Seahawks roster battles to watch versus Raiders on offense
By Lee Vowell
On Saturday, the Seahawks must finalize their 53-man roster for 2017. There are still several rosters spots unsettled. Who plays well on Thursday could tell if those player get paid to be in the NFL or if they need to find another job.
Many starters are not expected to play on Thursday when the Seahawks play their final preseason game of 2017. The starters, of course, are locks to make the team. If they weren’t, why would they be starting?
But because Seattle’s starters are not playing much, if at all, this makes it interesting for the fans watching to see who’s working to make the roster. Here are which offensive battles you should be watching.
Backup quarterback
12th Man Rising has a more detailed look at this here. But, in short, Trevone Boykin should win this roster spot. Unless he plays so poorly again on Thursday that he looks like he never played the position before. And if Austin Davis plays well again. Lots can happen.
Right guard
Mark Glowinski or Oday Aboushi? Aboushi has been described as a “mauler” by 710 ESPN Seattle’s Brock Huard and a “cast off” by many others. It is a bit concerning that Aboushi could not stick with the lowly New York Jets, though. Still, he has done pretty well this training camp.
Glowinski has spent three years in the Seahawks system. He knows the line calls and what the Seahawks coaches like. However, Glowinski is moving to right guard from left guard. That he has not cemented his starting status at right guard is worrying since he has experience in Seattle. More experience in Seattle than Aboushi anyway.
Fourth running back
To be honest, this may not be a battle so much anymore. Chris Carson has been fantastic both running and receiving in preseason games. Linebacker Bobby Wagner has raved about Carson since camp began.
Still, the Seahawks liked Alex Collins enough to draft him last season. And Mike Davis has been good. Maybe, just maybe, Seattle chooses to go with a bit more experience than Carson.
Nah, it’s Carson. Heck, with how unstable Thomas Rawls, Eddie Lacy and C.J. Prosise’s injury histories are, Carson might even start by the end of the year.
Sixth receiver
This one is a bit tougher. The Seahawks could elect to go with seven receivers. The battle here is really between Amara Darboh, Kasen Williams, J.D. McKissic and Tanner McEvoy.
Darboh will be hard for Seattle to let go because rarely does a newly drafted receiver get cut. Rookie wideouts in the NFL have a notoriously difficult time, though. Plus, Darrell Bevell’s offense is even harder as the receivers need to make their own reads many times. Darboh may be a good receiver one day. But the expectation for 2017 is 1) he will remain in Seattle and 2) he will not be all that productive.
McKissic probably makes the roster as either a running back or receiver, but really he will be the return guy to start the year. Tyler Lockett is still coming back from injury.
That leaves Williams and McEvoy. Williams was great through the first two preseason games but only had two targets in the third one. McEvoy looked good catching a touchdown pass late against the Chiefs.
Fullback
Marcel Reece looked like a lock to make the team when Seattle re-signed him this offseason. He is versatile and great in the locker room. His contract is guaranteed if he is on the roster in week one, though. It could be Seattle goes with Tre Madden in week one and then brings Reece back in week two. Or simply keeps Madden all year. He is the younger and cheaper of the two.
Related Story: Our final guess at who makes the Seahawks 53-man roster...
One thing is certain, we will know a lot more of who has the best shot at making the Seahawks roster after Thursday’s game.