Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Keenan Reynolds is still an active member of the Naval Reserves. A Lieutenant Junior Grade in fact. He had drills scheduled this weekend in Nashville as part of his monthly commitment to the reserves. Instead, Reynolds will likely be in a different kind of uniform in order to play in his first regular season NFL game.
“I’ve been in contact with (my unit) trying to figure out a way to work from out here,” Reynolds said. "... I’m going to reschedule most of them to after the season so I can just get them done in bulk. I’m going to have to do a bunch of days of active duty in the offseason as well. The offseason being so long and having my free time allows me to get everything I need to get done.”
Though the policy that allowed him to chase an NFL career straight out of the Naval Academy and postpone his active duty commitments has been rescinded, Reynolds has been allowed to continue his career.
Reynolds was promoted to Seattle’s active roster earlier this week as the Seahawks are expected to be without top receiver Doug Baldwin for the immediate future. Baldwin injured the MCL in his right knee in Sunday’s season opening loss to the Denver Broncos. Defensive tackle Domata Peko rolled up on Baldwin from behind, leaving him with what was reported as a Grade 2 sprain.
Baldwin sat out most of training camp as well to rest an injury in his left knee. With Baldwin out, Reynolds took many of the reps in the slot during the preseason.
“I got a lot of work in while Doug was getting right before the season and I definitely feel comfortable in that role in the slot,” Reynolds said. “I did a lot of it in the spring as well so I feel like for me it’s just continuing to do what I’ve been doing in practice and just try to transfer it over to the game.”
Reynolds - a former quarterback at the Naval Academy and current member of the Navy Reserves - was converted to wide receiver after being drafted in the sixth round of the 2016 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Ravens. He spent one week on the team’s active roster at the end of the 2016 season but was released during final cuts the following year. After spending time on the practice squad of the Washington Redskins last season, he signed with Seattle this offseason and ended up on the practice squad after roster cuts.
“I put a lot of work in to get to this point,” Reynolds said. “Put it in every day trying to improve and make it look like I never played quarterback.”
Now his first chance to suit up for a regular season NFL game should come Monday night against the Chicago Bears.
“It feels great to actually be able to go out and play and be a part of it, be in a middle of the action. And on Monday Night Football too, so I’m pretty excited,” Reynolds said.