The Seattle Seahawks have a whole lot of new faces on the team with 10 draft picks and 25 college free agents coming in. Now that we know the 90-man offseason roster, let’s see if we can predict who will still be around after the final preseason game.
Here are our projections for the team’s initial 53-man roster going into OTAs.
Quarterbacks: 2
Starter: Geno Smith
Depth: Drew Lock
Seattle carried two quarterbacks last year plus another on their practice squad. Fans should expect Geno Smith to start, Drew Lock to back him up and undrafted rookie Holton Ahlers to take that third spot on the PS.
Running backs/fullbacks: 5
Starter: Ken Walker
Depth: Zach Charbonnet, DeeJay Dallas, Kenny McIntosh
Fullback: Nick Bellore
Once again the Seahawks roll into the offseason with plenty of depth to go around at running back. Ken Walker will start Week 1, but we’re expecting Zach Charbonnet to get a significant rushing load as a rookie.
Wide receivers: 6
Starters: DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Depth: Dareke Young, Jake Bobo, C.J. Johnson
No team did better in undrafted free agency than this one, thanks in large part to the highly-ranked receivers they signed. We’re expecting two undrafted wideouts to make the roster in Bobo and Johnson, pushing out Dee Eskridge and Cody Thompson.
Tight ends: 3
Starter: Will Dissly
Depth: Noah Fant, Colby Parkinson
This position played a significant role in Seattle’s passing offense last year. However, drafting Jaxon Smith-Njigba in Round 1 means we should see a lot more 11 personnel and less 12. That means a smaller role for Dissly and company and likely pushing TE4 Tyler Mabry off the roster.
Offensive linemen: 9
Starters: Charles Cross, Damien Lewis, Olu Oluwatimi, Phil Haynes, Abe Lucas
Depth: Evan Brown, Anthony Bradford, Stone Forsythe, Jake Curhan
The competition to see who starts at center may be the most-interesting position battle to follow this summer. Brown may wind up starting Week 1, but we’re expecting Oluwatimi to take over at some point and eventually wind up starting more games. At right guard, Haynes will have to fight off rookie Anthony Bradford. The rest are set in stone.
Defensive linemen: 6
Starters: Dre’Mont Jones, Cameron Young, Jarran Reed
Depth: Mario Edwards Jr., Mike Morris, Jonah Tavai
This projection represents a total turnover from last year, which seems to have been Seattle’s top priority this offseason. Veteran Bryan Mone was a tough cut, but his ACL injury makes his spot far from certain and Tavai may be the single most-interesting UDFA to watch this year.
Outside linebackers: 6
Starters: Uchenna Nwosu, Boye Mafe
Depth: Derick Hall, Darrell Taylor, Alton Robinson, Tyreke Smith
We do know for sure Nwosu will be at the top of this depth chart. The rest of it is really anybody’s guess. Robinson and Smith are both unproven and missed all of last season due to injuries, Taylor is inconsistent, Hall is a rookie who struggles against the run and Mafe only has three career starts under his belt. Overall, the lack of certainty at this spot is both a legitimate concern and a great opportunity for somebody to step up.
Inside linebackers: 4
Starters: Bobby Wagner, Jordyn Brooks
Depth: Devin Bush, Jon Rhattigan
We don’t know when Brooks will return from his late-season ACL tear. However, once he’s healthy he’s the obvious choice to line up next to Wagner when the Seahawks have two linebackers on the field. Not drafting a young LB prospect this year was the team’s most-questionable decision in an otherwise flawless 2023 class.
Cornerbacks: 5
Starters: Tariq Woolen, Devon Witherspoon
Depth: Mike Jackson, Coby Bryant, Tre Brown
No position has improved more over the last year than this one. With Woolen and Witherspoon the Seahawks may soon have the single best boundary combo in the sport and they also have some quality depth.
Safeties: 4
Starters: Quandre Diggs, Jamal Adams
Depth: Julian Love, Jerrick Reed II
It remains to be seen how much Seattle will deploy three-safety sets and who will be playing in the slot. Whatever they decide, fans should expect to see a lot of Julian Love, who can line up at multiple spots. Collectively, this is arguably the top safety room in the NFL and definitely the most expensive.
Specialists: 3
Kicker: Jason Myers
Punter: Michael Dickson
Long snapper: Nick Stoll
The Seahawks let both Carson Tinker and Tyler Ott walk, paving the way for a new long snapper. For now, the rookie Stoll is the only option so he wins by default. DeeJay Dallas should project as the kick and punt returner until a rookie challenges him for either spot.
