The Seahawks made a special teams-focused roster move Tuesday, activating wide receiver Irv Charles from injured reserve and opening the door for him to make his Seattle debut Thursday against the Denver Broncos.
To create space on the 53-man roster, the team released running back and kick returner Velus Jones Jr.
Charles had been designated to return to practice last Wednesday after opening the season on the physically unable to perform list with an undisclosed injury. Seattle brought him in through a May trade with the Jets, sending New York a conditional seventh-round pick in the 2028 draft.
The 29-year-old is expected to matter most for what he does away from the ball. In 25 combined games with the Jets across the 2023 and 2024 seasons, Charles logged 450 special-teams snaps, made 14 tackles and blocked a punt.
He has barely played on offense in his career, with just 53 offensive snaps and no catches on two targets. The 6-foot-4 receiver also missed the final four games of the 2024 season and all of 2025 after tearing his ACL in December 2024.
Seattle’s special teams picture has been uneven in spots this season. Opponents have tried to return only three of the Seahawks’ 20 punts, and the team has not given up a punt return yard. Kick coverage has been another story, though, with Seattle allowing 29 yards per kickoff return, the fourth-highest figure in the NFL after ranking tied for fourth-best last season at 24 yards per return.
Jones, 29, had appeared in seven games over the last two seasons with Seattle, mostly as a special-teams piece. In four games this year, he recorded two kickoff returns for 40 yards and two tackles on special teams, while also playing two offensive snaps without posting a stat.
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