53-man roster projection 3.0

Since the last 53-man roster projection, the Seahawks began practicing in pads and also held a mock game over the weekend. Though information is far harder to come by this year, details from Seattle’s on field work will help to shape ideas about certain competitions and roster spots. Let’s take another run at a roster projection, with nearly two weeks of practice to work with.

QB: Russell Wilson, Geno Smith

Two years ago, seventh-round pick Alex McGough couldn’t quite grasp the Seahawks’ offense in training camp, which led to Brett Hundley winning the backup job. Circumstances are even more unkind to rookies this year and every indication is Anthony Gordon is struggling. Smith has dominated second-team reps and last week, the team added another quarterback in Danny Etling. It seems like Gordon sticks around on the team’s practice squad, but Wilson and Smith will be 1-2 in 2020.

Cut: Anthony Gordon, Danny Etling

RB: Chris Carson, Carlos Hyde, Travis Homer, DeeJay Dallas

Only injuries will change this group’s construction to start the season. Rashaad Penny, headed towards the PUP list to start the year, could join the tailbacks mid-to-late-season. Patrick Carr, a UDFA recently re-signed, could hang around on the practice squad.

Cut: Patrick Carr, Nick Bellore

WR: Tyler Lockett, DK Metcalf, Phillip Dorsett, David Moore, John Ursua

In the last roster projection, two questions hung over the wide receiver corps: Will Josh Gordon return? And, how will John Ursua’s positive COVID-19 test impact his outlook for 2020?

Since then, Gordon’s status is unchanged as he awaits reinstatement. Ursua, meanwhile, confirmed to have had a false positive and appears to be in the team’s plans for 2020.

Second-year wideout Cody Thompson has been making waves in training camp, but a return to the practice squad seems more likely.

Cut: Penny Hart, Freddie Swain, Cody Thompson, Aaron Fuller, Seth Dawkins

TE: Will Dissly, Greg Olsen, Colby Parkinson

The tight end group will get a little more crowded soon, with Pete Carroll telling reporters last Thursday that Parkinson was ahead of schedule in his recovery from a broken foot and would come off the NFI list before the regular season—meaning he’ll be on the 53.

Though Jacob Hollister won’t be on the initial 53-man roster, he should be back on it in short order. At a cap hit of $3.259 million, Hollister is too expensive for Seattle—luckily, he’s too expensive for 31 other teams too. Assuming he is open to a return, the Seahawks should safely be able to waive and re-sign Hollister at a cheaper rate.

Cut: Stephen Sullivan, Luke Willson, Tyler Mabry, Jacob Hollister

OT: Duane Brown, Jamarco Jones, Brandon Shell, Cedric Ogbuehi, Chad Wheeler

The versatility Jones offers enables the team to carry Mike Solari-favorite Wheeler, as well. Brown and Shell are locked in as starters on either side, while it was Ogbuehi who stepped in at left tackle during a veteran’s day off for Brown last week.

Cut: Tommy Champion

iOL: Mike Iupati, Phil Haynes, B.J. Finney, Ethan Pocic, Damien Lewis

While a couple of competitions still need to play out, at left guard and center, the names should remain unchanged. Iupati and Haynes on the left, Finney and Pocic in the middle, and Lewis and the aforementioned Jones making up the right.

Cut: Kyle Fuller, Jordan Simmons

EDGE: Bruce Irvin, Rasheem Green, Darrell Taylor, Benson Mayowa, L.J. Collier, Alton Robinson, Shaquem Griffin

There isn’t much to speculate on at EDGE, though a spot could open up should Darrell Taylor’s status for Week 1 remain up in the air. In that case, Branden Jackson is a likely replacement.

Cut: Eli Mencer, Branden Jackson

DT: Jarran Reed, Poona Ford, Demarcus Christmas, Bryan Mone

Christmas is a new addition to the 53-man projection, a result of the sophomore stepping in at 3-tech when Reed went down with an injury early in camp. Mone earned praise from Carroll and should repeat as Ford’s backup at 1-tech.

Cedrick Lattimore, an intriguing UDFA at 3-tech, is certainly a practice squad candidate.

Cut: Cedrick Lattimore, P.J. Johnson

LB: K.J. Wright, Bobby Wagner, Jordyn Brooks, Cody Barton, Ben Burr-Kirven

Perhaps the easiest group to work out, Seattle’s linebackers have remained unchanged since camp began. With so much positional flexibility, they can get by just fine with five players (or six, or seven, depending on how they view Irvin and Griffin).

Cut: N/A

CB: Shaquill Griffin, Quinton Dunbar, Tre Flowers, Ugo Amadi, Neiko Thorpe, DJ Reed

New arrival D.J. Reed is the one worth explaining here: the Seahawks claimed the nickel when the 49ers waived him with an injury designation, with the hope he would go through unclaimed and revert to their injured reserve. That didn’t happen. If Seattle wants to keep him, they’ll have to carry him through the initial cut date, then place him on the I.R., thus enabling him to return in November when he is expected to be healthy. Otherwise, they’ll risk doing exactly what the 49ers did and allow San Francisco to reclaim him.

Cut: Gavin Heslop, Ryan Neal, Debione Renfro, Linden Stephens, Jayson Stanley

S: Quandre Diggs, Jamal Adams, Lano Hill, Marquise Blair

Depending on how involved Blair remains at nickel with Dunbar in the fold, there’s a chance Chris Miller sticks on the 53 as well. For now, it seems likely those four make up the safety group, with the UDFA Miller headed towards the practice squad.

Cut: Chris Miller

Specialists: Jason Myers, Michael Dickson, Tyler Ott

50 + 3 = 53.