Seahawks turning to former quarterback Avery Smith to help out secondary

Growing up in Sandy Springs, Ga., Avery Smith looked up to longtime Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton.

He starred at the position at Riverwood International Charter School, accounting for 44 touchdowns as a senior en route to earning a scholarship at Toledo. But when Smith arrived on campus, he found himself buried on the depth chart and with no clear path to playing time.

"My coach (Jason Candle) was like, 'You're too athletic just to be sitting on the bench,'" Smith said.

After his first semester of college in 2022, Smith switched to cornerback and gave the position a try for the first time. Four years later, Smith, 22, could very well be on his way to playing an instrumental role for the Seattle Seahawks defense. Seattle is still seeking to adequately replace the void left by Riq Woolen, who signed with the Philadelphia Eagles in free agency.

Seattle acquired Smith, an undrafted rookie, from the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday in exchange for its 2027 sixth-round pick to cap a tumultuous few weeks.

Last week, the Seahawks signed cornerback Terrion Arnold, who will start the season on the commissioner's exempt list while he faces kidnapping and armed robbery charges.

On Aug. 19, the Seahawks signed two-time Pro Bowler Trevon Diggs, only to release him when rosters were cut to 53 players, in large part because of his late arrival. Diggs has since joined Seattle's practice squad.

Shortly after the Seahawks announced their initial 53-man roster, general manager John Schneider heaped praise on Smith, who he said might be able to help Seattle on the outside and at nickelback. Nick Emmanwori, Seattle's regular nickelback, is still working his way back from offseason ankle surgery.

"He's a smart, tough guy. Very instinctive," Schneider said of Smith. "(The Chargers) speak highly of him."

Smith, meanwhile, was a little caught off guard that another team was willing to part ways with a draft pick for his services.

"I follow football, and I haven't really heard of an undrafted free agent being traded," Smith said, laughing. "So, that is what surprised me."

Smith was also surprised not to be drafted in the first place; he received a fifth- to sixth-round grade from The Athletic's Dane Brugler despite being a bit undersized for the position. The 5-foot-10 Smith is versatile, though, as he switched among nickel, field and the boundary as a senior at Toledo, where he was a two-year starter.

Smith estimated that during the preseason, roughly 75 percent of his reps came at nickelback. Given the uncertainty surrounding Emmanwori's status, Smith might be asked to fill his shoes in the interim.

"I can play anywhere in the back end," Smith said. "(I'm) a guy that really just wants to win. So, I'm just trying to go out there and make plays for the team."

Smith, though, is still adjusting to coach Mike Macdonald's defensive scheme. He hasn't been told where he can expect to line up on the field but to instead keep focusing on learning the playbook.

There should be some similarities between how Seattle and the Chargers run their defenses. Macdonald was Los Angeles coach Jim Harbaugh's defensive coordinator at Michigan in 2021.

It isn't a given that Smith will see regular playing time, let alone make Seattle's opening-night roster. Diggs could play the outside, too, if he's promoted from the practice squad. Julian Neal, a third-round rookie, was slowed by a quad injury in training camp but is now healthy.

An admittedly harsh critic of himself, Smith said he could have played better in the preseason at times, which perhaps explains why Los Angeles was willing to part ways with the upstart rookie in the first place. In joining the reigning Super Bowl champions and their vaunted defense that was among the NFL's best in 2025, Smith is grateful for the opportunity that awaits in Seattle.

"Winning culture, won the Super Bowl last year -- I wasn't here for that," Smith said. "So, I'm trying to repeat and do that this year. But, just the culture, the energy, the defense, of course. Just coming in and trying to help whichever way I can."

Newton may have been Smith's idol as a kid, but he was amply aware of Seattle's dominant "Legion of Boom" defenses from the early 2010s. From Smith's perspective, the Seahawks' current "Dark Side" defense is legendary as well.

Now, the former high school quarterback turned cornerback has been tasked with aiding Seattle's defense in several ways. What Smith lacks in experience, though, he makes up for with enthusiasm.

"I'm excited to be a Seahawk," Smith said. "That's where I'm at."

Notes

The Seahawks signed veteran offensive lineman Bobby Hart to their practice squad Thursday. To clear room for Hart, Seattle released defensive tackle Uso Seumalo. … Wide receiver Tory Horton, who has not practiced recently due to an undisclosed injury, was not seen on the practice field at Virginia Mason Athletic Center during warmups.

This article originally appeared in The Athletic.