Seahawks 90-Man Roster Rundown: Aaron Donkor
With the calendar flipping to June and offseason programs wrapping up across the country, NFL training camps will begin around the NFL in less than two months time. To celebrate the new incoming season, the All Seahawks staff will be breaking down the Seahawks 90-man roster over the next several weeks, exploring best and worst case scenarios and what to expect from each player entering the 2022 campaign.
Aaron Donkor, Linebacker
Height/Weight: 6-foot-1, 240 pounds
2021 Stats: N/A
The Seahawks received a bit of international flair in May 2021 when linebacker – and native German – Aaron Donkor was allocated to them by the NFL International Player Pathway Program. Seattle was granted a roster exemption and Donkor spent the season on the practice squad as the 17th member. He didn’t see any game action during the regular season but was a “pain in the butt” according to head coach Pete Carroll because of his intensity and competitiveness during practice. The Seahawks received another roster exemption for Donkor this season, meaning he would not count against the 16-man practice squad for the second straight season.
Best Case Scenario: Returning to more of an edge rush role similar to his limited college football experience, Donkor’s athleticism makes him a pain for opposing quarterbacks during the preseason as he racks up hurries, QB hits, and a few sacks facing backups during the second half of games. Donkor’s experience working as an off-ball linebacker during 2021 – and his special teams ability – gives him one of the final 53-man roster spots. He leads the team out on the field on his home turf in Munich against Tampa Bay.
Worst Case Scenario: Facing stiff competition from the other edge rush candidates, Donkor’s lack of experience and size shows up in preseason as he misses assignments and is swallowed up by much larger opposing offensive linemen. Seattle releases Donkor in the final cuts but keeps him as the 17th man on the practice squad for the second year in a row because of the roster exemption. He leads the team out on the field on his home turf in Munich against Tampa Bay.
What to Expect in 2022: There’s going to be a tough battle between Alton Robinson, Joshua Onujiogu, and Donkor for reps as edge rushers in preseason. The experience at off-ball linebacker from the 2021 season spent on the practice squad might give Donkor a leg-up, especially with the injuries to Ben Burr-Kirven and Jon Rhattigan, but it will likely come down to his ability on special teams. That said, Donkor would need to leave no doubt to make the 53-man roster at the final cut down with the roster exemption already granted to the Seahawks. The looming showdown with the Buccaneers in Munich, and the fact that the Seahawks have already used Donkor to promote that game, makes it seem likely that he will be on the practice squad in 2022 at the very least.
Previous Seahawks 90-Man Roster Profiles
Kevin Kassis | Cade Brewer | Liam Ryan | Deontez Alexander | Elijah Jones | Josh Turner | Scott Nelson | Joshua Onujiogu | Jarrod Hewitt | Darwin Thompson | Matt Gotel | Lakiem Williams | Tanner Muse | Greg Eiland | Aaron Fuller | Shamarious Gilmore | Cade Johnson | Dakoda Shepley | Deontai Williams
