Position-by-position takeaways from Seahawks’ first unofficial depth chart

The Seattle Seahawks are weeks away from delivering a true depth chart. That won't happen until after final roster cuts are made on August 30. Even then, especially defensively, the team will mix and match which players go where.

The good part of an unofficial chart, as posted on the Seahawks' official site, which the team released this week, is that it gives fans somewhat of an indication of how the team views players. Is a rookie such as Beau Stephens making such an impression that he is pushing a veteran for a starting spot, for instance?

The unofficial depth chart also gives fans an inkling of what to look for in the preseason. The presumed starters are going to play most of the snaps. Staying healthy is more important than performing well in meaningless games. But what does the current depth chart mean? Here are some thoughts.

Observations from Seattle Seahawks' first unofficial depth chart

Quarterback

Sam Darnold | Drew Lock | Jalen Milroe

No mystery exists here, as long as no one gets hurt. Darnold is going to be QB1, and the veteran Lock will be his immediate backup. Milroe would be a scary player to be forced into meaningful reps.

In training camp so far, he has been late on several passes and inaccurate on others. The hope is that he gets a lot of reps in the preseason, and that helps him find his way.

Running back

George Holani | Jadarian Price | Emanuel Wilson | Jacardia Wright/Velus Jones Jr./T.J. Harden/Justin Jones | Zach Charbonnet (PUP)

As with quarterback, only one player is going to be on the field at a time at tailback (unless it's a gimmicky play). The surprise above isn't that Price is second, but Holani is first. He's been fine in spots during his previous two years, but he's also struggled with injury.

Most likely, when the real games begin is that Price is RB1, as he has also been good in camp even while missing several recent practices with leg soreness. Assuming he is actually healthy, he is going to start.

Wilson is more than likely his backup. Holani's roster spot might be in question based on how soon Charbonnet can come back. If he is back before Week 4, he won't be placed on the physically unable to perform list, which probably makes Holani's time with the team a short one, unless he makes it on the practice squad.

Fullback

Brady Russell | Brock Lampe | Robbie Ouzts (IR)

The team was probably hoping to keep two fullbacks, because the San Francisco 49ers have done that quite a bit, and that is where new Seattle offensive coordinator Brian Fleury came from. That dream likely died when Ouzts suffered a neck injury, forcing him to miss the entire season.

Maybe Lampe will be fine, but Seattle can't even be sure that Russell will be. He has never been asked to play an entire season of meaningful reps. The team might need to look elsewhere for help at fullback before the season.

Wide receiver

The Seattle Seahawks don't break down the receiver spots based on outside and in the slot. This makes any unofficial depth chart more difficult to decipher, but only slightly.

The truth is that everyone knows that KSN is going to be on the field for most plays, as long as he is healthy. After that, Kupp and Shaheed will see the next-most reps. Horton will hopefully stay healthy and be the explosive wideout he implied he might be in the first half of last season.

Bobo and White are probably going to make the team too because of their ability in the third phase of the game. The hope might be that Foster and Henderson, who have had good camps, will make it to the practice squad.

Tight end

AJ Barner | Eric Saubert | Elijah Arroyo | Nick Kallerup | Nick Vannett

Saubert over Arroyo? That might be more of an indication of how offensive coordinator Brian Fleury approaches his scheme than the ability of Arroyo. Seattle is probably going to run the ball quite a bit, and Saubert is a good blocker, while Arroyo is more of a receiver.

What is more likely is that the Seahawks will run a bunch of 12 personnel (one running back and two tight ends), and the tight ends will rotate in and out quite a bit, except for Barner, who is going to see the field a lot. This is likely why Kallerup makes the team, too, though Vannett is more likely to be a roster cut.

Offensive tackle

LT: Charles Cross | Josh Jones | Amari Kight
RT: Abraham Lucas | Bobby Hart | Logan Brown

Left tackle is solid. Even after Cross missed a few games last season, Jones was pretty good in his place. After Jones was injured as well, Kight, in limited reps, was also efficient in terms of pass protection and run blocking.

It is right tackle that's far more worrisome. If Lucas stays healthy, all is fine. It is easy to forget that in the two seasons before 2025, Lucas missed a lot of time with a knee issue. If that recurs, Hart hasn't been good in his career, and Brown is an unknown. Most likely, Jones would need to switch to right tackle for a while.

Guard

LG: Grey Zabel | Mason Richman | Bryce Cabeldue
RG: Anthony Bradford | Christian Haynes | Beau Stephens

For better or worse (and maybe the sadness of 12s everywhere), Bradford appears to have right guard locked down once again. To be fair, he has looked good in training camp so far. The drawback is that rookie Stephens isn't chasing him as the starter, per the unofficial depth chart. He's third-string.

Cabeldue has also gotten solid reps in camp, so a fan might wonder if the depth chart is simply wrong. It could be that Cabeldue is the immediate backup to Zabel, as Stephens is to Bradford.

Center

Jalen Sundell | Olu Oluwatimi | Federico Maranges

Seattle trusts all three players, as they were also on the team in 2025, too. Sundell beat Oluwatimi out for the starting spot, partly because of his experience working with Grey Zabel in college. Sundell does offer better athleticism than Oluwatimi, though.

In fact, the latter could be a trade target for a center-needy team. The Detroit Lions just lost starter Cade Mays to an injury. One shouldn't be surprised if Oluwatimi is dealt for a late-round choice and Maranges moves up to Sundell's backup.

Defensive end

The defensive end list above is misleading because it doesn't include other players who can play the role but currently are listed at defensive tackle. The Seahawks' base is a 3-4, though it can easily morph to a 4-3. Reed being listed as an end doesn't mean Leonard Williams and Rylie Mills won't also play there.

The edge rusher group will definitely include Lawrence, Hall, Nwosu, and Fowler, but the team would probably like to keep Ivey and O'Toole. The greater hope might be releasing them and hoping they land on the practice squad.

Defensive tackle

With Reed unofficially being listed as a defensive end, that leaves this group a bit murkier than it might otherwise be. The Seattle Seahawks had five defensive tackles in 2025, but one of those was Reed. With the health of Mills, that might have pushed Reed out wide.

More likely in 2026 is that in the group above, Seattle keeps four: Williams, Mills, Murphy, and Pili. Pili is the only true nose guard, and the other three are positionally flexible. If one of the remaining four makes the team, it could be Eastern, who would serve as a true backup to Pili.

Inside linebacker

MIKE: Ernest Jones IV | Patrick O'Connell | Chris Paul Jr.

WILL: Drake Thomas | Tyrice Knight | Chazz Surratt

In 2025, Seattle had four inside linebackers on the roster. Three of the above are probably certain to make the roster: Jones, Thomas, and Knight. Knight and Thomas could rotate starts as the season goes on and be quite productive while doing so next to Jones.

Surratt might have the advantage over the others due to his special teams acumen. O'Connell is a physical freak, however, and the team might not want to risk losing him after cuts are made.

Cornerback

Last season, the team had five cornerbacks on the roster. The issue this season is that the group appears to have less talent. More specifically, Riq Woolen left in free agency and signed with the Philadelphia Eagles.

The list above could change before the season. For instance, if Terrion Arnold is free to play after facing eight felony counts. If the team signs him, the roster would see a shakeup.

Otherwise, Macdonald is likely going to have to get creative. Jobe and Witherspoon are solid, but after them, there are a lot of unproven players. Igbinoghene has had a good camp, but Pritchett hasn't been good in his first two seasons. Rookie Neal has every opportunity to jump up the depth chart in the preseason.

Safety

Seattle doesn't list a slot cornerback, which is where things get messy with Mike Macdonald's team. 12s know that the team will often have five defensive backs on the field, and that means someone in the slot. This is where Witherspoon and Emmanwori are somewhat interchangeable.

Bud Clark could also play in the slot, as well as Bell. Ultimately, the list is made this way probably because the head coach likes to keep opponents guessing.

The guaranteed spots are going to Love, Emmanwori, Okada, and Clark, but the Seahawks kept five safeties on the roster last season. The final spot in 2026 is probably between Bell and Finley.

Specialists

K: Jason Myers
P: Michael Dickson
LS: Chris Stoll
KR: Tory Horton | Rashid Shaheed
PR: Rashid Shaheed | Tory Horton

Most of this is not a surprise, of course. Myers, Dickson, and Stoll are likely able to be penciled in for the next couple of years, at least. The only slight surprise is that Horton is the kick returner and Shaheed is the punt returner. The Seahawks are a winner either way with that.

If needed, rookie wide receiver Emmanuel Henderson Jr. could return kicks, too. The hope is that Horton and Shaheed remain healthy, and no one else is needed.

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