When a team regular gets cut, it always raises eyebrows. Mike Macdonald made a surprising roster move that shook the locker room after he cut a rising standout, Derion Kendrick. The decision raised questions, and recently, a Seattle reporter revealed deeper issues and a coaching standard that leaves no room for compromise. 

“That touchdown on the punt return in Tennessee Sunday ticked off coach Mike Macdonald. Likely partly why the Seahawks cut gunner/CB Derion Kendrick today,” Gregg Bell reported on X. “He mentioned, not by player name, that the gunner screwed up. That, as Macdonald likes to say, was not Seahawks football.”

During the punt-return touchdown by Chimere Dike of the Tennessee Titans, Kendrick was observed to miss the angle, indicating a lack of effort. It seemed like he made a subpar effort on that punt return TD, jogging when he probably was one of the few who had an angle to catch him. Kendrick broke free and then headed to the sideline with speed, but slowed up, trusting Michael Dickson to make the play.

The moment that led to Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald opting for roster flexibility. Cutting Kendrick cleared space ahead of a key stretch of games despite his flashes of playmaking.  

Kendrick joined Seattle after being claimed off waivers on August 27. Early in the season, he flashed potential. In Week 2, he intercepted a pass against Aaron Rodgers that helped seal a 31-17 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. In Week 3, he snagged another interception in the blowout 44-13 victory over the New Orleans Saints.

Across 2025, Kendrick appeared in ten games. He recorded seven combined tackles, five pass deflections, and two interceptions, respectable numbers for a depth corner in a crowded secondary. However, over recent games, he has rarely seen the field on defense.

Seattle moves away from Kendrick ahead of the Vikings game

The Los Angeles Rams selected Kendrick in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Over his first two seasons, he made consistent starts and showed promise on the boundary. After missing all of 2024 with a torn ACL, he entered 2025 battling for his career. On August 27, the Seattle Seahawks claimed him off waivers, sending veteran cornerback Shaquill Griffin to the practice squad in the process. 

But as the season progressed, the Seahawks’ cornerback room got healthy and crowded. With starters settling in and other younger corners Riq Woolen, Devon Witherspoon, and Josh Jobe claiming most snaps, Kendrick’s opportunities shrank. 

Cutting Kendrick before the upcoming game against the Minnesota Vikings could also reflect roster math rather than a lack of faith. The Seahawks freed up a 53-man roster spot, a move that gives flexibility if injury or matchups demand adjustments elsewhere on defense or special teams.

For Kendrick, this waiver move isn’t the end. At 25, with two picks and recent playing time, he’s still an attractive depth piece for teams with thin secondaries. If he clears waivers, he could return to Seattle’s practice squad.

For Seattle, the upcoming meeting with Minnesota arrives at a pivotal moment. Sitting second in the NFC West, the Seahawks cannot afford a stumble with the division race tightening each week. An inconsistent Vikings team looks vulnerable, while the Seahawks have home advantage. Dropping this game would not only stall Seattle’s momentum but also reopen the playoff landscape with the 49ers having eight wins too.

Before kickoff, it is worth looking at how leadership shapes these high-pressure moments. That is where Champ Bailey’s thoughts on Sean Payton’s influence come in.