The Seattle Seahawks added eight new players via the 2020 NFL draft, and are hard at work signing undrafted free agents to add even more competition to the roster heading into what will be a unique and unprecedented NFL offseason.
With moves still to be made, including some cuts and potentially some additions, it’s too early to make any concrete assumptions about the 2020 Seahawks roster.
That’s not going to stop us from taking a stab at it, however, with our first official post-draft 53-man roster prediction coming to you now.
The Seahawks have added so many versatile players to the roster that making predictions for some of these guys was a challenge, and this team will have to cut some pretty talented players from the roster in order to get things down to 53.
Here’s take one of what will be multiple attempts to predict what the roster will be on September 1, 2020.
Quarterbacks (2): Geno Smith, Russell Wilson
As it has been for the last seven years, the only question surrounding Seattle’s roster at the quarterback position is who will back up Russell Wilson.
That question got some buzz on Saturday evening after the team reportedly agreed to sign former Washington State quarterback Anthony Gordon as an undrafted free agent – making him the only other quarterback on the roster at the moment.
However, despite massive amounts of turnover at the position recently, I think the Seahawks will bring Geno Smith back for another year behind Wilson.
Gordon is great, but his football awareness and arm strength are concerns, and Seattle would be wise to stash him on the practice squad if at all possible, allowing him to develop under Wilson and, eventually, take over as his full-time backup.
Carroll loves having backups with NFL experience, and my money is on Smith being back for another go-round.
Running Backs (4): Chris Carson, DeeJay Dallas, Travis Homer, Rashaad Penny
Chris Carson and Rashaad Penny are both rehabbing from season-ending injuries suffered in December of 2019, but both are expected to recover fully in time for the 2020 campaign.
They will once again be 1A and 1B in Seattle’s running back pecking order, although their concerning injury history makes having added depth even more important.
That depth will come in the pair of two former teammates at the University of Miami, Travis Homer and DeeJay Dallas.
Homer was a sixth round pick by Seattle in 2019, and served a valuable role on the special teams last season, until he was thrust into regular duty thanks to injuries.
He’ll compete with Dallas, a fifth round pick over the weekend, for the role of third down back. Dallas is a converted wide receiver who would thrive in a third down role, not just for his abilities as a pass catcher but also because he loves blocking for his quarterback.
Regardless of who earns the third down moniker, both Homer and Dallas will likely be on the roster next season, and could easily see lots of playing time if Carson or Penny need rest or get injured.
Nick Bellore, last year’s fullback and a core special teamer, is a potential cut candidate in my mind. I think the team has someone else in mind to handle his role as occasional blocker and special teams contributor, but I’ll get to him later.
Tight Ends (5): Will Dissly, Jacob Hollister, Greg Olsen, Colby Parkinson, Luke Willson
The Seahawks stockpiled a huge chunk of tight ends this offseason, adding veteran Greg Olsen and a pair of rookies – Colby Parkinson and Stephen Sullivan – to a group that already included Will Dissly, Luke Willson and Jacob Hollister.
Dissly and Olsen are the presumed starters, with Dissly the TE1 as long as he is healthy. Olsen is no slouch in his own right, although his age and injury history will make it a surprise if he is available for all 16 games.
Hollister played well down the stretch last season, and although he’s not much of a blocker I think he has a role on this team – even if he is very similar to the newcomer Parkinson, a rookie out of Stanford who stands six-foot-seven and can line up out wide but doesn’t do much blocking.
Willson remains a logical cut candidate, but I believe the team will keep him over Bellore, allowing him to fill in occasionally as the fullback and reprise a valuable role as a special teamer – as well as a practical joker and overall strong personality in the locker room.
Sullivan is a guy the Seahawks really like, and I suspect they’ll make sure they feel confident he will clear waivers before they release him, so they can stash him on the practice squad. If they are unable to do so, I think they’ll cut Willson to keep him – that’s how much they want this man in their program in 2020.
Wide Receivers (5): Phillip Dorsett, Tyler Lockett, DK Metcalf, David Moore, John Ursua
The Seahawks drafted three wide receivers last year and added two this year, one via free agency (Dorsett) and one in the draft (Freddie Swaine).
That will give them another highly competitive group of players battling for just a few spots on the active roster in 2020 – and there are a lot of different ways it could go.
We know Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf are going to be around, without a doubt, as they are two of the best receivers in the game and should help this offense succeed with Russell Wilson at the helm in 2020.
Beyond that, I think David Moore will keep his job for at least one more season, despite dwindling production from 2018 to 2019. He’s still a good x-receiver option, and if he has a good camp he will be back again.
John Ursua waited patiently all year on the inactive list, finally appearing in a handful of games late in the season. He struggled to learn the playbook, which slowed his development, but I suspect the Seahawks view him as an option at the slot receiver spot – where I believe he will win the competition over new sixth round pick Swain.
Swain could take the job on account of his punt return abilities, however, and the battle between the two should be a fun one to watch.
Offensive Line (10): Duane Brown, Mike Iupati, B.J. Finney, Phil Haynes, Joey Hunt, Jamarco Jones, Damien Lewis, Cedric Ogbuehi, Ethan Pocic, Brandon Shell
The first domino on the offensive line already fell, with the team releasing veteran guard D.J. Fluker on Sunday – and news of Justin Britt’s release came shortly thereafter.
Cutting the pair saves the Seahawks over $15 million in cap space, more than enough money to sign one of the big name defensive ends still on the market (more on that later).
It also only leaves Duane Brown and Mike Iupati as remaining starters from last year’s squad. I suspect B.J. Finney, rookie Damien Lewis, and Brandon Shell will take over at center, right guard and right tackle, respectively, giving the Seahawks a new-look o-line in 2020.
Jamarco Jones, Ethan Pocic, Phil Haynes and Joey Hunt reprise their roles as versatile backups, while newcomer Cedric Ogbuehi takes over the George Fant role as an extra tackle and occasional sixth lineman – a role he held early in his NFL career.
This will be one of the most competitive positions on the entire team in training camp, as this roster projection has them cutting Chance Warmack, Jordan Simmons Khalil McKenzie, Kyler Fuller, Chad Wheeler and Demetrius Knox.
Defensive Line (9): Demarcus Christmas, L.J. Collier, Poona Ford, Rasheem Green, Bruce Irvin, Benson Mayowa, Jarran Reed, Alton Robinson, Darrell Taylor
Plus one of: Jadeveon Clowney, Matthew Judon, Everson Griffen, Yannick Ngakoue
The biggest position of need for the Seahawks, defensive end, received some reinforcements early in free agency from Bruce Irvin and Benson Mayowa, and added Darrell Taylor and Alton Robinson in the NFL draft.
Those four will be joined by returners L.J. Collier and Rasheem Green, and I believe one more addition has yet to be made. Whether it’s a reunion with Jadeveon Clowney – which GM John Schneider has not ruled out – or another signing or trade, with options that include Matthew Judon, Everson Griffen and Yannick Ngakoue, I don’t think Seattle is done shoring up the pass rush.
Assuming the team keeps the two rookies on the active roster, Branden Jackson would be the odd man out. Jackson had a nice year in 2019, but releasing him would save a few million in cap space, and I think they’d rather give the younger guys a shot.
On the interior, Poona Ford and Jarran Reed are the no doubt starters, but the third piece is yet to be determined. I gave the nod here to Demarcus Christmas, a sixth round pick in 2019 who sat out the entire season on the PUP list.
Christmas will compete with Nazair Jones and Bryan Mone for the job, and it is entirely possible the Seahawks will turn to free agency to add a veteran to this position – something they have done in each of the past few seasons.
Linebackers (6): Cody Barton, Jordyn Brooks, Ben Burr-Kirven, Shaquem Griffin, Bobby Wagner, K.J. Wright
The Seahawks are unlikely to re-sign SAM linebacker Mychal Kendricks, instead letting second-year Cody Barton battle it out with rookie Jordyn Brooks in training camp.
Some believe K.J. Wright, who set a career-high in tackles last season, could be a cut candidate, but I suspect he and Wagner will be back to help mentor the rest of the linebacker group, which includes second-year Ben Burr-Kirven and third year Shaquem Griffin, along with Brooks and Barton.
Griffin and BBK are guys who could be cut, with some believing they are competing for just one spot, but coach Carroll loves his core special teams contributors, which should help keep Burr-Kirven around, and I think Griffin’s development as a pass rusher last year will keep him around as well, at least for one more year.
Cornerbacks (6): Ugo Amadi, Quinton Dunbar, Tre Flowers, Shaquill Griffin, Linden Stephens, Neiko Thorpe
The Seahawks are all set with the starters on the outside, with Pro Bowler Shaquill Griffin and recently acquired Quinton Dunbar expected to line up at left and right corner, respectively.
That will push Tre Flowers to the bench, where he will likely work to become more versatile – potentially even learning some safety, his natural position in college.
Ugo Amadi is the presumed starter at nickelback, and the versatile DB and special teamer will once again be a valuable part of this team in 2020. Neiko Thorpe was re-signed and will resume his role as the team’s special teams captain as well as a backup around the secondary.
The surprise here is Stephens, but I think he will take on the role of Akeem King last year, as a core special teamer and backup nickel corner. John Schneider specifically mentioned Stephens, who the team recently claimed off waivers from the Dolphins, in a post draft press conference when asked about the competition at nickel corner.
Safeties (3): Marquise Blair, Quandre Diggs, Bradley McDougald
Three safeties may not seem like enough, but with Amadi and potentially Flowers both capable of filling in up there, I think it could work.
Diggs and McDougald are the presumed starters after the tandem looked very solid down the stretch last season. Both are savvy veterans who are capable of playing either strong or free safety, and the versatility, experience and overall talent they bring to this team will make fans remember the old days of the Legion of Boom.
Second-year thumper Marquise Blair will be in the mix as well, and his physicality and speed will make him one of the better backup safeties in the NFL.
The casualty here is Lano Hill, who I expect to join his draft mate Tedric Thompson in the free agent pool this summer.
Hill is a perfectly fine backup safety in the NFL, but with Amadi and Flowers on hand the team can move on and create a solid group of versatile thumpers across the secondary.
Specialists (3): Michael Dickson, Jason Myers, Tyler Ott
The easiest position group to determine at this point is the specialists. Michael Dickson is among the best punters in the NFL, and is still under his rookie contract.
Jason Myers signed a four-year deal before last season, and while he wasn’t perfect he was good enough to keep his job, and likely won’t face any competition in camp.
Ott also signed an extension, and is almost certainly going to be the only long snapper in camp and on the regular season roster.
