Predicting Seahawks first 15 cuts

The Seattle Seahawks must cut 15 players after their game next Thursday to get down to 75, in preparation of getting down to 53 before the regular season starts. While you would think that the first 15 cuts are players that you know well because you follow the team closely and could name the entire roster (and I’m sure many of you could), I know that for me personally I’m still surprised every year that the first round of cuts aren’t super impactful.

They are almost never guys who you thought might make the team. They’re the guys who might have been signed within the last week (in fact, some of these players may indeed be released before the next game and replaced with a new name who you’ve either never heard of or haven’t heard of since their last time with the Seahawks), or just haven’t made a lot of noise during the summer.

These are the first 15 guys I would anticipate being cut next Friday.

WR EZ Nwachukwu

TE Joe Sommers

OL Will Pericak

FB Jon Amosa

CB/RB George Farmer

DE Tylor Harris

LB Kache Palacio

LB Quayshawn Nealy

CB Trovon Reed

S Keenan Lambert

CB DeAndre Elliott

LB Pete Robertson

DE Josh Shirley

WR Deshon Foxx

WR Montario Hunter

A few notes:

• I’m sure nobody will be upset about any of my selections here. All of which are set in stone by me. You and I both are probably 100% accurate with all of our predictions and everyone knows exactly what’s going on in the minds of Pete Carroll and his staff.
• I switched out Antwan Goodley for Hunter after Thursday’s game against the Vikings. Obviously Goodley looked great and Hunter did not. It’s a reactionary move to be sure, but given that neither played had a greater-than-four-percent shot to make the roster, I don’t think it’s going to make a huge difference.
• The Seahawks currently have 14 offensive lineman. Eventually I’d say they’re going to release about five of those guys. The most obvious cut candidates in that group are Pericak, Kristjan Sokoli, Joey Hunt, George Fant, J’Marcus Webb, and Jahri Evans. That’s six guys, but also maybe Patrick Lewis gets cut instead of Hunt. Maybe Terry Poole gets cut instead of Fant. There’s a lot of different ways they could go, which is why I only had one offensive lineman getting cut this round. Will it be Pericak? I have no idea. The reason he’s listed is honestly because he had the least amount of fanfare and backstory when the team quietly acquired him last year (he was a college defensive tackle, though that’s become less and less interesting in Seattle every time it happens), so it’s totally without merit of actual play. I could also see them releasing Evans, Sokoli, or Hunt too. I don’t think they see anyone picking up Fant either, who by all accounts is at least a year away from contributing. I think they’re going to need the extra week with almost all of the linemen. For all I know, Pericak is viewed as their best backup at guard, who also has a little bit of practice at center.
• Foxx has disappeared since some good reports early in camp.
• These moves would still leave them with 10 receivers, half of which are still likely getting cut. I could also see them releasing Tanner McEvoy in the first round of cuts, or maybe Douglas McNeil. I think Kenny Lawler is playing pretty well, but I still have a hard time envisioning the number five receiver as a pure hands guy.
• Have you noticed Ryan Robinson lately? Me neither. It almost feels like he’s already not on the roster anymore. I haven’t released him in my list above but does he still have a decent shot to make the team?
• If they really liked some of the younger guys, would Sealver Siliga be released during the first round of cuts?
• A surprise candidate to be let go next week? How about Brandon Browner. The Seahawks clearly have some good safety prospects in Kelcie McCray (who is probably too old to be a prospect anymore, but seems to be a good starting strong safety in his own right) and Tyvis Powell. They also really seem to like what they see in Steven Terrell. It doesn’t seem like they need Browner to play linebacker or cornerback either. So is the “hybrid safety-corner-linebacker” really necessary anymore, considering that we’ve heard nothing from him since the first week of training camp?