Robert

Nkemdiche

The former first-rounder was a final cut last August for the Seahawks but appeared in nine games and was fairly nondescript. This year, he didn’t even make it to the top 85 in San Francisco, where he signed in late July. He may be running out of NFL chances.

Nkemdiche was cut by the Seahawks at the end of training camp last year but resurfaced on their active roster later in the season. He totaled 15 tackles with one QB hit across nine games. A former first-round pick, Nkemdiche is now a roster filler for teams in need of extra defensive line depth. He is not a lock to make the 49ers’ 53-man squad.

Luton joined the team’s practice squad in September after averaging a poor 5.7 yards per attempt and six interceptions in three starts with Jacksonville last year. He may land elsewhere as a practice-squad project. The Seahawks also added DL Robert Nkemdiche in an adjacent move.

Coach Pete Carroll talked up Nkemdiche in June, but that predictably fizzled. The former first-rounder has played just two games since the end of the 2018 season. The Seahawks also released/waived CB Damarious Randall, OG Jordan Simmons, DT Myles Adams, TE Ian Bunting, OT Tommy Champion, S Aashari Crosswell, LB Aaron Donkor, OG Greg Eiland, WR Aaron Fuller, WR Penny Hart, CB Gavin Heslop, DT Jarrod Hewitt, G Jared Hocker, WR Cade Johnson, RB Josh Johnson, OG Pier-Olivier Lestage, C Brad Lundblade, TE Tyler Mabry, S Joshua Moon, CB John Reid, LB Jon Rhattigan, WR Darece Roberson Jr., CB Will Sunderland, TE Cam Sutton, WR Cody Thompson, WR Travis Toivonen, WR Connor Wedington and LB Lakiem Williams.

“Going to be a real competitive part of this group,” said Carroll. “He’s active, explosive and has really good quickness. His mentality is like he has a second chance on his football life and he knows that, which is really important. We think he’s going to be a factor.” Nkemdiche spent last year out of football and has appeared in only 29 games in four seasons. He’s the latest reclamation project for a Seahawks defense that’s coaxed career years out of Dion Jordon and Barkevious Mingo. With Jarran Reed gone, Nkemdiche could find his way into sub-package snaps.

The mammoth 2016 first-round bust played just 16 snaps after coming off injured reserve on Oct. 28. The fact that he can’t even stick with the tanking Dolphins bodes extremely poorly for 25-year-old Nkemdiche’s future.

The former first-round pick has had trouble staying in shape and producing since entering the league in 2016. Overall, Nkemdiche produced just 10 tackles for a loss in 27 games with the Cardinals from 2016-2018. He’s reportedly expected to suit up for the team’s Monday night matchup against the Steelers.

Nkemdiche will miss at least the first six games of the season. The former No. 29 overall pick racked up just 4.5 sacks in 27 games with the Cardinals from 2016-2018. Nkemdiche, the No. 1 overall high school recruit in the 2013 class, has a long way to go to be labeled anything other than a bust, but perhaps the change in scenery will do him so good once he gets healthy.

Nkemdiche’s conditioning has been an issue after last year’s torn ACL. He signed with Miami earlier this month but doesn’t look close to playing. Nkemdiche may end up on reserve/PUP, costing him the first six weeks.

They immediately put him on the active/PUP as he continues to recover from a torn ACL. Nkemdiche never came close to living up to his first-round pedigree with the Cardinals, but he is exactly the kind of upside flier a rebuilding team like the Dolphins should be taking.