When Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald and general manager John Schneider chose their 53-man roster before the 2024 season, it was not radically different from the team that had taken the field in 2023.
Meanwhile, a different first-year coach, Dan Quinn, across the country in Washington, blew up his entire roster. Almost two-thirds of the players from the previous season were gone.
There were two noticeable differences between the situations in Seattle and Washington. Washington had been moribund in 2023, while Seattle was merely mediocre. That would suggest less cause to make radical changes.
What will the Seahawks' roster look like on cutdown day this fall?
Second, the Commanders didn’t just have a new coach. They also had a new GM and front office. In Seattle, long-time GM John Schneider was still running the show. Schneider had acquired all the Seahawks players, making a massive overhaul unlikely.
For 2025, things have changed.
In his second season, Macdonald will have a team more aligned with his vision. Nineteen players who were on the final roster at the start of last year are already gone. That’s more than a third. That number could climb higher with eleven new draftees and a raft of free agents.
So now that the most significant pieces of offseason roster building are complete, let’s make an early guess as to which players will be on the 53-man roster come August. There will almost certainly be a few more wild cards in the mix.
Teams will release and sign players right up until the opening kickoff. The activity won’t be nearly as frenetic, but it will happen. Even so, at this point, each team should have a pretty clear picture of its roster.
Quarterback (3)
Sam Darnold, Drew Lock, Jalen Milroe
This is the simplest position. It’s a complete rebuild from last year. Darnold is the starter. There is zero chance that rookie MIlroe does not make the team, but he cannot be expected to come into a game if Darnold goes down. That’s Lock’s job. Schneider will probably bring in another QB sometime this summer, but these three are virtual locks.
Running back (3)
Kenneth Walker III, Zach Charbonnet, Damien Martinez, Kenny McIntosh, Geroge Holani, Jacardia Wright
The only real question here is whether McIntosh can hold off seventh-round draft steal Martinez. I think not. Nor do I think the Seahawks will likely keep more than three running backs.
Fullback (1)
Robbie Ouzts, Brady Russell
Under Klint Kubiak’s offense, look for a fullback/H-back to be in the backfield on many plays. This is why Schneider drafted Ouzts. Russell has a shot at winning the battle, but I’d bet on Ouzts at this point.
Wide receiver (6)
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Cooper Kupp, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Tory Horton, Ricky White III, Steven Sims, Jake Bobo, River Cracraft, John Rhys Plumlee, Cody White, Dareke Young, Tyrone Broden
The first four will be the primary receiving options. Ricky White III and Sims make it for their special teams play, which leaves Bobo out. If you’re looking for a real longshot, watch Broden, a very tall, speedy player who needs a lot of development.
Tight end (3)
Noah Fant, A.J. Barner, Elijah Arroyo, Eric Saubert, Marshall Long
They kept four last year, but the final slot will now be considered a fullback. That fullback will be able to play an inline tight end position as well. I think Kubiak likes the veteran Saubert, but I don’t see a spot for him, unless Seattle needs more cap space. If that happens – probably due to a significant injury – Fant becomes a release candidate, thus freeing up a spot for Saubert.
Offensive line (10)
Charles Cross, Abraham Lucas, Grey Zabel, Christian Haynes, Olu Oluwatimi, Josh Jones, Anthony Bradford, Sataoa Laumea, Jalen Sundell, Bryce Cabeldue, Michael Jerrell, Mason Richman, AJ Gillie, Amari Kight, Federico Maranges
Last year, the Seahawks kept 11 offensive linemen, while Lucas began the year on the PUP list. With the need to keep an extra QB this year, I think the linemen number drops to ten. Schneider drafted three offensive linemen and added two more via the UDFA route, but the position remains a question mark.
It’s not so much who will be on the roster – it’s just whether they can perform above last year’s level. The only roster question is whether the rookie Cabeldue can show coaches he can be an emergency fill-in at tackle. If so, he wins the spot over Jerrell.
Defensive line (6)
Leonard Williams, Jarran Reed, Byron Murphy II, Rylie Mills, Mike Morris, Jared Ivey, Brandon Pili, Quiton Bohanna, J. R. Singleton, Wy’Kavious Thomas, T.J. Jackson, Seth Coleman, Connor O’Toole
The first four are obvious, provided the rookie Mills suffers no lingering effects from the knee injury that ended his 2024 season. I’m going with Morris and Ivey as the final two here, but there will be fierce competition.
Macdonald likes big athletic linemen, and Singleton, Thomas, and Jackson will all have a chance to show what they can do. He also enjoyed having a mammoth nose tackle on the field in Baltimore, and though Reed or Murphy can line up over center, he may opt to keep a giant like Pili or Bohanna.
Still, I think Morris gets one more year to establish a role for himself, and Ivey steps up as the best edge rushing prospect of the contenders.
Outside linebacker (5)
DeMarcus Lawrence, Derick Hall, Boye Mafe, Uchenna Nwosu, Tyreke Smith, Jamie Sherriff, Jalan Gaines
This could be a very productive unit if everyone is healthy and playing their best. They kept five last year, but there’s a player we have yet to discuss who makes the final total this year a little iffy. Still, I think the final spot will be a battle between Smith and Sheriff, who may be running out of chances to make a mark.
Inside linebacker (4)
Ernest Jones IV, Tyrice Knight, Drake Thomas, Jackson Woodard, Patrick O’Connell, John Ross
This was the most obvious adjustment that had to be made on the fly last year to fit Macdonald’s scheme. This year, things should be a little more settled. After the starters, Jones and Knight could be wide open. Based on his coverage ability, I am projecting a major longshot in Woodard to grab a spot.
Cornerback (5)
Devon Witherspoon, Riq Woolen, Josh Jobe, Shemar Jean Charles, Zy Alexander, Nehemiah Pritchett, Tyler Hall, Damarion Williams, Tyler Hall, Isas Waxter
Schneider's signing of a few UDFAs and invitation of other prospects to rookie camp suggest that he is unhappy with the depth behind the top three cornerbacks. I like Alexander a lot, but as of now, the fourth and fifth corners are entirely speculative. Waxter could see some time at safety or some sort of hybrid role.
Safety (4)
Julian Love, Coby Bryant, Nick Emmanwori, A.J. Finley, Ty Okada, D’Anthony Bell, Jerrick Reed II, J.T. Woods
Love and Bryant are the starters; I think Finley also wins a job. Then there is Nick Emmanwori. His versatility makes other projections across the defense tricky because we don’t yet know where he will play. He could play a traditional safety role, allowing Bryant to help out at corner. He could play near the line as an inside backer or rush the passer as an edge.
The other dominoes will fall when Macdonald learns how to deploy his new weapon best.
Specialists (3)
Punter Jason Myers, Kicker Michael Dickson, Long snapper Chris Stoll
Nothing to see here.