who said he always hoped his football path would at some point lead to the Seahawks.

“Dream come true,” he said. “But I’m here to just help this team doing anything I can. I showed up late, so I’m kind of running behind. Got to learn the plays. But I’m able to take this in for what it is, but at this moment just trying to pick up this playbook as fast as I can.”

After leaving UW as the leading rusher in school history with 5,323 yards, he was taken in the seventh round of the 2019 draft by the Miami Dolphins.

He spent four years there, starting 17 games in the 2020 and 2021 seasons, with a career-high 612 yards in 2021.

He’s played sparingly since leaving Miami after the 2022 season, seeing action in one game with the Rams in 2023 and seven games with the Vikings in the 2023 and 2024 seasons, with three carries for minus-1 yard last year in Minnesota.

Your dose of local sports news. Delivered Monday through Friday.

Gaskin spent about three weeks in camp with the Baltimore Ravens in August before being released Aug. 27.

He returned to the Seattle area and continued to train, waiting for another chance with the NFL.

After the Seahawks signed Herbert following the tryout last week he wasn’t sure what to expect until the Seahawks called Wednesday.

“Shoot, since draft day, man,” he said of if he ever dreamed of putting on a Seahawks uniform for real. “Probably since I was a little kid, honestly. But I always had some hope. Always held out hope and prayed to God that I would hopefully get signed, get signed, get signed. Luckily it’s here.”

Being back in town allowed Gaskin to partake in something over the weekend he hadn’t since his college days — attending a game at Husky Stadium.

Gaskin was introduced as the Husky Legend for the Ohio State game between the first and second quarters.

“It was a beautiful thing,” he said. “It was great to be back there. I ain’t seen a Husky game in Husky Stadium since last time I played in Husky Stadium. A beautiful thing. Had all my family, all my friends out there.”

Now the hope is they may have a need to go to Lumen Field and see him play again.

With Walker, Charbonnet (who missed the Saints game with a toe/foot injury but returned against Arizona on Thursday) and Holani all healthy, Gaskin may not be needed immediately. 

But as he learned again Wednesday morning, things move quickly in the NFL.

And as he pulled on his No. 22 jersey, he saw a few familiar faces, notably that of quarterback Sam Darnold, whom he played with last year in Minnesota.

He said he needed no real introduction to the rest of the Seahawks’ running backs room.

“They’ve got some great running backs,’’ Gaskin, 28, said. “I’m always keeping track of Seattle. … Zach, K9 (Walker) them dudes have been doing exactly what they are supposed to do so hopefully I can learn as much as I can from them and help them grow, being a little bit older, being able to speak to what I’ve seen in my past. But those guys know how to play ball at a high level.”

Injury report: Lawrence, Witherspoon, Love sit out

Three key defensive players sat out practice Wednesday because of injury — defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence (quadriceps), safety Julian Love (hamstring) and cornerback Devon Witherspoon (knee). Also out was offensive tackle Josh Jones (knee).

Everyone else was listed as a full participant including rookie safety Nick Emmanwori, who has missed the past three games with a high ankle sprain.

Jones sat out against Arizona, while Lawrence was injured against the Cardinals after playing just 10 snaps.

Coach Mike Macdonald said before practice the team was taking it day to day with Lawrence, but that for now it is not expected he would need a stint on injured reserve.

“With D-Law we’re going to play it day by day,’’ he said. “I can’t give you what’s going to happen right now, but we’ll see as the week unfolds.”

Love and Witherspoon returned to play against the Cardinals after missing time with their injuries. Each could be getting a rest day, but their status will obviously be worth monitoring moving forward.

Note

Guard Christian Haynes (pec) and nose tackle Johnathan Hankins (back) are eligible to return to practice. Haynes is on IR and Hankins on the non-football injury list. But Macdonald said neither player will return this week.

Bob Condotta: bcondotta@seattletimes .com. Bob Condotta is a sports reporter at The Seattle Times who primarily covers the Seahawks but also dabbles in other sports. He has worked at The Times since 2002, reporting on University of Washington Husky football and basketball for his first 10 years at the paper before switching to the Seahawks in 2013.