Analysis: Rookies Reign Supreme on Seahawks Initial 53-Man Roster
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RENTON, Wash. - With the regular season now less than two weeks away from kicking off, the Seahawks executed their final roster cuts on Tuesday to trim their roster down to the league-mandated 53 players.
Returning to the practice field hours after the 1 PM PST deadline, coach Pete Carroll spoke in earnest about one of the toughest days on the NFL calendar when hundreds of players receive pink slips.
"A lot of moving parts today, a lot of stuff going on," Carroll said. "It's a big day in a lot of directions for guys that don't get the chance to stay with us and guys who do make the club. It's a big day for coaches and scouts and players and all that, so we treat it with respect and try to make it as clear as possible where everybody stands and all that as we go through the process."
Combing through the Seahawks initial 53-man roster, which included seven of their nine draft picks from April, here are six quick takeaways on several choices made by Carroll, general manager John Schneider, and other decision makers:
1. After a tough camp and preseason, Freddie Swain is out in favor of a speedy veteran, upstart rookie, and special teams stalwart.
While the Seahawks didn't have many tough decisions to make at most skill positions, questions persisted at receiver behind stars DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. Following a stellar sophomore season where he doubled his numbers across the board, Swain unfortunately went into ghost mode for most of training camp and had more dropped passes than receptions in the preseason, failing to take advantage of an injury to Dee Eskridge and regressing his way out of a roster spot entirely.
Benefiting from Swain's dismal month of August, seventh-round selection Dareke Young beat out fellow draft mate Bo Melton after flashing on offense and special teams in his first camp and preseason. Meanwhile, despite sitting out the past three weeks with a hamstring injury, Marquise Goodwin held onto a roster spot due to his track speed and relationship with coach SanJay Lal. Additionally, Penny Hart avoided a pink slip as the last receiver on the team thanks to a strong finish to the preseason and his presence on kick/punt coverage units. None of the last three players should get too comfortable, however, as the group could remain in flux over the next few days with movement likely at other positions.
2. As expected, there was minimal drama with a revamped offensive line coming out of the preseason.
In the past, Seattle likely would have been scanning the waiver wire seeking upgrades along the offensive line. But while that still might happen, Carroll and his staff didn't have any tough choices to make with rookie tackles Charles Cross and Abraham Lucas earning immediate starting jobs, Austin Blythe settling in as the starting center, and the trio of Gabe Jackson, Damien Lewis, and Phil Haynes giving the team three starter-caliber guards.
Even when it comes to reserves, Jake Curhan got beat out at right tackle far more than he lost the battle for the starting job and his ability to play right guard in a pinch gives Seattle extra flexibility in the trenches. The organization also remains high on Stone Forsythe as an athletic swing tackle and Kyle Fuller's past starting experience at four of the five offensive line spots provided a huge advantage over Dakoda Shepley as Blythe's backup at the pivot position.
3. Left for dead on the roster bubble by many, L.J. Collier survives cuts... for now.
Coming off a horrid third NFL season in which the Seahawks voluntarily sat him as a healthy scratch seven times, Collier entered the final year of his contract hoping to resurrect his career as a defensive tackle in a 3-4 scheme. But after turning in a solid offseason program, an elbow injury prevented him from playing at all in the preseason and Myles Adams turned heads in his absence, putting his spot in jeopardy.
But while the Seahawks did release a high 2019 draft pick - more on that in a bit - Collier somehow didn't find himself on the chopping block and both he and Adams reside on the initial 53-man roster. But the former first-round pick out of TCU may not be out of the woods just yet, at least in regard to playing early in the season. Carroll made it sound like he wasn't close to 100 percent prior to the preseason finale and if his elbow continues to bother him, he could be a candidate to place on short-term injured reserve, making him a hedge for when another injury strikes along the defensive line later in the season.
4. Reacting to poor play at the position this month, Seattle should be on the hunt for linebacker reinforcements with minimal depth.
From a starters standpoint, the Seahawks should feel confident in Jordyn Brooks and Cody Barton being able to play at a high level. Now in his third season, Brooks earned an All-Pro vote last year after racking up 184 tackles and has taken on a greater leadership role in Bobby Wagner's absence, appearing primed for a monster 2022 campaign. Questions about Barton's effectiveness as a full-time starter still need to be answered, but his camp and preseason suggested he will be able to handle the job.
Where Seattle finds itself in a treacherous situation, however, is the razor-thin depth behind Brooks and Barton. If one of them goes down, veteran Nick Bellore is the only other off-ball linebacker currently on the roster with Tanner Muse, Joel Dublanko, and Lakiem Williams all released and Jon Rhattigan on the PUP list. A few of those players could be retained on the practice squad once they clear waivers, but even then, Carroll can't be comfortable with the lack of experience and proven talent at the position and if there's a spot to bet on the team making a waiver claim or trade in coming days, it has to be linebacker.
5. A pair of surprising veteran cuts in the secondary shouldn't necessarily be viewed as surprises.
Though Collier managed to avoid being a late August roster casualty, safety Marquise Blair wasn't so lucky. Missing more than 20 games over the past two seasons due to severe knee injuries, his development was derailed and he never fixed fundamental flaws in his game, further evidenced by his five missed tackles in a preseason loss to the Bears and persistent questions about executing coverage assignments properly dating back to his rookie year. No longer in consideration for the nickel corner role, Josh Jones outperformed him and Ryan Neal will soon be back from a high ankle sprain, making the ex-Utah standout expendable in a crowded group.
Blair wasn't the only vested veteran sent packing either, as cornerback Justin Coleman's contract was terminated. Starting his second stint with the Seahawks, he endured an up-and-down training camp and preseason, but he still looked primed to win the starting slot corner job when Ugo Amadi was traded to the Eagles earlier this month. Despite playing extensive snaps in the exhibition finale, rookie Coby Bryant has quickly grasped the position and to get the fourth-round pick on the field, the nickel role may be his best bet. Coleman could return with a non-guaranteed contract, but that remains to be seen.
6. Two undrafted rookies cracked the roster, but not the ones many projected would.
With nine draft picks coming in from a heralded class, undrafted rookies faced an uphill climb making Seattle's roster. At times over the past month, it looked possible - if not probable - that not a single undrafted player would make the initial 53-man roster. Athletic defender Vi Jones flashed in the preseason and played well at off-ball and outside linebacker, making him the consensus favorite to snag a spot.
But while Jones may be destined to re-sign on the practice squad and could contribute down the road, he was not the undrafted rookie who snuck onto the roster. Instead, after a quietly impressive preseason headlined by a few big hits on defense and an onside kick recovery, safety Joey Blount sent Blair to the free agent scrap heap at safety. Even more surprisingly, former Division III star Joshua Onujiogu benefited from fifth-round pick Tyreke Smith landing on season-ending injured reserve, capturing a reserve spot at outside linebacker after registering a sack in Seattle's finale. Both players may still be on the hot seat depending on what other moves the team makes in the next few days, but regardless, the team seems interested in keeping them around to develop.
