Post-NFL Draft Seahawks 53-Man Roster Projection: Offense

Heading towards the start of organized team activities, reporter Corbin Smith dishes out early projections for which offensive players will be on Seattle's 53-man roster when September rolls around.

With the 2022 NFL Draft and the subsequent rookie minicamp in the books, the Seahawks have a full 90-man roster heading towards organized team activities and next month's mandatory minicamp.

As the offseason slows to a crawl in the aftermath of the draft, while general manager John Schneider always has his eyes out looking for ways to improve his team and there will undoubtedly be a few transactions along the way, Seattle likely won't make any other significant additions before the start of training camp in July. Keeping that in mind, it's never too early to begin breaking down the roster and projecting which 53 players will suit up when Week 1 arrives in September.

Starting on the offensive side of the football, who will make the Seahawks final roster out of camp? Here's a breakdown of each position group divided into four categories: Locks, last player in, first player out, and wild card to watch.

Quarterbacks

Locks: Geno Smith, Drew Lock

First Out: Jacob Eason

Wild Card: Eason

While it's anyone's guess who will start in Week 1 for the Seahawks, unless Baker Mayfield eventually enters the picture, the race to replace Russell Wilson will boil down to Smith and Lock, who have started more than 20 games in the NFL apiece. On one hand, Smith has prior experience orchestrating Shane Waldron's offense, which gives him an early edge. On the other hand, Lock has more untapped upside with an intriguing set of physical tools. A competition should wage out between them deep into training camp and the preseason with the strong-armed Eason being a sleeper worth keeping an eye on.

Running Backs

Locks: Rashaad Penny, Ken Walker III, DeeJay Dallas, Nick Bellore

Last In: Travis Homer

First Out: Josh Johnson

Wild Card: Chris Carson

After exploding in the final six games of the 2021 season, as long as he avoids injury, Penny will open the season as Seattle's undisputed starter. Assuming Carson won't be able to make it back from neck surgery in this projection, Walker III should have a chance to carve out a significant role right away as a complementary backfield weapon. Behind Penny and Carson, Dallas' versatility as a capable runner between the tackles along with being a solid receiver gives him a slight edge over Homer, but both players should make the team over Johnson due to their special teams talents. The same can be said for Bellore, who made the Pro Bowl two years ago and remains a force in kick and punt coverage along with occasionally moon-lighting as a fullback.

Receivers

Locks: Tyler Lockett, DK Metcalf, Dee Eskridge, Freddie Swain

Last 2 In: Bo Melton, Dareke Young

First Out: Penny Hart

Wild Card: Cody Thompson

Atop the depth chart, there won't be any surprises for Seattle with Lockett and Metcalf returning as one of the top receiving duos in the NFL. Meanwhile, a healthy Eskridge will get every opportunity to show what he can do after a challenging rookie season and Swain's reliability as well as special teams contributions should prevent him from having to sweat about losing his spot on the team. The same cannot be said for Hart, however, who will now have to fend off two outstanding athletes in Melton and Young who likely offer more upside on offense and have extensive special teams backgrounds. In this projection, the Seahawks opt to keep both seventh-round selections over Hart and Thompson with an eye towards the future.

Tight Ends

Locks: Noah Fant, Will Dissly, Colby Parkinson

First Out: Tyler Mabry

Wild Card: Mabry

After acquiring Fant as part of the Wilson trade and re-signing Dissly to a three-year deal in March, there's very little drama at tight end for Seattle. Those two players should see substantial snaps on the field together in 12 personnel groupings, while the 6-foot-7 Parkinson will once again have a chance to earn himself a role as a red zone specialist if he can avoid the foot injuries that have dogged him in his first two NFL seasons. If Waldron wants to keep a fourth tight end around, Mabry may still be in the discussion with his athleticism and special teams experience.

Offensive Line

Locks: Charles Cross, Abraham Lucas, Jake Curhan, Stone Forsythe, Damien Lewis, Gabe Jackson, Austin Blythe

Last 2 In: Phil Haynes, Kyle Fuller

First Out: Shamarious Gilmore

Wild Card: Gilmore

While Cross and Lucas will have to earn their starting nods competing against Forsythe and Curhan and those position battles at the tackle spots will be fun to watch in camp, all four players shouldn't have to worry about not being on the roster when Week 1 arrives in September. As for the guard spots, while Lewis and Jackson are locks as returning starters, things could get interesting with Haynes and Gilmore, an undrafted rookie from Georgia State, potentially competing for one roster spot. After a strong finish to last season, Haynes edges out the rook in this projection and Kyle Fuller outlasts Dakoda Shepley to earn the backup role behind Blythe at the pivot position.

Specialists

Locks: Jason Myers, Michael Dickson, Tyler Ott

While many speculated Seattle could bring in a kicker to compete against Myers or even move on from the veteran to save cap space following a disappointing 2021 season, neither came to fruition this offseason. As has been the case for the past three years, there won't be any camp battles taking place in the kicking and punting sector with Myers, Dickson, and Ott holding down the fort. Change could be coming down the road, however, with Myers and Ott both entering the final seasons of their respective contracts.