The Seattle Seahawks have found a clever workaround to keep nose tackle Brandon Pili on the active roster, even after exhausting his three allowed practice squad elevations for the season. With Pili already having suited up against the Steelers, Cardinals, and Buccaneers, Seattle made the move to sign the 334-pound defensive lineman to the 53-man roster – a clear sign they value what he brings to the interior of their defensive line.

Here’s how they pulled it off: the team released wide receiver Cody White – again – to create the necessary roster space. And yes, that “again” is doing some heavy lifting here.

White has been on quite the roster rollercoaster this season, bouncing between the practice squad and the active roster multiple times. Luckily for Seattle, he’s a vested veteran, which means he doesn’t have to clear waivers before being re-signed.

That flexibility gives the Seahawks a strategic edge when managing depth, even if it’s undoubtedly a bit frustrating on White’s end.

By doing this, Seattle essentially creates a “pseudo-elevation” – keeping Pili available without burning one of those finite practice squad call-ups or risking losing a contributor like White to another team through waivers. It’s a subtle maneuver, but one that speaks to how teams can get creative when navigating the league’s roster rules.

As for Pili, his impact on the field has been limited so far – just 26 defensive snaps and a single tackle – but the move signals that the coaching staff sees value in keeping him around. Even if he’s not logging major minutes, his size and presence at nose tackle offer depth behind a defensive line that, to this point, has stayed relatively healthy.

What’s especially notable here is that a roster shuffle in the defensive secondary or at edge rusher might have been more expected, considering that’s where most of the team’s current injury concerns lie. So the decision to prioritize a depth piece on the interior could suggest the coaching staff feels confident with their options elsewhere – or that they see something in Pili’s development worth investing in for the long haul.

At the very least, this move reflects Seattle’s ongoing effort to balance short-term depth with long-term roster stability. And for Pili, it’s an opportunity to carve out a bigger role in one of the league’s more disciplined and tough-minded defensive units.