Seahawks 90-Man Countdown: T Stone Forsythe - Line Insurance With Upside

Though the arrival of Charles Cross and Abraham Lucas blocked Stone Forsythe from pushing for a starting job with the Seattle Seahawks, he proved serviceable when called upon in 2022 and will aim to take a step forward in his third NFL season.

Author:
Corbin K. Smith
Publish date:
Jun 27, 2023 5:41 PM EDT

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Seattle Seahawks

With the calendar flipping to June and offseason activities wrapping up league-wide, the Seattle Seahawks will open training camp at the VMAC in less than two months, officially ushering in the 2023 season.

To celebrate the new incoming season, we'll be detailing every member of 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 2023 campaign.

Stone Forsythe, Tackle

Height/Weight: 6-8, 307 pounds

2022 Stats: Zero sacks, seven pressures allowed

Thriving as a multi-year starter at Florida, Forsythe improved his stock from expected priority free agent into a viable NFL prospect after allowing only two sacks as a senior in 2020. Trading back into the sixth round, the Seahawks selected him with the 209th selection, making him one of only three players picked the franchise that year. At the time, with an aging Duane Brown entering the final year of his contract, he was viewed as a potential heir apparent protecting Russell Wilson's blindside.

But after playing only 14 offensive snaps as a rookie, Seattle changed course, investing two early draft choices on tackles Charles Cross and Abraham Lucas, who started 16 regular season games together as rookies in 2022. Forsythe did see more action as a sophomore, including starting at right tackle in a Week 17 win over the New York Jets, showing he could step in and perform in a pinch as a reserve swing tackle.

Best-Case Scenario: Continuing to make strides in the technique department and stronger after another quality offseason, Forsythe maintains a stronghold on his swing tackle role and sees a handful of snaps checking in as an eligible sixth offensive lineman during the regular season.

Worst-Case Scenario: Struggling to move defenders in the run game due to persistent leverage issues, Forsythe gets outplayed by fellow third-year tackle Jake Curhan and pushed by undrafted rookie Kendall Randolph during the preseason, surprisingly putting him on the roster bubble and barely making the team.

What to Expect in 2023: While Pro Football Focus hasn't been impressed by Forsythe's play in limited action during his first two seasons and he struggled giving up quick pressures in his lone start last season, he hasn't given up a sack on 68 pass blocking snaps and held up fine as a run blocker when called into duty. The coaching staff has been pleased with his progress and he proved himself competent as an NFL tackle in a two-game audition last season.

Just 25 years old, Forsythe still has ample room to develop fundamentals and continue getting stronger. From a career perspective, he likely won't have a chance to start with the Seahawks thanks to the presence of Cross and Lucas ahead of him, but due to his youth and upside, any snaps he puts on film in the preseason or regular season could help him potentially land a starting opportunity elsewhere down the road. Expect for him to see some snaps as an extra lineman and if Cross or Lucas goes down at any point, the team will be confident in his ability to play well as a replacement.

Previous Seahawks 90-Man Profiles