The Seattle Seahawks have made another decision on linebacker Power Echols after an eventful month for the former North Carolina captain.
Seattle waived Echols from injured reserve with an injury settlement on Saturday, September 5, according to the NFL transaction wire. The move comes less than two weeks after Echols finished the preseason with 12 tackles in two games and just days before the defending Super Bowl champions begin their season against the New England Patriots on September 9.
It is the latest turn in a Seahawks stint that has already included two signings, two departures and a trip to injured reserve in less than a month.
Seattle first signed Echols on August 7, only to waive him the following day when the Seahawks needed a roster spot for running back Justin Jones. The Seahawks then brought Echols back on August 17.
That second opportunity gave him a longer look.
Echols appeared in Seattle's final two preseason games and recorded four tackles against the Tennessee Titans before finishing with eight against the Kansas City Chiefs . He totaled 12 tackles, including four solo stops, over those two appearances.
Seattle nevertheless waived Echols with an injury designation on August 30 while setting its initial regular-season roster. After going unclaimed, he landed on injured reserve. The Seahawks had not publicly specified the nature of his injury as of September 5.
Saturday's settlement changes the path forward.
Rather than remaining on Seattle's injured reserve, Echols is being waived following the settlement. Players with fewer than four credited seasons are subject to the NFL waiver system, meaning other teams have an opportunity to claim the contract before the player becomes a free agent if he clears.
The NFL Players Association explains that an injury settlement also ends several continuing obligations a club otherwise has to an injured player, including treatment and potential salary-related protections associated with remaining on IR.
Echols, 23, has yet to appear in a regular-season NFL game, but his college résumé and late-preseason production explain why Seattle gave him multiple opportunities this summer.
He started 39 games over his final three seasons at North Carolina and finished his Tar Heels career with 307 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, four interceptions and three forced fumbles. Echols earned All-ACC recognition three times, including third-team honors in 2023.
He originally entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Chicago Bears in 2025 and later spent time on the Bears and Houston Texans practice squads before joining Seattle.
Making Seattle's active roster was always going to be difficult. The Seahawks entered September with an established group at inside linebacker led by second-team All-Pro Ernest Jones IV and Tyrice Knight . Jones finished Seattle's Super Bowl-winning 2025 season with 126 tackles and five interceptions, while Knight has appeared in 32 games over his first two seasons.
Still, Echols' 12 tackles in two preseason games gave Seattle fresh evidence of what he could provide as developmental depth.
For now, the injury settlement ends his stay on the Seahawks' injured reserve list. What happens after the waiver process will determine whether his next opportunity comes
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