The Seattle Seahawks are done with their preseason. Maybe the team isn't as healthy as one might hope, but many teams seem to have the same concern. Still, Seattle likely will have to keep some players on the active roster who might miss a game or two.
Final roster cuts have to be made by 1 pm PT on August 29th. Seattle tends to release who is on the roster way past that, however. So we might not know who is actually making the team until 4 pm PT.
Then practice squad players will be rumored and confirmed on August 30th. Many players fighting for roster spots now should make the practice squad if not the active roster. But here is a last guess at who makes the initial 53-man active roster.
A final guess at the initial Seattle Seahawks active 53-man roster for 2023
Quarterbacks (2)
Geno Smith, Drew Lock
The Seahawks will probably have three quarterbacks on the sidelines on game days due to the NFL's new rule about being able to have a third quarterback ready in case the first two quarterbacks get injured. This seems ridiculous, but the situation has happened in the last couple of seasons around the league. That said, if Holton Ahlers, Seattle's QB3, needs to come in, hopefully he will just hand off.
Ahlers has a decent arm and has some athletic ability to run around a bit. But he's left-handed so it kind of throws off the whole works of the offense. (By the way, I mean no disrespect to lefties by saying that as I am left-handed myself.) Plus, he just hasn't gotten enough reps against starters in the NFL to get used to the speed of the game.
Geno Smith will be QB1 and Drew Lock will be QB2. Lock was solid in the preseason, though he still didn't face the number ones of an opposing defense with the number ones of the Seahawks offense so who knows what would happen in a real game. Smith should be among the best starters in the NFC again.
Seahawks running backs (5)
Kenneth Walker III, Zach Charbonnet, DeeJay Dallas, Kenny McIntosh, Nick Bellore
The only thing that might hold this up is if McIntosh is fully ready to go by Week 1 after suffering a knee injury in training camp. Otherwise, it will be nice to finally see Walker again. He didn't play at all in the preseason (nor should he have as there was no reason to risk him to injury) and should be more explosive in 2023 than in 2022 after having a year of experience.
Charbonnet looks OK. He didn't do much in preseason Week 3 but then he had backup blockers in front of him while going up against the Packers starters. He certainly doesn't look ready to be RB1, though. Meanwhile, Dallas appears to be his normally solid self and can take a few reps at RB1 if injuries happen in front of him.
Seahawks wide receivers (5)
DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Jake Bobo, Winston Easop, Jr.
I honestly have no idea what to expect with WR5 or potentially WR6. The first four guys listed are probably locks. Bobo not making the roster might set off a small revolt in Seattle. Plus, he's earned it. He has a knack for finding open spaces and catches what is thrown his way. He also will likely be WR3 in at least Week 1 if not Week 2 as well.
Easop hasn't ever caught on in the NFL but he's had a solid preseason. He missed preseason Week 2 with an injury but bounced back for 3 catches and 74 yards against Green Bay. He also got deep once, even if it was against a backup. Dareke Young's injury worries me and he might be out for a while and could land on IR.
Seahawks tight ends (3)
Noah Fant, Will Dissly, Colby Parkinson
No surprises here, of course. Fant and Dissly will see the most reps with Parkinson filling in more on obvious passing down. I have a feeling we might see a lot of 12 personnel (two tight end sets) in the first few games with receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba missing some time most likely. That would be OK as Fant can run and catch well and Dissly is a fantastic blocker.
My only concern with Parkinson is he doesn't seem to have too much wiggle after he catches a ball in the open field. He appears capable of that, but then he almost always goes down on first contact. He could be a valuable deep threat with his size, but then that is only a guess as he hasn't consistently proven he can do that yet.
Seahawks offensive line (9)
Charles Cross, Damien Lewis, Olu Oluwatimi, Phil Haynes, Abraham Lucas, Evan Brown, Jake Curhan, Phil Haynes, Stone Forsythe, Anthony Bradford
Seattle has more talent and depth along the interior of the offensive line in 2023, but the depth at tackle behind starters Charles Cross and Abe Lucas seems sketchy. Seattle didn't give up a sack against the Packers starters, though, so maybe Stone Forsythe and Jake Curhan were a bit better in pass protection. But there was no push in run blocking so take the pass protection for what it is.
The starters should be good, however. Evan Brown is bigger and stronger than 2022 starter at center Austin Blythe. Phil Haynes should be better early in the season than 2022 starter at right guard Gabe Jackson was. Cross, Lucas, and Lewis should be good, so with any luck, the offensive line could be among the ten best in the league by the end of the season.
Seahawks defensive line (7)
Dre'Mont Jones, Jarran Reed, Cam Young, Mario Edwards, Jr., Mike Morris, Myles Adams, Matt Gotel
Two of the rookies in this group have me worried. Morris and Young are already banged up so the little bit of depth the unit has is even less. I'd love to say Matt Gotel makes the team as he is massive (6'1" and 340 pounds) and shows some potential to disrupt, so I am adding him here because of the questions about Morris and Young. Young and Morris are definitely going to be on the roster, though.
The starters are likely Jones, Reed, and Edwards. That's solid, but Jones needs to be more than solid. The Seahawks paid him a ton of money this offseason to be a transformative player. I am not quite sure he is. Reed at nose tackle is still of an unknown and he might not be settled until a few weeks into the season.
Seahawks edge rushers (5)
Uchenna Nwosu, Darrell Taylor, Derick Hall, Boye Mafe, Tyreke Smith
The biggest question on this group is Taylor. How injured is his shoulder? Does he make the initial 53-man roster and then end up on IR for four weeks? At least Boye Mafe and Derick Hall have both been good this preseason. Both also look like they can play the run better than Taylor. Hall suffered a potential AC shoulder sprain against the Packers so he might miss some time. Smith flashes production but has no consistency yet.
Seahawks inside linebackers (5)
Bobby Wagner, Devin Bush, Jon Rhattigan, Ben Burr-Kirven, Jordyn Brooks
Jordan Ferguson or Patrick O'Connell could surprise me and beat out Ben Burr-Kirven for a spot on the team. I have Burr-Kirven here because I think he can help on special teams quite a bit. The biggest question might be the health of Devin Bush who got concussed against the Packers, and we don't yet know the length he will be out. Brooks is probably going to start next to Wagner in Week 1.
Seahawks cornerbacks (5)
Riq Woolen, Devon Witherspoon, Mike Jackson, Artie Burns, Tre Brown
These players might make the team but which players start, other than Woolen, is a huge question. Jackson and Brown have battled throughout camp and the preseason to see who will start opposite Woolen. The last two preseason games haven't helped Jackson, in my opinion. Brown also might be the better playmaker between he and Jackson.
Witherspoon could be the starter in the slot in Week 1 if he is healthy enough, but if he isn't then this group simply consists of three backups, one good starter at outside corner, and another starter that is iffy. Not exactly what you want to begin the season.
Seahawks safeties (4)
Julian Love, Quandre Diggs, Coby Bryant, Jamal Adams
I haven't had Adams on this kind of list in a long time. Thankfully, I do now but there is still no real timeline on his return. He could go on IR and miss the first four games of the season. His addition means Seattle is thin at safety if Coby Bryant has to play in the slot to begin the season. Diggs and Love are the starters either way.
Seahawks special teams (3)
Jason Myers, Michael Dickson, Chris Stoll
These are the starters on special teams for the next three years at least. Maybe the next six. Check back in 2026 for more updates.