4 players Seattle Seahawks must make room for on the final 53-man roster
By Lee Vowell
Probably about 40 of the Seattle Seahawks' 53 spots on the active roster for 2023 are taken. But that means a bit over 20 percent of the team is likely still to be decided. The team has less than a week to decide who to keep as well. Final roster cuts must be made on August 29th.
Some unexpected players have made good runs at roster spots in training camp and the preseason, though. The team needs to find depth at certain positions and the players that follow have decent chances at being that depth. One might even be a surprise starter.
The team has one last preseason game to help make roster decisions. The Seahawks will travel to play the Green Bay Packers on Saturday. As many likely starters won't play for Seattle (one hopes), the following four guys could get a bunch of snaps and make their final cases for a roster spot.
No. 4 - Seahawks edge rusher Levi Bell
The Seahawks have some decent depth at edge rusher, but a team can always use more. The top four are probably Uchenna Nwosu, Darrell Taylor, Boye Mafe, and Derick Hall. Other than Mafe, however, likely no edge rusher has been better this preseason than undrafted free agent Levi Bell. Bell, who last played at Texas State in college before he was signed by the Baltimore Ravens as a 2023 UDFA and then released and then played in the USFL before being signed by the Seahawks (whew!), has 8 total pressures so far this preseason. That leads the team.
Most of Bell's reps have been against opposing players in the same position he is. That means guys who are trying to make their team's roster instead of guys who definitely are a part of their team's future plans. Still, Bell even blocked on an offensive snap for the Seahawks that resulted in a touchdown. No, he isn't going to make the team as an offensive lineman, but he could be the next coming of Nick Bellore.
Bellore is a do-everything guy who will literally do anything he can to help the team win. Bell does the same thing so far. Plus, imagine how good Bell can thump people on special teams. This is likely Bell's best chance of making the roster, i.e. as a guy who does well on special teams and can play a fewer snaps on obvious passing downs.