RENTON, Wash. – The Seattle Seahawks activated pass rusher Uchenna Nwosu from injured reserve on Thursday after a seven-game absence with a torn left thigh.

Nwosu has appeared in just one game this season for Seattle. A knee injury sustained in the team’s final preseason game against the Cleveland Browns on a questionable block from guard Wyatt Teller sidelined Nwosu for the first four games of the season. Upon returning to action against the New York Giants in Week 5, Nwosu played just 20 snaps before the thigh injury again took him out of the lineup.

“It’s been tough,” Nwosu said. “Pretty much my whole career I’ve dealt with little injuries there, but nothing that’s kept me out for this long.

“I feel like it’s really things that has kind of been out of my control, especially with the knee injury that I had. And then one thing leads to another, so who knows? Kind of just refiguring myself out and just trusting my process and knowing that I know my career is going to be great. I’m going to still be the same player I am and just continue to trust myself.” 

Nwosu was critical of the play Teller made that injured his knee back in August.

“I thought it was dirty, straight up,” he said. “I didn’t like it. It’s preseason. We were going to be there like two drives. But, it’s football. I get it, it’s football at the end of the day. But, it was definitely a dirty play.”

Nwosu said that he’d have a problem with the block even if it wasn’t preseason, too.

“I know you’re allowed to cut, but the way you cut you can’t do it going back towards your own end zone, and that’s what he did to me, so that’s what made it dirty,” Nwosu said.

After he tore his thigh in October, doctors said the injury wouldn’t require surgery. It just meant he had a lengthy wait before he’d be able to return to action. Nwosu said he believes he’ll be ready to play as much as needed for the Seahawks in Arizona on Sunday.

“That’s what I’m preparing for. That’s a coach’s decision at the end of the day. That’s out of my control, but I’m preparing to be able to play,” he said.

Nwosu was also announced to be the Seahawks’ Walker Payton Man of the Year Award nominee on Thursday for excellence on the field and in the community.

“It means a lot. To be able to be recognized for everything that I’m doing is great, but still a lot of work to be done and just want to keep it going. But, definitely thankful, grateful, and just keep it going,” Nwosu said.

Roster Moves:

The Seahawks claimed wide receiver/kick returner Jaelon Darden off waivers from the Cleveland Browns on Thursday and waived cornerback/kick returner Dee Williams to open a roster spot.

Darden has spent four years in the NFL with stops with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Browns prior to his arrival in Seattle. He’s appeared in 31 career games with just a lone start this year with Cleveland. He has nine receptions for 75 yards as receiver, but most of his time has come as a returner.

He has 78 career punt returns for 760 yards, and 27 kickoff returns for 565 yards. He doesn’t have a fumble, which was the issue last Sunday in New York for the Seahawks with three total fumbles, two of which were lost, between Williams and Laviska Shenault Jr.

Shenault signed with the Los Angeles Chargers practice squad on Thursday after being waived by Seattle on Monday.

Injury Report:

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