The NFL Draft is the Super Bowl of the offseason. It must have something to do with the hope that courses through every fan’s psyche. In late April, every team goes through a rebirth. There are no losses, no injuries, no disappointments.
That applies to actual Super Bowl champions just like it does to cellar dwellers. After much wheeling and dealing, the Seattle Seahawks added eight new players to their roster this weekend. That’s an impressive haul for a club that entered Thursday with just four picks.
But for each new pick – for each new breath of life – there is a dark side. Not the good dark side you can find when the Seahawks’ defense is on the field. A sadder reality. Each newcomer represents a threat to a veteran. For each rookie that makes the squad, a player from last year’s team finds himself without a job.
These Seattle Seahawks veterans need big offseasons to secure their roster spots
General manager John Schneider has done such a good job building his roster and structuring his salary cap that Seattle is not in any further danger of losing star players. They already suffered the salary cap casualties that always hit successful teams. Schneider deferred when it came time to bid on stars like Kenneth Walker III and Boye Mafe.
So we are not likely to see any prominent players in danger over the summer. Had Schneider drafted a promising interior defensive lineman, for instance, perhaps we would be wondering if Jarran Reed would play another season in Seattle. But they did not, and Reed looks almost as good as ever, albeit in a more limited rotational role.
But the following three players may not be so fortunate.
Kenny McIntosh, running back
McIntosh began last offseason with the number three running back spot well within his grasp. He would provide adequate support behind Walker and Zach Charbonnet, and could return kicks and contribute on other special teams. Perhaps he would have to hold off George Holani, who could serve a similar role, but McIntosh was a more explosive runner.
Then he tore his ACL, and the 2025 season was lost. Now he faces an uncertain return. First, he must recover and show he still has the juice in his legs. With Walker gone, there would seem to be a spot for him, but Seattle addressed their star back’s departure with not one, but two moves.
After signing Emanuel Wilson during the early days of free agency, they invested their first-round draft pick in Notre Dame running back Jadarian Price.
Price is a lock, and Wilson is right behind him. If Charbonnet is anywhere near full strength by the beginning of the season, that trio is the running back room. Even if Charbonnet is slow to return, Holani leads several other backups who will challenge for time.
Even McIntosh’s return ability seems devalued with Rashid Shaheed in-house. Sixth-round pick Emmanuel Henderson, Jr. will also compete for return duties. With the new additions, McIntosh’s path back to the roster will not be easy.
Ricky White III, wide receiver
Speaking of Emmanuel Henderson, he profiles to fill an almost identical role as 2025 draftee White. White was Schneider’s final pick last season, and he brought a very impressive special teams resume, along with some untapped potential as a receiver.
Trading for Shaheed forestalled any hope White would have during his rookie season, but he did stick around as part of the practice squad. Choosing Henderson this season might suggest Schneider is still looking for that special teams gunner who can return kicks and perhaps develop into a deep threat on offense.
Henderson is a little ahead of where White was as a pass catcher, which is why he was drafted one round earlier. His presence could also signal jeopardy for Cody White and Jake Bobo, although that seems less likely. Ricky White is the player who needs to step up.
Christian Haynes, guard
John Schneider traded up to snag Iowa guard Beau Stephens in the fifth round. That says all you need to know about the state of the right guard position. Anthony Bradford is a pending free agent after this season. If the Seahawks were confident in Haynes’ ability to succeed him in 2027, they would not have given up a decent asset – a 4th round pick in next year’s draft – to take another guard.
A lot of observers thought Haynes would take the job from Bradford in his rookie season in 2024. Schneider chose him in the third round and players taken that high are not expected to be backups. But Haynes could never claim the job, even after Bradford was injured. This past offseason, there was talk of trying him at center, but that seemed to fizzle as soon as it came up.
There is still time for Haynes to make his mark with the Seahawks. But they have other even younger prospects battling for spots. Bryce Cabeldue showed some signs as a rookie last year. But the Stephens pick has to be a warning sign for any of the Seahawks interior line backups. The team is looking to upgrade, and the veterans will face stiff competition to hold onto their positions.
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