Seahawks roster cuts 2015: 53-man roster prediction (final)

The Seahawks have to get their roster down to 53 by Saturday at 1pm PT, so it's just about my last chance to make a final guess at the roster. I do expect that Seattle will look to make a trade and/or work the waiver wire once it's all said and done, so this is a little bit of a futile exercise, but it can give you an idea of what to expect.

Let's do this.

OFFENSE (26):

QUARTERBACKS (2):

Keep:

QB1 Russell Wilson 5'10, 215
QB2 Tarvaris Jackson 6'2, 215

Cut:

QB R.J. Archer 6'2, 220

Comments: No changes, no surprises.

RUNNING BACKS (5):

Keep:

RB Marshawn Lynch 5'11, 215
RB Robert Turbin 5'11, 220
RB Christine Michael 5'10, 230
RB Thomas Rawls 5'11, 215
FB Derrick Coleman 6'0, 233

Cut:

FB Will Tukuafu 6'4, 285
FB Rod Smith 6'3, 231

Comments: I went with five running backs here because of Robert Turbin's severe high ankle sprain. I think the Seahawks may want a little bit of insurance at this spot and with Thomas Rawls running well on Thursday night, it makes some sense to keep him on the roster to avoid losing him to the waiver system.

I think that Derrick Coleman has established himself as the presumptive starter at fullback.

WIDE RECEIVERS (7):

Keep:

WR Chris Matthews 6'5, 230
WR Doug Baldwin 5'10, 189
WR Jermaine Kearse 6'1, 215
WR Tyler Lockett 5'10 185
WR Kevin Smith 5'11, 215
WR Kasen Williams, 6'1, 210
WR B.J. Daniels 5'11, 218

PUP:

WR Paul Richardson 6'1, 183 [PUP]

Cut:

WR Ricardo Lockette 6'2, 211

Comments: This one was really tough and I don't feel that strongly about it, but it came down to the fact that Smith and Williams have both played so well the past few weeks, and both offer some upside on special teams -- Smith as a returner, and Williams as a cover man. Daniels offers a lot of versatility as a fill-in at quarterback and running back as well as returner. They say "the more you can do" and I think that these three all proved that they can fill roles in the offense and in special teams.

I don't think Ricardo's done much to help himself in the receiving department this preseason, and he's 29 years old and will be a UFA next year. In this guess, Seattle goes for age, club control, and upside.

TIGHT END (3):

Keep:

TE Jimmy Graham 6'7, 265
TE Luke Willson 6'5, 260
TE Anthony McCoy 6'5, 275

Cut:

TE Rashaun Allen 6'5, 250
TE Cooper Helfet 6'4, 240

Comments: I don't think I've seen Allen do anything all preseason, and Helfet's been hurt just about the whole time. This race goes to McCoy by default. Don't be surprised if Seattle hits the waiver wire for this 3rd tight end.

OFFENSIVE LINE (9):

Keep:

LT1 Russell Okung 6'5, 315 
LG1 Justin Britt 6'6, 325
C1 Drew Nowak 6'4, 300
RG1 J.R. Sweezy 6'5, 320
RT1 Gary Gilliam 6'6, 306
OT Alvin Bailey 6'3, 335
OC Patrick Lewis 6'1, 305
OG Mark Glowinski 6'4, 307
OG Kristjan Sokoli 6'5, 300

Cut:

T/G Terry Poole 6'5, 315
OG Keavon Milton 6'4, 324
OL Will Pericak 6'4, 296

Comments: Because I kept seven receivers and five running backs, the offensive line only gets to keep nine. They can do this because just about every player can play at least two spots, and with Justin Britt able to fill in at tackle in a pinch, the two guards in Glowinski and Sokoli get the nod. I thought that both played well on Thursday night -- particularly Sokoli -- and the Seahawks will go with upside on both.

DEFENSE (24)

DEFENSIVE LINE INTERIOR (5)

Keep:

NT Brandon Mebane 6'1, 305
3T Ahtyba Rubin 6'2, 325
3T Jordan Hill 6'1, 305
NT/3T T.Y. McGill 6'0, 300
5T/DE Julius Warmsley 6'2, 285

Cut:

3T/NT Jesse Williams 6'3, 320
5T/3T Demarcus Dobbs 6'2, 280

Comments: I think McGill has been great thus far and really fills a nice role as Mebane's backup and a guy that can play the three-technique and shoot gaps as well. Julius Warmsley is my darkhorse, and he's been pretty impressive as well. He can play outside and shoot inside on nickel downs.

DEFENSIVE LINE EDGE (4):

Keep:

LEO Cliff Avril 6'3, 260
5T/3T Michael Bennett 6'4, 275
5T/3T Frank Clark 6'3, 271
LEO Cassius Marsh 6'4, 255

Cut:

LEO Obum Gwacham 6'5, 245
5T/DE David King 6'4, 270

Comments: I think this is relatively cut and dried, too, but Gwachum might be the dark horse. He feels like a great practice squad candidate though.

LINEBACKERS (6):

Keep:

OLB1 K.J.Wright 6'4, 246
MLB1 Bobby Wagner 6'0, 241
LEO/DE Bruce Irvin 6'3, 263
OLB2 Kevin Pierre-Louis 6'0, 232
MLB2 Brock Coyle 6'1, 235
OLB Eric Pinkins 6'3, 230

Cut:

LB Tyrell Adams, 6'2, 228
LB Alex Singleton 6'2, 242
SLB Mike Morgan 6'3, 226

Comments: The defense had to lose a spot because I went offense-heavy in this iteration (to keep an extra receiver), meaning Mike Morgan just misses the cut. It sounds like his hamstring injury is relatively significant so it wouldn't surprise me if they cut him and hope to re-sign him after he sits out six-plus weeks on an injury settlement. In this case, they could get him back sometime around Week 10 or something, assuming he doesn't sign elsewhere (players have to sit out for the time allotted to their injury settlement, plus six weeks -- I'm guessing this hamstring thing is about a four-week injury or so).

Eric Pinkins has looked good at the strong-side linebacker spot and on special teams so he's the heir apparent to Morgan.

DEFENSIVE BACKS (9)

Keep:

CB1 Richard Sherman 6'3, 195
CB2 Cary Williams 6'1, 190
FS1 Earl Thomas 5'10, 202
SS1 Kam Chancellor 6'3, 232
NB/CB Will Blackmon 6'0, 204
SS/FS Dion Bailey 6'0, 215
CB/SS DeShawn Shead 6'1, 225
CB Tharold Simon 6'2, 205
CB Tye Smith, 6'0, 190

PUP:

CB Jeremy Lane 6'0, 190 [PUP]

Cut:

FS/NB Steven Terrell 5'10, 197
NB1 Marcus Burley 5'10, 189
SS Ryan Murphy, 6'3, 214
CB Douglas McNeil 6'3, 212
CB Mohammed Seisay 6'1, 202
SS Keenan Lambert 6'0, 209
SS/FS Ronald Martin 6'2, 220

Comments: This was obviously another tough area to call. Right now, I think that Kam will report and he'll take a spot on the roster. I think that Seisay will likely head to the IR, and there's a few in this cut-group that should stick around for the practice squad. I particularly have liked Keenan Lambert and Ronald Martin.

SPEC (3):

Keep:

P Jon Ryan 6'0, 217
LS Clint Gresham 6'3, 240
K Steven Hauschka 6'4, 210

Comments: No one to cut.

PRACTICE SQUAD:

1 FB Rod Smith 6'3, 231
2 TE Rashaun Allen 6'5, 250
3 T/G Terry Poole 6'5, 315
4 OL Will Pericak 6'4, 296
5 DT/DE Jesse Williams 6'3, 320
6 LEO Obum Gwacham 6'5, 245
7 LB Tyrell Adams, 6'2, 228
8 SS Keenan Lambert 6'0, 209
9 SS/FS Ronald Martin 6'2, 220
10 CB Douglas McNeil 6'3, 212

This group will almost surely get sniped by other teams, but let's just say everyone ignores Seattle's cuts for once (and Seattle ignores everyone else as well): These are the ten I'd keep.

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I am probably off on a few of these, obviously. There will be a few surprises, and I'm likely incorrect on the numbers at each spot. Last year, the Seahawks' initial 53-man roster included 25 on offense and 25 on defense (plus three specialists). Here's how it broke down:

2 QB
4 RB
7 WR
3 TE
9 OL

5 INTERIOR DL
4 EDGE DL
7 LB
9 DB
3 SPEC

You can see the where the swap of numbers happens this season in my prediction: 6 linebackers and 5 running backs this year instead of 7 linebackers and 4 running backs last year. If the Seahawks could train Cassius Marsh to play a little SAM linebacker, they may be okay with this scenario.

Regardless, we'll see. The Hawks may roll with 25 on offense and 25 on defense again, or go defense-heavy. Ricardo Lockette may well make the roster for his ability as a gunner. Steven Terrell may well make the team to back up Earl Thomas. Kam Chancellor may well hold out, which would mean someone else would sneak onto the initial 53.

There are a lot of moving pieces here, but the good news is that we don't have to wait much longer to see what really happens.