With the NFL cutdown day coming next Tuesday, August 26th, it is time for another Seattle Seahawks 53-man roster projection. As you will see, this roster projection will include some best guesses at some potential players that are not on the current Seahawks roster, but could be by the end of next week. Let us get started!
Quarterback (3)
Keep: Sam Darnold, Drew Lock, Jalen Milroe
Cut: N/A
There are many positions that have some drama on who will stay and who will not. Quarterback is not one of those
rooms. Even if there are trade offers for Lock, I don’t anticipate Seattle giving him up. Lock’s value of allowing Milroe to not be forced into a starting position is too valuable.
Running back/Fullback (5)
Keep: Kenneth Walker III, Zach Charbonnet, George Holani, Damien Martinez, Robbie Ouzts (FB)
Cut: Jacardia Wright, Anthony Tyus III, Wesley Steiner (FB)
Reserve/Injured: Kenny McIntosh
The main conversation here is whether to keep four or five running backs. If you only kept four, Holani’s preseason performances look to give him the nod over Martinez, despite the latter’s draft position. Regardless, I think Seattle keeps five total as to not risk losing Martinez to waivers. Seattle has dealt with too many injuries at the running back position before, and ensuring the room is stocked up will help with the run-centric offense.
Tight End (3)
Keep: AJ Barner, Elijah Arroyo, Brady Russell
Cut: Eric Saubert, Nick Kallerup, Marshall Lang
With Seattle keeping five running backs in this projection, you have to go lighter somewhere else. For this projection, that somewhere else is tight end. The biggest decision here is if the third tight end is Russell or Saubert. I lean Russell due to his versatility in special teams, and ability to play fullback in a pinch. As a journeyman tight end, Seattle will hope that Saubert can make it to the practice squad, and if so, he would be a prime candidate to be elevated to the active roster early in the season. Another reason I would feel comfortable going light at tight end is Robbie Ouzts’ ability to play the position as well.
Wide Receiver (5)
Keep: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Cooper Kupp, Tory Horton, Jake Bobo, Dareke Young
Cut: Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Ricky White III, Cody White, Steven Sims, Tyrone Broden, John Rhys Plumlee
There seems to be six receivers with legitimate shots at the 53-man roster: the five listed above under “keep,” and Valdes-Scantling (MVS). I lean with Seattle cutting ties with the big free-agent pickup. MVS has $3 million in guaranteed money, and that has been a major reason many believe he will make the team. However, Seattle is nowhere near tight with cap space, and they are already paying Noah Fant a ton more money to play for the Cincinnati Bengals. All of that said, I think MVS, with the lack of special teams versatility gets the cut (if Seattle cannot trade him before – hello San Francisco 49ers). The rest of the receivers likely to get cut will be prime practice-squad candidates as well.
Offensive Line (10)
Keep: Charles Cross, Grey Zabel, Jalen Sundell, Anthony Bradford, Abe Lucas, Josh Jones, Bryce Cabeldue, Olu Oluwatimi, Mason Richman, Mike Jarrell
Cut: Christian Haynes, Sataoa Laumea, Amari Kight, Luke Felix-Fualalo, , Federico Maranges
This is one of the tougher position battles to project. Cross, Zabel, Sundell, Bradford, Lucas, Jones, and Oluwatimi all look to be locks. Cabeldue has come a long way after a slow start to camp and is now practicing primarily with the second team ahead of Laumea, so Cabeldue gets the nod there. Jarrell has also had an impressive camp and looks to be a near-lock as well. The toughest decision here is whether Haynes has struggled enough to lose his roster spot to 2025 draft pick, Mason Richman. I give the nod to Richman here. The main reason for this is that offensive line coach, John Benton had no part in drafting Haynes, unlike Richman. Haynes has struggled at both guard and center, while Richman has shown promise at all five offensive line positions. Seattle would likely look to trade Haynes to another team who may have loved him in the pre-draft process. Regardless, Haynes needs a strong finish to make this roster.
Defensive Line (6)
Keep: Leonard Williams, Demarcus Lawrence, Byron Murphy II, Jarran Reed, Brandon Pili, Mike Morris
Cut: Quinton Bohanna, JR Singleton, Anthony Campbell, Bubba Thomas
Non-Football Injury List: Johnathan Hankins, Rylie Mills
For purposes of this projection, Lawrence is being considered a defensive lineman. Most of this room is pretty much locked up. Pili, Morris, and Bohanna are the guys on the bubble to watch. Though Morris has not had that flashy of a camp, he looks to have done enough to keep a roster spot. Pili barely edges out Bohanna after his impressive game last week against the Kansas City Chiefs. Seattle will surely look to keep Bohanna on the practice squad. Hankins and Mills will be intriguing players that Seattle can keep stashed on the NFI list.
Outside Linebacker (5)
Keep: Boye Mafe, Derick Hall, Uchenna Nwosu, Jared Ivey, Jadeveon Clowney
Cut: Tyreke Smith, Connor O’Toole, Seth Coleman, Jalen Gaines
With Nwosu coming off of the PUP list earlier this week, he looks to make the final 53-man roster along with the other locks, Mafe and Hall. Ivey has looked impressive throughout training camp and preseason, making this author question why he was not a draft pick in the first place. The fourth spot here is the bigger question. Does Seattle keep Smith or try to land an outside addition to the room? If Seattle does not add another player to this room, that fourth spot would seem to have Smith’s name on it. However, if Seattle is able to make a trade for a Trey Hendrickson or Micah Parsons, Smith may have to hope he can stick around on the practice squad. In this projection, I have Seattle signing Jadeveon Clowney, and reuniting him with Mike Macdonald, who he had a career year with in 2023 with the Baltimore Ravens. It is par for the course that Clowney signs super late (my guess is to avoid having to go through training camp).
Inside Linebacker (4)
Keep: Ernest Jones IV, Tyrice Knight, Drake Thomas, Mark Robinson (potential waiver claim from Pittsburgh)
Cut: Patrick O’Connell, Josh Ross, Jamie Sheriff, D’Eryk Jackson, Alphonzo Tuputala
Jones and Knight are locks. Outside of those two, it is tough to tell. Thomas and O’Connell would look to be the next two up, however both have struggled this preseason. I project that Seattle adds someone to this room who is not currently on the roster. As shown above, my best shot in the dark, if he were to be cut by the Steelers, would be Mark Robinson.
Robinson has been a regular special teams contributor over his first three seasons in Pittsburgh. Despite this, the 2022 7th round pick has fallen down Pittsburgh’s depth chart after the recent signings of Cole Holcomb and Malik Harrison. This has caused the Steelers to look for other ways for Robinson to contribute to the team, including taking snaps at fullback this training camp.
This is quite a shot to make without knowing what other players are getting cut across the league, so take this projection with a grain of salt. Regardless, I think Seattle adds to this room after initial cutdowns.
Another piece to consider in this room is Knight’s injury. If it is not serious, and Seattle feels comfortable that he will be ready for week one, then this room could easily only be three players (especially with Emmanwori’s ability to play the position), perhaps allowing Seattle to keep someone at another position.
Cornerbacks (5)
Keep: Devon Witherspoon, Riq Woolen, Josh Jobe, Shaquill Griffin, Nehemiah Pritchett
Cut: Shemar Jean-Charles, Isas Waxter, Damarion Williams, Tyler Hall, Keydrain Calligan
This position looks to be set barring any injuries. All five listed under “keep” seem to have a good distance between their play and those players listed under “cut.” The bigger competition for this position looks to be for playing time at third cornerback between Jobe, Griffin, and Pritchett.
Safeties (4)
Keep: Julian Love, Coby Bryant, Nick Emmanwori, D’Anthony Bell
Cut: Ty Okada, Jerrick Reed II
Reserve/Injured: AJ Finley
The safety room has four locks, those listed above under “keep.” The question here is whether Okada or Reed have done enough to justify keeping them around for special teams purposes; both have made compelling cases. However, the roster math just doesn’t add up for either. Seattle will look to keep both on the practice squad, if possible.
Specialists (3)
Keep: Jason Myers (K), Michael Dickson (P), Chris Stoll (LS)
Cut: Zach Triner (LS)
If Stoll is healthy, there is not much to discuss here.
Final Thoughts
Overall, this projection has Seattle keeping 26 on offense, 24 on defense, along with the three specialists. With the myriad of versatility on defense, this makes it easier to go slimmer on that side of the ball. Additionally, with the offense now having a fullback and third quarterback, it makes it tougher to not keep the offense a tad larger. The players that were the hardest cuts were Christian Haynes (OL), Tyreke Smith (OLB), and Ty Okada (S). Seattle may look to trade Haynes, which could cause them to keep him as an 11th lineman till a trade goes through. Smith has impressed in camp, however if an outside player joins that room, it will be tough to keep him as well. Okada has been a mainstay special teamer and could potentially be claimed if cut.
