The Seattle Seahawks begin 2023 training camp with relatively high expectations. I would hope the team thinks it can win the Super Bowl as no team should go into the beginning of a season thinking it can't win. But realistically speaking, Seattle is probably capable of at least making the playoffs this year.
Seattle could also still make a move or two prior to Week 1. General manager John Schneider isn't afraid of pulling off a trade, like he did in 2019 when Seattle added Jadeveon Clowney, that changes the outlook for the team. But let's assume it doesn't happen and Seattle has to pick its 53-man active roster from the players currently scheduled to come to training camp.
And that's OK. Seattle has quite a bit of talent, especially with young players who just need to prove themselves. So here's an early guess at who is on the Seahawks roster after training camp and the preseason are done.
Seattle Seahawks 53-man roster prediction before training camp
Quarterbacks (2)
Geno Smith, Drew Lock
No real surprises here, obviously. It is nice that Seattle only normally keeps two quarterbacks on the active roster, while many other teams have to keep three. The Seahawks have been ridiculously lucky with their quarterbacks - Russell Wilson then Geno Smith - staying healthy. Let's hope that continues into 2023, and well...forever.
Lock is a solid backup that should know the offense well after being a backup to Smith last season too. It would be interesting to see what Lock can do in real action, but that's not going to happen unless Geno Smith gets hurt. And no one likely wants that to occur.
Seahawks running backs (5)
Kenneth Walker III, Zach Charbonnet, DeeJay Dallas, Kenny McIntosh, Nick Bellore
This group seems inked in. Seattle only has one other player listed as a running back on the bloated 90-man roster. I am including Nick Bellore here as well, but he's more of an everyman, of course, who is great on special teams and will play anywhere the team asks. The starter is Walker, obviously, but Charbonnet is going to get a bunch of reps.
I also think that McIntosh supplants Dallas as the third back in the rotation by the middle of the season. McIntosh was undervalued in the 2023 draft and is a true three-down back who can block as well. If he ends up starting a couple of games due to injuries to the players above him on the depth chart, Seattle would still be fine.
Seahawks wide receivers (5)
DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Dee Eskridge, Dareke Young
This group will go as far as the first three players listed here take it. With Eskridge, we don't know if he will be healthy, or productive, or healthy and productive. Even when he has played, he's been bad. Young showed promise in 2022 but in very limited snaps. I can see undrafted Jake Bobo making a run at a roster spot as well.
But if Metcalf, Lockett, and rookie Smith-Njigba stay healthy, they are one of the more dangerous trio of receivers in the NFL. Normally it's tough for rookie receivers to have big years, but Smith-Njigba could be the exception because he is 1) a fantastic player, and 2) will see a lot of one-on-one coverage playing off of Metcalf and Lockett.
Seahawks tight ends (3)
Noah Fant, Will Dissly, Colby Parkinson
The same core group of tight ends from 2022 returns this year and that is a very good thing. Parkinson has gotten a bit better each year and he has quality hands. He also isn't an awful blocker. Due to his speed, if he were on a team that used their tight ends more than Seattle does he could be a 50 catch guy.
Fant is due for a monster year and this could be the season that happens. He is the final year of his rookie contract and will want to prove to whichever he signs with next, and he still could come back to Seattle in 2024, that he can be a top-level TE as far as production. Dissly is the anchor of this group with the most well-rounded game.
Seahawks offensive line (9)
Charles Cross, Damien Lewis, Olu Oluwatimi, Phil Haynes, Abraham Lucas, Evan Brown, Jake Curhan, Phil Haynes, Stone Forsythe, Anthony Bradford
The first five players listed here are who I think will start on Seattle's offensive line this year. I think Oluwatimi beats out Evan Brown for the starting gig at center, but that only makes the unit more versatile. Brown was solid at center for the Detroit Lions in 2021, and pretty decent at right guard in 2022, so he can play either spot, as needed.
Bradford might also overtake Haynes to start at right guard by midseason. Otherwise, the line should be good if Cross and Lucas take another step in year two toward being excellent. Lewis is one of the better left guards in the league and certainly one of the most underrated.
Seahawks defensive line (8)
Dre'Mont Jones, Jarran Reed, Cam Young, Mario Edwards, Jr., Mike Morris, Myles Adams, Austin Faoliu, Jonah Tavai
I have the Seahawks keeping one more defensive linemen here than they normally might simply because they still can't be sure who the starting nose tackle is. Or if they even have a productive NT on the roster. But Reed and Jones should make the interior pass rush much better compared to recent seasons. Edwards, Jr. is good in run defense.
Seahawks edge rushers (5)
Uchenna Nwosu, Darrell Taylor, Derick Hall, Boye Mafe, Tyreke Smith
Nwosu is now signed through 2026 and that should motivate him to have a great season where he isn't having to earn his next deal. Taylor can have a 13 or 14 sack year if he ever learns to be consistent. And if he learns to be at all decent against the run, he could be a top-end edge rusher. But he hasn't even shown he can be consistently good rushing passers yet.
I expect Mafe to have a big year in his second season. He teased what he is capable of last preseason but he digressed during the regular season. Now in his second year, he knows more about what to expect. Hall is stout enough to be a force against the run. Smith missed last year, so if he is ever healthy he could be a decent rotational pass rusher.
Seahawks inside linebackers (4)
Bobby Wagner, Devin Bush, Jon Rhattigan, Vi Jones
If either Wagner or Bush get hurt, this group is in trouble. Rhattigan and Jones are fine in limited snaps, but if they have to start for games on end, their ceiling is pretty low. Jordyn Brooks will start on the PUP list and it remains to be seen when he can return from a 2022 knee injury.
Seahawks cornerbacks (5)
Tariq Woolen, Devon Witherspoon, Mike Jackson, Coby Bryant, Tre Brown
As of this writing, Witherspoon hasn't signed his rookie deal while he is waiting to figure out how much of the deal will be guaranteed, I assume. Still, let's assume Witherspoon will be practicing soon and there's no way he misses any part of the season, if healthy. But he still has to beat out Jackson as Jackson was pretty good last year and appears to have had an excellent offseason as well. Woolen is a beast. Bryant will start in the slot. Brown just needs to stay healthy.
Seahawks safeties (4)
Julian Love, Quandre Diggs, Jerrick Reed II, Joey Blount
I don't have Jamal Adams here as I assume he starts on the PUP list. I am honestly not sure if Adams will ever play another down for the Seahawks. Hopefully, he comes back healthy at some point in 2023 and makes a big impact.
If the starting duo is Diggs and Love long-term, that's perfectly fine. Diggs is an underappreciated safety league-wide and that motivates him to be even better. Love was good for the New York Giants last year and will help in run support. Blount is a mediocre backup. Reed, though, likes to thump people and could surprise by making an impact on special teams this year.
Seahawks special teams (3)
Jason Myers, Michael Dickson, Chris Stoll
Not much to discuss here. You might be able to pencil these same three names in for who will be the kicker (Myers), punter (Dickson), and long-snapper (Stoll) for the next four years. On special teams, consistency is an excellent thing.