Sizing up Seahawks’ top roster-spot battles ahead of cutdown

With the Seattle Seahawks’ preseason now in the rearview mirror, the attention now shifts to Tuesday’s 1 p.m. roster cutdown deadline, by which point all NFL teams must trim their rosters from 90 players down to 53.

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For the Seahawks, some position groups appear to be pretty straightforward. At other position groups, general manager John Schneider appears to have some difficult decisions ahead of him.

There also could be a wild card or two depending on the status of edge rusher Uchenna Nwosu and cornerback Artie Burns, who both suffered injuries in Saturday night’s preseason finale. If either of their injuries end up being significant, that could impact how things shake out both within their position groups and elsewhere on the roster.

“These are hard decisions,” Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald said of Saturday night’s preseason finale. “And you just kind of let what’s best for the team being the guiding light. John and I have been kind of hand in hand for this whole thing. So yeah, I’m looking forward to the next stage, but this is a tough time. This is probably the toughest part of the job.

“And I think if you look at it optimistically, you’re saying, ‘OK, this is a long-term investment too and it’s opportunity for guys to be on (practice) squads.’ Hopefully a couple people that won’t have an opportunity to be here have earned an opportunity somewhere else. … So bittersweet for sure, but yeah, it’s gonna be some tough decisions.”

Here’s a look four position groups where those tough decisions could be in store.

Wide receiver

This is probably the most intriguing roster-spot battle. DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Jake Bobo are all locks to make the team. And after a standout preseason, Laviska Shenault Jr. also seems like a guarantee. The fifth-year pro made an impact in a variety of different ways, showcasing his versatility with seven catches for 76 yards, three carries for 19 yards, a 44-yard kickoff return and multiple key blocks on big plays.

After that, it all depends on how many receivers the Seahawks decide to keep. The most likely number is six, but they could keep just five or possibly as many as seven. If they keep more than five, the top candidates for the final spot or two appear to be Dee Eskridge, Dareke Young, Easop Winston Jr. and Cody White.

Eskridge, a 2021 second-round pick, struggled to stay on the field and make an impact over his first three seasons with Seattle. And after missing the second preseason game with an undisclosed injury, it looked like he might be out of the running. But he made a strong final case in Saturday’s preseason finale, showcasing his blazing speed on a 79-yard punt-return touchdown. He also gained 22 yards on a fly sweep in the preseason opener and had three catches for 19 yards in the preseason finale, but his ticket to a roster spot likely centers on his return ability. On the team’s public depth chart, he is listed as the No. 1 punt returner and No. 2 kick returner.

Young, a 2022 seventh-round pick, is ahead of Eskridge at wide receiver on the public depth chart and has logged more than 300 regular-season snaps on special teams. But after hauling in three receptions for 44 yards in the preseason opener, Young had only one catch in 37 offensive snaps over the final two preseason games.

Winston, a former undrafted WSU Cougars star, had a strong preseason with eight catches for a team-high 98 yards and a TD.

White, a member of Seattle’s practice squad last year, had four catches for 74 yards and also had a would-be 73-yard TD reception negated by a holding penalty.

Running back

Heading into the preseason, Kenny McIntosh and George Holani were locked in a battle for the No. 3 running back role behind Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet. Both had strong preseasons, but McIntosh appeared to surge ahead over the final two games.

McIntosh, a 2023 seventh-round pick out of Georgia, rushed for a team-high 142 yards and a TD on 17 carries this preseason. The biggest highlight was a 56-yard TD run on Saturday, which included a devastating stiff-arm that sent a Browns defender to the ground. McIntosh also caught five passes for 27 yards. He missed most of last season after suffering a knee injury in training camp, but made the most out of the opportunity to finally showcase his talent this preseason.

Holani, an undrafted rookie out of Boise State, played well enough to potentially convince Seattle to keep four running backs. Holani rushed for 66 yards and two TDs on 15 carries, including an impressive cutback TD run in the preseason opener and an 18-yard run on Saturday that came after eluding two defenders in the backfield. He also added three catches for 15 yards and made two tackles on special teams.

Cornerback

Devon Witherspoon, Riq Woolen and Tre Brown are entrenched as Seattle’s top three cornerbacks. Burns, a nine-year veteran, appears next in line – especially after the Seahawks traded away reserve cornerback Michael Jackson last week. However, Burns suffered a foot injury in Saturday’s preseason finale. If that injury ends up being serious, it could significantly change the makeup of this position group.

Regardless of Burns’ status, rookie fifth-round pick Nehemiah Pritchett seems relatively likely to make the team, given his draft status. He also had a solid preseason, posting a 73.7 PFF coverage grade.

Rookie sixth-round pick D.J. James, who was college teammates with Pritchett at Auburn, also is in the mix. However, James had somewhat of a rough preseason, posting a 60.8 coverage grade and getting charged with surrendering a pair of touchdown passes, according to PFF.

Another wild card could be Dee Williams, an undrafted rookie out of Tennessee whose primary value comes as a punt and kick returner. At Tennessee, Williams averaged a school-record 15.4 yards per punt return and 21.1 yards per kickoff return. He returned four kickoffs for 123 yards this preseason, including a long of 41 yards. He also returned three punts for 19 yards. After playing both wide receiver and cornerback in college, he began training camp at receiver before switching to the defensive side. His path to a roster spot could partly depend on whether Eskridge makes the team – and vice versa. It’s unlikely both would make it, given that they each provide most of their value in the return game.

Defensive line

Leonard Williams, Jarran Reed, Johnathan Hankins and rookie first-round pick Byron Murphy II are all locks. Behind them, 2023 fifth-round pick Mike Morris also seems likely to earn a roster spot. The 6-foot-6 Morris played only one game last year before undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery, but showcased his intriguing potential with a strong preseason. He had one sack, two deflected passes at the line of scrimmage and 10 quarterback pressures, according to PFF. He also had an impressive play where he dropped back into coverage and broke up a pass intended for a tight end.

After that, it will be interesting to see if former undrafted free agent Myles Adams makes the team. Adams has appeared in 23 games with Seattle over the past three seasons, logging 310 defensive snaps over that stretch. He flashed a little bit in the second preseason game, but was sidelined this past week with an undisclosed injury. He might be squarely on the roster bubble.

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