Seattle Seahawks who won't make the 53-man roster in 20233
By Lee Vowell
The Seahawks have made several roster changes this offseason. But three players might be hurt by what Seattle has done. Plus, with the high picks Seattle has in the 2023 NFL draft, several players slated to be on the roster next season should be nervous about their standing.
Not on the list that follows is Jamal Adams. There is nothing Seattle has indicated this offseason that makes it seem Adams is on the verge of being released with a post-June 1st designation. This likely means Adams is getting closer to being healthy and will be a key part of Seattle's defense (hopefully).
Seattle is clearly trying to re-work how its defense works, though. Besides keeping Adams, the team signed free agent safety Julian Love. Even more three safety sets from the Seahawks in 2023? Yep. And that means, besides Ryan Neal whose tender was withdrawn, I will start this list with another safety.
Player No. 1: Seahawks safety Joey Blount likely won't be on the 53-man active roster
Sure, Seattle will need depth at safety behind Adams, Quandre Diggs, and Neal, but I think they find that depth in the draft. That way it could be a player that helps the team long-term (Adams gets really expensive after 2023 and Love and Diggs have two seasons left on their contracts) while learning how to be an NFL player in their first year. I am not saying Seattle takes a safety in the first round, but possibly in the second.
Releasing Blount, or signing him to the practice squad if he passes through waivers after cuts are made at the end of preseason, would save Seattle only $870,000 but any amount of money looms large now as Seattle was so aggressive in free agency they are now tight against the cap. Seattle currently is last in the NFL in effective cap space at negative-$3,619,786. This is partly a mirage, though, as it factors in what the 2023 NFL draftees will make so if Seattle does trade down once or twice, their effective cap room gets better.
Still, Blount is simply the odd man out in Seattle, even with Neal likely signing elsewhere. Adams, Diggs, and Love will get the main snaps. Hopefully Seattle will choose a good safety for the future as well which puts Blount further out of the rotation.