The Seattle Seahawks have a huge 2023 rookie class coming in. With 10 draft picks and 25 more undrafted free agents arriving, this roster will likely be a good bit younger than it was last year.
Here are six vets who are in danger of losing their starting jobs to rookies this year.
1
WR Dee Eskridge
It’s not difficult to see that first-round pick Jaxon Smith-Njigba will be taking over the WR3 spot that might have gone to Dee Eskridge in another life. Unfortunately, injuries have greatly slowed Eskridge’s development. Now he might even be in danger of losing his roster spot. Seattle has five other rookie receivers on the roster, including some of the highest-ranked UDFAs in the NFL.
2
C Evan Brown
To be fair, Evan Brown hasn’t technically taken over at center just yet in place of the now-retired Austin Blythe. However, most analysts are projecting that Brown will be starting there Week 1. We believe that spot will eventually go to rookie Olu Oluwatimi, even if it might take a while longer than the start of the regular season.
3
RG Phil Haynes
Phil Haynes is in a similar position as Evan Brown. While the Seahawks re-warded him with a new contract and he projects as the starting right guard, it’s only a one-year deal and there’s a clear ready-made successor on the roster now. Former LSU guard Anthony Bradford has loads of potential and might even challenge Haynes for the RG1 job.
4
RB Ken Walker
Yes, the Seahawks invested a second-round pick in Ken Walker only last year. Nevertheless, he plays a brutal and easily-expendable position and he also has to contend with a superb young RB prospect coming in. UCLA’s Zach Charbonnet does some things better and might only need one minor injury to Walker to take over the starting running back spot.
5
OLB Darrell Taylor
On the other side of the ball the messiest position is edge, where it’s difficult to sort out anything on the depth chart beyond Uchenna Nwosu being on top. Most are projecting Darrell Taylor will start at the other OLB spot, but we’re expecting either Boye Mafe or rookie Derick Hall to take over there. Taylor did manage 10 sacks last season but he’s proven too inconsistent as a pass rusher and is a liability in run defense.
6
CB Mike Jackson
The NFL is a ruthless business and sometimes quality players lose their jobs through no fault of their own. Mike Jackson will likely soon become another example of that. Even though he played relatively well last season, Jackson has virtually no chance to beat out Devon Witherspoon for the starting left boundary job. Teams simply don’t draft a No. 1 ranked cornerback at No. 5 overall and then don’t start him.
