Analysis: Grading Seahawks Initial 53-Man Roster
Coming up one week from today, the Seahawks will be taking the field against the Falcons for their regular season opener at the fan-less Mercedes Benz Stadium.
As they begin to ramp up preparation for that first game in Atlanta, the team officially trimmed the roster from 80 players to 53 before Saturday's 1 PM PST deadline. For the most part, there weren't many surprises aside from the decision to waive popular third-year linebacker Shaquem Griffin, who reportedly signed back on the practice squad after clearing waivers.
It's worth noting that while making the initial 53-man roster is an accomplishment, the Seahawks and other NFL teams tend to churn the roster quite a bit during the ensuing days after roster cut downs, as evidenced by cornerback Linden Stephens lasting less than 24 hours before being waived.
Combing through the initial roster, I graded each positional group looking for Seattle's biggest strengths and weaknesses heading into the regular season.
Quarterback: A
With Russell Wilson back under center, the Seahawks automatically have one of the top three signal callers in the NFL and coming off another outstanding training camp, he looks poised to be a front-runner for MVP honors. Behind him, Geno Smith is now in his second year in Brian Schottenheimer's system and with more than 30 NFL starts to his name, he belongs in the discussion as one of the best backup options in the league.
Running Back: A-
Back healthy, Chris Carson and Carlos Hyde both rushed for over 1,000 yards last year and should give the Seahawks a top-tier duo of ball carriers atop the depth chart. As a change of pace back, rookie DeeJay Dallas showed off his prior receiver background in training camp snagging passes out of the backfield and Travis Homer also offers great versatility as a third down option. Once Rashaad Penny returns from a knee injury later in the year, this could be the deepest stable of runners in the league.
Receiver: B
In regard to its top two receivers, Seattle has a pair of studs at Wilson's disposal in Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf who should both have a legitimate shot at 1,000-yard campaigns. Bringing elite speed and downfield potential as the No. 3 target, Phillip Dorsett will have to prove he can take a significant step forward after producing subpar career numbers to this point, while David Moore continues to search for consistency that has evaded him over the past two seasons. Closing out the depth chart, John Ursua and rookie Freddie Swain both had quality camps working out of the slot and could factor more into the offense as the season progress. The wild card for this group is obviously Josh Gordon, who has yet to be reinstated from suspension.
Tight End: B
In terms of talent, the Seahawks have done an excellent job assembling a tight end group featuring the perfect blend of experience and upside. Greg Olsen still has good wheels and presents a size mismatch for opposing defenses, a healthy Will Dissly is the team's best all-around player at the position given his blocking ability, and Jacob Hollister adds another dimension to the offense with his receiver-like build and athleticism. Sticking on the roster over rookies Stephen Sullivan and Tyler Mabry, veteran Luke Willson remains a reliable blocker and receiver when called upon. The key for this group will be durability, as all four players have prior injury issues.
Offensive Line: C
Seattle feels better about its offensive line situation than most analysts do and there's quality depth, but it's understandable why the group is being viewed as a potential Achilles heel again. Three new starters will be breaking into the starting lineup, including third-round pick Damien Lewis at right guard, and they have only had three weeks of practices to mesh. So far, the Seahawks have loved what they've seen from Lewis and newly-signed right tackle Brandon Shell, but until they're in action against other teams, it's tough to know what to expect from them. The center position also remains a lingering concern with Ethan Pocic likely to start of B.J. Finney. Keep an eye out for Justin Britt to be brought back at a later time.
Defensive End/EDGE: C+
No matter how many quality veterans and enticing rookies the Seahawks added this offseason, allowing Jadeveon Clowney to leave for the Titans automatically lowers the highest ceiling for this group. The signings of Benson Mayowa and Bruce Irvin will add much-needed speed off the edge, while rookie Alton Robinson impressed throughout camp while seeing work at both defensive end spots, so there is potential for the group to have a high floor overall even without Clowney. Still, Seattle is putting a lot of chips on the table banking on Rasheem Green and L.J. Collier take major leaps forward at the 5-tech spot and not having second rounder Darrell Taylor available for at least six weeks stings.
Defensive Tackle: C+
If this grade was only for the starting lineup, Seattle would have a higher grade with Jarran Reed and Poona Ford paired up in the trenches. Reed will be looking to bounce back from a tough 2019 season and find his 10.5-sack form from a year earlier, while Reed has a chance to be a breakout player in his second year as a starter. The issue? After those two, the Seahawks lack depth and experience, as they only kept Bryan Mone and released the three other defensive tackles who participated in training camp. Collier and Green can reduce inside in pass rushing situations, but this team desperately needs to add another quality veteran at the position.
Linebacker: A
Top to bottom, the Seahawks boast the deepest linebacker group in the league, which explains why Griffin was a surprise cut on Saturday. Perennial All-Pro Bobby Wagner, K.J. Wright, and Irvin bring a wealth of experience and proven talent to the starting lineup, while first-round pick Jordyn Brooks seems poised to break into the lineup sooner rather than later after an outstanding finish to his first camp. On several other teams, reserves Cody Barton and Ben Burr-Kirven would have a shot at starting, but they will be relegated to special teams with the depth in front of them. With Griffin on the practice squad, D'Andre Walker will have a chance to learn behind Bruce Irvin at the SAM spot.
Cornerback: B
From a potential perspective, if Quinton Dunbar beats out Tre Flowers and performs as he did in 11 games for Washington last season, the Seahawks should be much improved at the cornerback position. Flowers would then be the third corner, providing schematic flexibility for defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. and an experienced reserve in waiting in case of injury to Shaquill Griffin or Dunbar. Neiko Thorpe remains one of the best gunners in the NFL on punt coverage and can step in for a few defensive snaps in a pinch if necessary.
Safety: A-
After trading away two first-round picks as part of an expensive package to acquire Jamal Adams, the Seahawks expect him to form a dynamic playmaking tandem with Quandre Diggs, who picked off three passes in just five regular season starts last season. The two have skill sets that compliment one another perfectly and Adams' proficiency as a blitzer adds a unique element to Seattle's defense. Though the addition of Adams put a road block in Marquise Blair's way trying to find the field as a safety, he has been dominant playing in the slot during training camp and his presence should allow Norton to play more nickel defense than a year ago. Lano Hill likely won't see the field on defense barring injury, but he will chip in as a core special teams contributor.
Specialists: B
Seattle didn't make any changes to this group during the offseason, banking on Jason Myers to kick as well as he did during the second half of the 2019 season and Michael Dickson to return to his All-Pro rookie form. Tyler Ott has been a consistent long snapper and the team made a wise move extending him a few years ago.
