Projecting what Seahawks roster might look like for Week 1 | Analysis

Roster building in the NFL, as Seahawks general manager John Schneider often points out, is a 365-days-of-the-year endeavor. Players can be added or subtracted at any time.

But, the NFL draft is a definite demarcation point. Most of what will be a 91-man roster when training camp begins in late July has been assembled.

Which makes it a good time to review how the Seahawks' initial 53-man roster at the end of training camp may look.

One spoiler alert? With all but five players back who played in the Super Bowl and some draft picks who seem certain to make the team, there aren't a lot of surprises. That, obviously, could change by Aug. 25, the projected cutdown date for the 2026 season as players get a chance to prove themselves on the field.

As of today, here's our guess at what the Seahawks' roster could look like when the regular season begins:

Quarterback

Players on roster: Sam Darnold, Drew Lock, Jalen Milroe.

Comment: With the pecking order set, the big training-camp story will be assessing how the QBs are adjusting to the tweaks made in the offense by new coordinator Brian Fleury, and if Milroe is progressing enough in his second season to create a larger role for himself.

Running back

Players on roster: Jadarian Price, Emanuel Wilson, George Holani; fullbacks Robbie Ouzts and Brady Russell.

Comment: Zach Charbonnet will likely begin camp on the Physically Unable to Perform list and out until midseason, so he's not a factor in this group for the moment. Price seems headed to RB1 status to open the season with Wilson at RB2. The big question is who wins the RB3 position and a possible role as third-down back between Holani and Kenny McIntosh. For now, with McIntosh still on the road back from a knee injury last July, we'll side with Holani, with the team hoping to get McIntosh back on the practice squad. Russell seems a lock as the de facto special teams captain as well as able to play fullback and tight end. Ouzts could potentially have a trickier path to assure a spot on the roster if there are numbers crunches elsewhere. But his fullback/tight end versatility and special teams would seem to get him a spot.

Tight end

Players on roster: AJ Barner, Elijah Arroyo, Eric Saubert.

Comment: The Seahawks will have the same top three as last season, with Arroyo back to health after the knee injury that cost him the last four games of the regular season. The tough decision here is waiving Nick Kallerup, who spent all last season on the roster and played in nine games. But we'll gamble he'll make it through waivers and re-sign to the practice squad.

Receiver

Players on roster: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Cooper Kupp, Rashid Shaheed, Tory Horton, Jake Bobo.

Comment: The top five at this position seem set, especially after the investment made to retain Bobo. There are some intriguing younger players such as sixth-round pick Emmanuel Henderson Jr. that they will try to get through waivers and on the practice squad.

Offensive line

Players on roster: LT Charles Cross, LG Grey Zabel, C Jalen Sundell, RG Anthony Bradford, RT Abraham Lucas, T/G Josh Jones, C Olu Oluwatimi, G Beau Stephens, T/G Mason Richman, G Christian Haynes.

Comment: The Seahawks had nine O-linemen on the roster to begin last season. We have them with 10 at the moment with the big question being who makes it of Haynes, Richman and Bryce Cabeldue. For now, we'll project Haynes does enough to hang around - he has gotten some work at center - and Richman makes it because of his guard/tackle versatility and they try to get Cabeldue on the practice squad.

Interior defensive line

Players on roster: Jarran Reed, Leonard Williams, Byron Murphy II, Brandon Pili, Rylie Mills, Mike Morris.

Comment: The big question here will be if seventh-round pick Deven Eastern shows enough to steal a roster spot from Pili. If so, the Seahawks could gamble with getting Pili through waivers to keep Eastern. Morris could also be on the bubble depending on how the roster shakes out. But his play on special teams last year could secure his spot.

Edge rushers

Players on roster: Uchenna Nwosu, Derick Hall, DeMarcus Lawrence, Connor O'Toole, Jared Ivey.

Comment: If the Seahawks have a significant roster move left in them it will probably be to add a pass rusher. Notably, veteran Dante Fowler visited two weeks ago and could still sign. If so, he immediately projects as the fourth rusher in the regular rotation alongside Nwosu, Hall and Lawrence. For now, the battle for that spot appears to be among O'Toole, Ivey and Jamie Sheriff. They kept Ivey and O'Toole on the 53 all last season so as not to expose them to waivers, and if they show progress in camp they would seem likely to make it again. Sheriff spent all last year on the practice squad and they could gamble he'd sneak through again. This could be a spot where a small class of undrafted free agents could make an impact. The Seahawks have reportedly signed edge rushers Aidan Hubbard of Northwestern and Marvin Jones Jr. of Oklahoma, each of whom was invited to the NFL combine before going undrafted.

Inside linebacker

Players on roster: Ernest Jones IV, Drake Thomas, Tyrice Knight, Chazz Surratt.

Comment: The four listed above were the Seahawks' four ILBs to begin last season and could be again this year. Patrick O'Connell spent most of last year on the practice squad before signing to 53 after Surratt was injured in November and could be ticketed for a similar role this year.

Safety

Players on roster: Julian Love, Ty Okada, Nick Emmanwori, Bud Clark, Rodney Thomas II.

Comment: Clark's status as a second-round pick makes it a given he'll be on the team along with the top three. That leaves Thomas, A.J. Finley and D'Anthony Bell to battle for a potential fifth roster spot at safety - they opened last year with just four. The Seahawks seem enamored by Thomas, so I'll give him the edge for now. Bell has four years service time, so the Seahawks could cut him and re-sign him to the practice squad without him having to go through waivers.

Cornerback

Players on roster: Devon Witherspoon, Josh Jobe, Nehemiah Pritchett, Julian Neal.

Comment: Neal is one of three corners the Seahawks drafted and the one who seems assured of making the roster as the 99th pick overall. They will hope seventh-rounders Andre Fuller and Michael Dansby can sneak through to the practice squad if they don't make the 53. They also have veterans Shemar Jean-Charles and Noah Igbinoghene and each will also contend for a fourth or fifth spot. However, like Bell, each has four or more accrued seasons and will not have to go through waivers if released. So that could give the Seahawks some roster flexibility to release them and immediately bring them back to practice squad.

Special teams

Players on roster: Kicker Jason Myers, punter Michael Dickson, snapper Chris Stoll.

Comment: The specialists are set, with the Seahawks ready to go with the same trio for the fourth consecutive season.

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This story was originally published April 28, 2026 at 4:53 PM.