Analysis: Projecting Seahawks roster as long wait for training camp begins
So, what did we learn about the Seattle Seahawks’ roster during the team’s recent 11 OTA and minicamp practices?
As the Seahawks head into summer, let’s update our projection for what their 53-man roster could look like when the regular season begins.
Remember, there is just one roster cutdown date this year, Aug. 27, when teams must pare their rosters from the training camp max of 90 to the regular-season max of 53.
After the cuts are made, teams can assemble their 16-man practice squads for the regular season. Typically, most of those on the practice squad are players they have waived.
Because of that, GMs often think of camp as figuring out who their top 69 players are as much as their top 53, with final cuts often determined in large part by assessing which players they think would be most likely to not be claimed by other teams off waivers and free to re-sign on the practice squad.
On to the projections.
Quarterback
2 – Geno Smith, Sam Howell.
Comment: There is no change here as Smith enters camp as the starter and Howell the backup. Howell may have some competition with the signing of veteran P.J. Walker last week. Walker didn’t arrive in time to do much during minicamp, so it’s hard to read yet how he may fit in. But at the least, he’ll compete to impress enough to hang around on the practice squad as a third QB.
Running back
3 – Kenneth Walker III, Zach Charbonnet, Kenny McIntosh.
Comment: Nothing that happened in the offseason changed things here. All three appeared healthy and worked regularly during practices. The Seahawks will likely keep at least two others on the practice squad and will add to the group competing for those spots with the expected signing of Ricky Person Jr., who was a standout for Birmingham in the United Football League this year and was in camp with the Ravens in 2022 when Mike Macdonald was the team’s defensive coordinator.
Tight end
4 – Noah Fant, Pharaoh Brown, Brady Russell, AJ Barner.
Comment: The top two are locks, and the Seahawks are sure to keep a third. The question will be if they keep four. Russell worked as the third TE throughout the offseason program – and as the backup holder on field goals – with Barner limited because of a hamstring injury. Barner returned and did some on-field work during minicamp. As a fourth-round pick, Barner will have a leg up on former Washington Husky Jack Westover for a fourth spot on the roster at tight end, if they keep that many. But Westover is a lock for the practice squad.
Receiver
6 – DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Jake Bobo, Dee Eskridge, Laviska Shenault, Jr.
Comment: This is the same six I had going into the offseason program, as well. Eskridge is down to his last shot with the Seahawks. But he was healthy and practiced without any limitations through the offseason program and his return skills also could be valuable because of the new kickoff rules. The new return rules are also why I have Shenault making it ahead of Dareke Young. Young, Easop Winston Jr. and UDFA signee Dee Williams all appear to be practice squad candidates if waived. Shenault is a vested veteran and could be cut without having to go through waivers and re-signed later, and that could give them the option to just keep five WRs initially and open a spot at another position.
Offensive line
10 – Tackles Charles Cross, George Fant, Abraham Lucas, Stone Forsythe; guards Laken Tomlinson, Anthony Bradford, McClendon Curtis, Christian Haynes; centers Olu Oluwatimi, Nick Harris.
Comment: Here’s a spot where the potential makeup of the opening-day roster became muddled during OTAs and minicamp. Curtis worked throughout as the No. 1 right guard with Bradford nursing an ankle injury, ahead of Haynes, a third-round pick. Haynes seems a lock to make the roster.
That could leave the Seahawks with some tough decisions as to the final roster spots. Lucas appears on track to return for camp and will battle with Fant for the starting RT spot. Bradford, Curtis and Haynes will battle for the RG spot. Oluwatimi consistently worked as the starting center, while Harris worked with the second team. And as expected, Cross was the starting LT and Tomlinson the LG. One tough call here is leaving off rookie sixth-round pick Sataoa Laumea. He generally worked as the third-team left guard behind Tomlinson and Tremayne Anchrum Jr. and appears firmly on the bubble. As Macdonald said during minicamp, a lot can change when the pads go on during training camp.
Defensive line
7 – Leonard Williams, Dre’Mont Jones, Byron Murphy II, Jarran Reed, Johnathan Hankins, Mike Morris, Cameron Young.
Comment: Young’s place on the roster was hard to assess during the offseason as he was absent for drills the media could watch because of a lower-body injury. But assuming he’s healthy for training camp, he would seem likely to make it as depth for the interior tackle spots. If not, that could open a pathway for Myles Adams to sneak on the roster.
Outside linebackers
4 – Uchenna Nwosu, Boye Mafe, Darrell Taylor, Derick Hall.
Comment: Nwosu and Mafe consistently worked as the starting OLBs – and that Nwosu was able to do so without any limitations after last year’s pec injury was one of the better developments of the offseason. Jones played some rush end during minicamp, part of the Seahawks’ plan to increase flexibility with all their defensive linemen. How much edge-rush pressure they think they can get from Jones and others will play into whether the Seahawks try to add competition to this group during the preseason.
Inside linebackers
5 – Tyrel Dodson, Jerome Baker, Jon Rhattigan, Patrick O’Connell, Tyrice Knight.
Comment: The makeup of this spot grew more unclear in the offseason because of Dodson and Baker sitting out any on-field work with injuries. Both are expected back for camp and expected to be the two starters on the inside. Without them, Rhattigan worked as the starter at middle linebacker and O’Connell on the weakside. Knight, the Seahawks’ third pick in the 2024 draft at 118th overall, worked behind O’Connell. Knight’s potential would seem to make it hard to leave him off the 53. But if O’Connell is ahead of him on the depth chart, he’d also be hard to leave off.
Safety
4 – Julian Love, Rayshawn Jenkins, K’Von Wallace, Coby Bryant.
Comment: Love and Jenkins were the starting safeties throughout the offseason program, and Wallace and Bryant typically the backups, appearing to make this spot fairly cut and dried heading into camp. Also, I’m not including Jerrick Reed II here for now as it’s unclear when he will be ready to return from an ACL injury suffered in November. That would seem to foreshadow starting camp on the Physically Unable to Perform list.
Cornerback
5 – Devon Witherspoon, Riq Woolen, Tre Brown, Michael Jackson, Nehemiah Pritchett.
Comment: The first three listed figure to be the starting CB trio. Jackson, Pritchett, rookie D.J. James and veteran Artie Burns will compete to fill out the rest of the CB corps. Jackson appeared to be the fourth CB and after agreeing to a lower salary, would appear in good shape to make the roster. Burns, as a vested veteran, can be cut and re-signed without having to go through waivers, which will give the Seahawks some flexibility. The guess here is the team would be more likely to keep Pritchett and hope James clears waivers and returns to the PS, and that Burns re-signs, either to the 53 if there’s an opening, or the PS after the initial cutdown. Burns seemed to play well in the offseason program and appeared to be the fifth cornerback.
Specialists
3 – PK Jason Myers, P Michael Dickson, LS Chris Stoll.
Comment: Zero drama here as these are the only three specialists on the roster.