Cutdown Takeaways: Montorie Foster Jr. Among Seahawks to Earn Spot on Initial 53-Man Roster

Fielding questions at the podium mere minutes after the Seattle Seahawks announced their final roster cuts on Sunday, general manager John Schneider caught himself mid-answer and hesitated for a split second.

In the midst of discussing second-year receiver Montorie Foster Jr.’s surprising ascendance to earn a place on the final 53-man roster, Schneider decided to choose his words more carefully, not wanting to live in absolutes thinking back to the many players who have come and gone through Seattle’s facility since his arrival in 2010. But after a moment to gather his thoughts, he wielded the type of praise worthy of the former Michigan State standout’s unexpected rise this summer during training camp and the preseason, comparing his performance to the reigning Offensive Player of the Year.

“I've never seen a player - I don't know how I say that. It's hard to remember a player at the receiver position that's improved as quickly as he has,” Schneider gushed. “I told Jax [Smith-Njigba], I felt like he like just took his film and just completely studied it or just followed him around for all spring or something.”

This time a year ago, Foster found himself back in Ohio without a team after the Seahawks released him with an injury designation early in his first training camp, preparing to begin substitute teaching at a nearby high school and not anywhere close to being in the same breath as Smith-Njigba or any other receiver for that matter. While he continued to train in preparation for his next opportunity, he also applied for a real estate license, doing his due diligence readying for life after football even as he remained confident he would get another shot between the lines.

Sure enough, the Seahawks came calling in late December, offering Foster a spot on the practice squad. He quickly hopped on a flight to Seattle, spending the last two weeks of the regular season and the entirety of the team’s historic playoff run on what coach Mike Macdonald calls the “ready” squad, earning a Super Bowl ring and a future/reserve deal days later.