By 1:00 p.m. PST on Saturday, the Seahawks will have to get down to 53 on their active roster, which means 22 players will either find themselves unemployed or on Seattle's reserve lists very soon. Ten players will end up on the Seahawks' practice squad.
With all these moves impending, let's take one last stab at it, knowing that the Seahawks do weird sh*t constantly, and knowing I'm not expecting to be correct on all of my predictions. I also think the Hawks will work the trade lines and troll the waiver wire, so I'm guessing there will be some unknown names on this list before it's all said and done.
I've included a guess at the practice squad as well, but keep in mind that a lot of Seattle players will get scooped up when roster cut-downs happen, so predicting the ten that will make up that list is extremely difficult.
Version 1.0 from June 20th is here and Version 2.0 is here, if you want to make comparisons.
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Quarterbacks (2)
Keep:
QB1 Russell Wilson 5'10, 215
QB2 Tarvaris Jackson 6'2, 215
Practice Squad:
QB4 B.J. Daniels 5'11, 217
Cut/trade:
QB3 Terrelle Pryor 6'4, 233
Notes: Terrelle Pryor's athleticism is sexy and B.J. Daniels is really exciting as a long-term developmental backup option to Russell Wilson, but ultimately I think the Seahawks will lean on Tarvaris as the backup quarterback. They could always keep three here, but I think at the end of the day they'll end up with two. They should try to trade Pryor, but that probably won't happen. B.J. Daniels is a great practice squad quarterback candidate, so let's hope no one needs a guy like him as a backup this year.
Running Backs (5)
Keep:
RB1 Marshawn Lynch 5'11, 215
RB2 Robert Turbin 5'11, 220
RB3 Christine Michael 5'10, 221
FB1 Derrick Coleman 6'0, 240
RB4 Spencer Ware 5'10, 225
Cut/Trade/Ghost Roster:
n/a
Practice Squad:
RB Demitrius Bronson 5'10, 212
FB2 Kiero Small 5'8, 244
PUP/Injured Reserve:
n/a
Notes: This is one of the hardest groups to guess. I think the Hawks will roll with five at the running back/fullback group and to be honest, I've thought that Bronson has looked better than Spencer Ware this preseason. That said, the team did just release Bronson last week, where he went unclaimed, so he makes a nice practice squad candidate.
I think Kiero Small has looked pretty good as a fullback, but Derek Coleman seems to have a solid grip on the starting job. There's always the outside chance the Hawks keep two fullbacks, as they did last year for parts of the season.
Either way, I can easily see Bronson making it over Ware, and having them switched on this list.
Wide Receivers (6)
WR Percy Harvin 5'11, 195
WR Doug Baldwin 5'10, 189
WR Jermaine Kearse 6'1, 215
WR Paul Richardson 6'1, 183
WR Kevin Norwood 6'2, 200
WR Bryan Walters 6'0, 190
PUP/Injured Reserve:
WR Taylor Price 6'1, 195
WR David Gilreath 5'10, 170
Practice Squad:
WR Phil Bates 6'1, 220
Cut/Trade/Ghost Roster:
WR Ricardo Lockette 6'2, 211
WR Arceto Clark 5'10, 180
WR Chris Matthews 6'5, 218
Notes: Another extremely, extremely tough group to guess. I think that Bryan Walters, despite his fumble last night, played himself into a role on this team as the punt returner and part time kick returner. Ricardo Lockette is an excellent gunner -- maybe one of the best in the NFL -- but is he so much better at it that it's worth carving out a roster spot for him? Maybe! As for Kevin Norwood, I could see the team give him a red-shirt year and put him on the IR, but from what I've heard, he's ready to go, so that seems a little unlikely. He's also a 25-year old rookie that looked really good in practices early on, so will the Hawks really want to put him on the IR? These are the questions.
However you cut it, at least one good receiver will be on the outs. It's going to be either Walters, Lockette, or Norwood I think.
Tight Ends (3)
Keep:
TE1 Zach Miller 6'5, 255
TE2 Luke Willson 6'5, 260
TE3 Morrell Presley 6'3, 225
PUP/Injured Reserve:
TE Anthony McCoy 6'5, 275
TE Cooper Helfet 6'4, 240
Practice Squad:
n/a
Cut/Ghost Roster:
TE Rashaun Allen 6'5, 250
n/a
Notes: Throwing a curve ball here -- picking TE Morell Presley above Rashaun Allen -- and I think the Hawks could put Cooper Helfet on the injured reserve with a knee injury that has hampered him lately. Whatever happens here (and, they could keep only two here and run with ten offensive linemen), it's tough to really guess at it, because none of the three have really separated themselves in the preseason action.
So yeah, honestly, this is just a guess. Tight end will be a position group to really watch.
Offensive Line (9)
Keep:
LT1 Russell Okung 6'5, 315
LG1 James Carpenter 6'5, 320
OC1 Max Unger 6'5, 305
RG1 J.R. Sweezy 6'5, 320
RT1 Justin Britt 6'6, 325
T/G Eric Winston 6'7, 302
T/G Alvin Bailey 6'3, 320
C/G Lemuel Jeanpierre 6'3, 305
T/TE Gary Gilliam 6'6, 306
PUP/Injured Reserve:
LT Garrett Scott 6'5, 305
OG C.J. Davis 6'3, 303
Practice Squad:
OG Nate Isles 6'5, 348
C/G Patrick Lewis 6'1, 311
Cut/Ghost Roster:
T/G/C Caylin Hauptmann 6'3,305
G/T Stephen Schilling 6'5,312
Notes: The offensive line starters are pretty much set, and I think that Alvin Bailey, Eric Winston, and Lemuel Jeanpierre are locks for the most part. Garry Gilliam looks like a lock. I think the Hawks will throw a couple of linemen on the practice squad, and those two could be Isles and Lewis.
Schilling and Hauptmann have been in the competition but to my eye haven't shown anything that has really set them apart. That said, it wouldn't surprise me if Seattle feels differently and chooses one of them over the guys I've selected here.
Defensive Line Interior (6)
Keep:
5T1b Tony McDaniel 6'7, 310
NT1b Brandon Mebane 6'1, 305
3T1b Kevin Williams 6'5, 311
3T/5T Michael Bennett 6'4, 275
3T/NT/5T Greg Scruggs 6'3, 310
DTn Jordan Hill 6'1, 300
PUP/Injured Reserve:
3T/NT/5T Jesse Williams 6'3, 315
3T/5T Michael Brooks 6'3, 275
Practice Squad:
NT2 Andru Pulu 6'1, 322
3T/5T Jimmy Staten 6'4, 304
Cut, IR, Ghost Roster:
3T D'Anthony Smith 6'2, 300
Notes: Seems fairly cut and dried. Pulu and Staten make good practice squad candidates.
Edge rushers/SAM (5):
LEO/DE Cliff Avril 6'3,260
LEO/LB O'Brien Schofield 6'3, 242
LEO/DTn Cassius Marsh 6'4, 265
SLBb1 Bruce Irvin 6'3, 255
SLB2 Mike Morgan 6'3, 226
PUP/Injured Reserve:
n/a
Practice Squad:
LEO/DE Benson Mayowa 6'3, 267
SLB Korey Toomer 6'2, 244
Cut/Ghost Roster:
n/a
Notes: I know that some have been impressed with Benson Mayowa this preseason but I don't see a spot for him on the 53 man roster, unless Marsh's hip flexor injury is serious. Schofield and Morgan will make this team, I think, and Seattle will hope that Bruce Irvin can get back soon. I've penciled him in as a part of the 53, so keep that in mind. '
Toomer flashed yesterday, to my eye, but that injury that kept him out all preseason just didn't do him any favors. Also, the amount he's been injured over the last three years doesn't inspire a lot of confidence in using a valuable spot on him. I'd try to get him to the PS.
Linebackers (5)
WLB1 K.J.Wright 6'4, 246
MLB1 Bobby Wagner 6'0, 241
SLBn1 Malcolm Smith 6'0, 230
MLB2 Brock Coyle 6'1, 235
WLB2 Kevin Pierre-Louis 6'0, 232
PUP/Injured Reserve:
LB Heath Farwell 6'0, 235
LB Horace Miller 6'0, 235
Practice Squad:
n/a
Cut/Ghost Roster:
Notes: Fairly cut and dried again, with Toomer on the outs as an edge player. I think that with Farwell and Miller on the IR, the Hawks will keep Wright, Wagner, Smith, Coyle, and KPL.
Defensive Backs (9)
Keep:
CB1 Richard Sherman 6'3, 195
CB2 Byron Maxwell 6'1,2 07
FS1 Earl Thomas 5'10, 202
SS1 Kam Chancellor 6'3,232
NB1 Jeremy Lane 6'0, 190
NB2 Akeem Auguste 5'10, 185
CB3 Tharold Simon 6'2, 205
FS2 DeShawn Shead 6'1, 225
SS2 Jeron Johnson 5'10, 212
Practice Squad:
SS Terrance Parks 6'2, 218
PUP/Injured Reserve:
NB2 A.J. Jefferson 6'1, 190
CB/S Eric Pinkins 6'3, 220
Cut/Ghost Roster:
CB Phillip Adams 5'11, 195
FS Steven Terrell 5'10, 197
Notes: I think the Hawks may troll the waiver wire for their fifth cornerback behind Sherman, Maxwell, Lane, and Simon. I thought that Deshawn Shead looked really good as a corner last night too, so maybe the Hawks look for depth at safety instead and use Shead more as a corner again this year. He's played both spots over the past few seasons.
I think that Parks will go to the Practice Squad if he clears waivers.
Specialists (3)
P Jon Ryan 6'0, 217
LS Clint Gresham 6'3, 240
K Steven Hauschka 6'4, 210
That's my 53. I'm sure I'm wrong. Tell me where.