Julian Hicks’ latest NFL chapter lasted barely long enough to unpack a suitcase. The Seattle Seahawks signed the 26-year-old wide receiver as one of several post-preseason additions. Two days later they waived him to open a roster spot for veteran cornerback Trevon Diggs.
In the space of 48 hours, a new opportunity became another reminder of how quickly the league can close the door.
Hicks arrived in the NFL the hard way. After going undrafted out of Albany in 2024, he signed with the Green Bay Packers and spent his rookie season on the practice squad.
He returned to Green Bay the following summer, competing through training camp and the preseason without earning a regular-season role. His college production had given him a foothold: in 2023 he caught 820 yards and 11 touchdowns, earning second-team All-CAA honors.
Those numbers were enough to keep him in the league’s developmental pipeline, but not enough to guarantee anything more.
The Seahawks’ signing offered a fresh start after another summer of roster churn. Hicks joined the team alongside linebacker Power Echols and running back Anthony Hankerson, part of the annual August shuffle that fills out the 90-man roster.
For a player who had spent most of his professional time on the practice squad, it was a chance to learn a new system and compete for a depth role in Seattle’s receiving corps. He never received a meaningful look.
On Tuesday, the Seahawks worked out Diggs. By Wednesday they had a deal in place and needed to create space. Hicks was the player they chose to release.
The decision said little about what he had shown in two days and everything about the team’s desire to add a former All-Pro at a position of need. Roster spots at this stage of the calendar are transactional, and Hicks occupied one that suddenly had more value assigned to someone else.
This is the reality for many players who sit near the bottom of NFL depth charts. Undrafted receivers survive by staying ready, bouncing between practice squads and short-term contracts, and waiting for a moment that may never last.
Hicks has already demonstrated the persistence required to remain in the league after two years without a regular-season appearance. The Seahawks’ waiver simply resets the search. Another team may claim him or invite him to camp. Another practice squad could become available. The next phone call is never guaranteed, yet it is the only path forward.
Hicks’ brief stay in Seattle will not define his career, but it illustrates the thin margin that separates hope from disappointment.
In a league that constantly reevaluates its lowest-paid players, two days can be all the time a team needs to change its mind. For Hicks, the work of proving he belongs continues elsewhere.
