5 Seahawks who need good games against the Chiefs

With only two preseason games left before final roster cuts, several Seahawks need to prove they should remain on the team. Some of these players include ones that have been in Seattle for a few seasons.

The Seahawks are a team that rewards players that have produced at a high level for them. But this should not be viewed as Seattle giving money for past success. Seattle thinks those players that they pay the big bucks will also be good in the future.

Seattle also will not keep a player on the team just because they have been with the Seahawks for several seasons. While the players below may still make the 53-man roster when cuts are made in early September, they need to prove their worth in the next two weeks. This, of course, starts when Seattle plays the Kansas City Chiefs on Friday.

Mike Morgan

Morgan has played the SAM role in Seattle for a few years. The Seahawks took their time re-signing him this offseason, however. This after signing what seemed to be 294 other linebackers.

Morgan has been OK in Seattle and has done some good things. He has never been excellent but has been solid both at strongside linebacker and on special teams. Morgan, though, was not just given the same spot he held in 2016 since his return. Seattle wants him to earn it. So far in training camp and the preseason, he hasn’t. Other players like Terence Garvin and Dewey McDonald look faster and more athletic. If Morgan wants to make the 2017 Seahawks, he will need to outplay these two players in the next two weeks.

Jermaine Kearse

Let me be clear that I think Kearse will wind up on the roster in Seattle this season. I think quarterback Russell Wilson has a lot of faith in him still. But is Kearse playing at a better level than many of the other receivers this preseason? No.

J.D. McKissic is valuable as a receiver and a return guy. Kasen Williams has proven that he is the greatest receiver of fade routes in preseason history. If the Seahawks keep only six receivers, Kearse could be left out. More likely, though, Kearse will be in Seattle as much for his locker room presence as his ability on the field.

Tanner McEvoy

The Seahawks want a big receiver and McEvoy is 6’6″ and 230 pounds. In limited time last season, he played decently. But is he better than the other receivers currently on the Seahawks 90-man roster?

He has good athletic ability but imagine him making the catches Williams has. Or being as consistent as Kearse. He just doesn’t seem to have the upside to keep him over rookie Amara Darboh or Williams. But if he does special things against the Chiefs, many minds could change about him.

But he did give 12s this play last year.

Alex Collins

Collins is the odd man out in the Seahawks running back rotation right now. He got the majority of the reps in the second half last week against the Vikings. I think Seattle wanted to give him one more chance to prove he was worth keeping over rookie Chris Carson. Collins played well.

But then he fumbled at the goal line. No team ever wants to see that. Collins may not have the trust of Seattle’s coaching staff at this point. And Carson hasn’t fumbled since JUCO. It only takes one great preseason game from Collins and one bad one from Carson to change the situation, however. The Chiefs game is Collins’ (last?) shot at sticking in Seattle.

DeAndre Elliott

Elliott is a difficult case. He has not shown he can be a number-one right cornerback. He also has not been good enough to start at nickel. The Seahawks love competition, of course. This is why they drafted four defensive backs. One of them, Shaquill Grffin, may play at right corner on 4-2-5 sets to start the year. There just doesn’t seem to be a home for Elliott.

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Plus, the Seahawks signed Tramaine Brock recently and this hurts Elliott the most. Brock can do everything Elliott can do and has more experience. Elliott needs an interception (or two) and to play great coverage the next two weeks to cement his place on the team.