Free company and the draft are prior to now, and groups throughout the league are in the midst of organized workforce actions, the final little bit of one thing resembling soccer within the offseason earlier than the true doldrums of summer season. For the Seattle Seahawks which means a primary probability at seeing a really giant class of 2023 rookies on the sector for the primary time, even when no contact and true one-on-one drills aren’t allowed.
For Area Gulls, nonetheless, which means it’s time for a method too early shot at predicting who winds up making the lower and securing a spot on the 53-man roster on the finish of coaching camp. This season the league has returned to only a single spherical of cuts, with all groups decreasing rosters from 90 gamers to 53 gamers forward of the 4 pm New York time deadline on Tuesday, August 29. Managing Editor Mookie Alexander put forth his early offseason projection for the roster in early Might following the draft, and with roster cuts three months from Monday, right here’s how JPG sees issues shaking out on the offensive facet of the ball, with predictions for the protection slated to return within the coming days.
Quarterback (2): Preserve: Geno Smith and Drew LockCut: Holton Ahlers
There’s not a complete lot to debate right here following a 2022 season wherein Smith made the Professional Bowl whereas Lock didn’t see the sector for even a single common or postseason snap. As for undrafted rookie Ahlers, it’s a fantastic story, and whereas the brand new NFL rule permitting the workforce to decorate 49 gamers on gameday if the forty ninth is an emergency quarterback might tempt the workforce to maintain a 3rd quarterback on the 53 man roster. That mentioned, beneath Pete Carroll and John Schneider have lengthy used the apply squad for the third quarterback, however it’s going to definitely be one thing value watching throughout coaching camp and thru the preseason.
Working Again (4):Preserve: Zach Charbonnet, Kenneth Walker, DeeJay Dallas and Kenny McIntosh Reduce: Chris Smith and Bryant Koback
Charbonnet and Walker are the simple locks for the roster as second spherical picks, and McIntosh has shortly gathered a powerful fan following after a stable end to his profession with the Georgia Bulldogs. The shock of the bunch for a lot of followers is perhaps protecting Dallas round, however the easy reality of the matter is that there have been 5 Seahawks particular teamers to play 200 or extra snaps in the course of the 2022 season:
Nick Bellore (352 snaps)
Tanner Muse (325 snaps)
Cody Barton (269 snaps)
DeeJay Dallas (227 snaps)
Dareke Younger (209 snaps)
The departure of Muse and Barton in free company might make Dallas the next precedence to retain for a coach who often preaches the significance of particular groups. Dallas has missed simply three video games resulting from damage by the primary three years of his profession, and whereas his play isn’t prone to land him within the Professional Bowl or garner any {hardware} for the trophy case, an task sound, dependable particular groups performer seemingly has some stage of job safety.
Tight Finish (3):Preserve: Will Dissly, Noah Fant and Colby ParkinsonCut: Tyler Mabry, Noah Gindorff and Griffin Hebert
Dissly and Fant have assured contracts, in order that they aren’t going anyplace so long as they’re wholesome, and Parkinson completed the 2022 season proper behind Dareke Younger with the sixth most particular groups snaps of anybody on the roster. That can make it an uphill battle for Mabry, Gindorff and Hebert at a place that’s unlikely to see any surprises barring damage.
Extensive Receiver (5): Preserve: Tyler Lockett, DK Metcalf, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Dee Eskridge and Dareke YoungCut: Cody Thompson, Easop Winston, Tyjon Lindsay, Matt Landers, Cade Johnson, C.J. Johnson, John Corridor and Jake Bobo
Lockett and Metcalf are locks given their expertise and contracts, whereas JSN’s spot is secured given his standing as a primary spherical decide. Many are prepared to maneuver on from Eskridge, however his pace provides him the flexibility to be the skin receiver who drags safeties deep, even when he’s didn’t develop as a real risk by the primary two seasons of his profession. Actuality is that receiver is without doubt one of the positions that’s most troublesome to study to play within the NFL and takes the longest time to develop, and including in missed apply time resulting from accidents definitely doesn’t assist. Even with that being the case, if he can doubtlessly contribute as a punt or kick returner whereas seeing some snaps as an outdoor receiver, he’ll be given the possibility to proceed to interrupt out.
Rounding out the group is Younger, whose function on particular groups mixed with the flexibility to line up within the backfield as a lead blocker give him the potential to be ultimately take over the Nick Bellore function as a core particular teamer and occasional fullback.
Receiver is a place the place there’s prone to be loads of shuffling and adjusting following roster cuts in August, and it ought to come as no shock if somebody like Cade Johnson or Cody Thompson is waived, signed to the apply squad after which promoted to the 53 early within the season. Johnson, after all, performed in a handful of video games on the tail finish of the 2022 season, whereas Thompson performed a task on particular groups down the stretch in 2021. Nevertheless, the fact is that there’s not prone to be important curiosity on the waiver wire for a 3rd yr receiver with two profession catches or a 27 yr previous particular teamer coming off a 2022 season misplaced to shoulder surgical procedure. Thus, it gained’t be a shock if by Week 2 or Week 3 the 53 man roster features a half dozen receivers, however between the turnover on the defensive facet and the pliability afforded by the flexibility to raise apply squad gamers as wanted, that may wait whereas the workforce types issues out on protection at first of the season.
Inside Offensive Line (6):Preserve: Evan Brown, Olu Oluwatimi, Damien Lewis, Phil Haynes, Anthony Bradford and Jake CurhanCut: Joey Hunt and Kendall Randolph
Lewis is the one unquestioned starter on the inside of the road, although Haynes definitely has the within monitor on the beginning spot reverse Lewis given the expertise supplied by his rotational function with Gabe Jackson in the course of the 2022 season. Even with that being the case, although, the fact is that Bradford might be knocking on the door in search of an opportunity to begin. The 2023 season is probably not the yr that occurs, however following how fast offensive line coach Andy Dickerson was handy each beginning sort out spots to rookies in 2022, it will not come as a shock if Bradford winds up beginning as a rookie.
The fascinating battle to observe on this group throughout coaching camp and the preseason is, after all, the competitors to begin at middle between Oluwatimi and Brown. No matter which of the 2 wins the nod to begin at middle, the easy reality of the matter is that they need to be thought of the favorites to make the roster, as 29 yr previous Hunt has seen the sector for less than 10 snaps within the three seasons for the reason that Seahawks misplaced to the Inexperienced Bay Packers within the divisional spherical of the 2019 playoffs. In the meantime, Curhan seems poised to have the ability to present depth at each sort out and guard whereas the kids on the inside achieve expertise.
Sort out (3):Preserve: Charles Cross, Abe Lucas and Stone ForsytheCut: Greg Eiland and Jalen McKenzie
Exterior of an damage between now and the beginning of the season, Cross and Lucas are the unquestioned starters at sort out, with Forsythe prone to fill the swing sort out function once more.
