Five Seahawks that face an uncertain future after the 2024 draft

It may no longer be a mantra at VMAC, but Always Compete was more than a catchphrase. These five Seattle Seahawks may learn that truism after the draft.

I suppose it's overstating the obvious, but when you add eight players from the NFL draft, someone's got to go. Teams can carry up to 90 players on their roster throughout the preseason, but can only have 53 active players once the regular season starts. Add in 16 players on the practice squad, and that gives the Seahawks a limit of 69 players in all. The practice squad can have one additional player from the International Player Program; in Seattle's case, it's the incredible free agent signatory, Max Pircher.

According to spotrac.com, the Hawks currently have 73 players under contract, plus Pircher whose contract is exempt for roster purposes. However, none of the 16 players Seattle has added as undrafted free agents are listed there. So as of this moment, the Seahawks have their 90 players. They'll have to drop that total down to 70 at the start of the regular season - the 53 active players, plus the 17 on the practice squad, assuming they keep an IPP-eligible player. So a lot of guys are going to have to go.

Seattle Seahawks have to make some serious roster cuts

Seattle is already at -$9.8 million in total cap space, again per spotrac.com. They must bring that balance up to at least zero at the season's start. In reality, they want to be significantly above it to allow for more roster flexibility during the season. Surprise surprise, that figure does not include any of their rookie contracts, nor any of the UDFA signees. So, there's work to be done.

Michael Jackson

I might as well start with a name you've already seen a few times, most recently on the list of three Hawks on the hot seat after the draft. As Lee Vowell wrote, Jackson is good, but it will cost the Hawks nothing to release him. Wishing him well on another team - hopefully an AFC team - would save Seattle $3.116 million.

Darrell Taylor

Yeah, the guy I love to hate, I know. I've come around to the idea that the new coaching staff needs to see what he can do with - well, good coaching - but cutting or trading Taylor will save Seattle $3.116 million, after paying his exorbitant $20,000 guarantee. He would already have been gone if Uchenna Nwosu hadn't been injured last year.

John Rhattigan

Yeah, I know the Hawks are thin at linebacker, but Rhattigan has seen 19 snaps on defense in three seasons. That production is hardly worth the $2.985 million Seattle will save by letting him go. Any of these first three could be cut and resigned for the minimum, but what would be the point here? Seattle knows he's a solid special teams player, but surely they've already found his replacement among the newest Hawks.

Artie Burns

My only disappointment in the 2024 draft was the decision to take two corners and no safeties. I like both Pritchett and James, but neither one is big enough to move to safety. Somehow, I don't think Mike Macdonald is going to go with 11 cornerbacks - and that's counting Coby Bryant at safety. Either Tre Brown or Burns has to go. Releasing Burns would save $1.077 million while letting Brown go would save $1.055 million. Brown is the better player as well, so bye-bye, Artie.

Johnathan Hankins

Yeah, I know Seattle just brought him in, and he's been a run-stopper, exactly what the Hawks need. But he hasn't been that great at stopping the run in the past three seasons. According to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), he grades below Jarran Reed, Dre'Mont Jones, and Leonard Williams. And now the Seahawks have added a generational talent in Byron Murphy II. Hankins was insurance against the draft going in a different direction. Releasing Hankins will trim another $1.66 million from the budget. That's far too much money for a situational player, especially one whose best years are far behind him.