> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Analysis: Examining 4 Seahawks Offensive Roster Bubble Battles Midway Through Preseason - URL: https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/examining-seattle-seahawks-offensive-roster-bubble-battles/ - Published: 2025-08-11T01:38:59.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-08T05:48:22.000Z - Author: Corbin Smith - Tags: Analysis, Seahawks, George Holani, Damien Martinez, Dareke Young, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Brady Russell, Eric Saubert, Mike Jerrell, Amari Kight, Mason Richman Every team in the NFL has slightly different preferences when it comes to roster building strategies, particularly coming out of the preseason with an eye on Week 1, and the Seattle Seahawks are no different under the leadership of general manager John Schneider and coach Mike Macdonald. In the first year of the Schneider/Macdonald courtship, Seattle didn’t change much in regard to roster construction and which positions were prioritized in final cuts last August. The team initially kept six receivers and 11 offensive linemen, rostering 26 offensive players and only 24 defensive players. Of course, the composition of the roster changed quite a bit between August 27 and the season opener against Denver on September 8. This summer, however, it may be a big tougher to peg how the Seahawks will operate in terms of which players earn bubble spots and which ones the team risks losing on the waiver wire later this month. Specifically, new offensive coordinator in Klint Kubiak has big plans for utilizing a fullback in his scheme and the arrival of speedy quarterback Jalen Milroe behind Sam Darnold and Drew Lock ensures three quarterbacks will be on the 53, something the franchise has rarely done in Schneider’s tenure dating back to 2010\. That means two spots normally open in prior years will be taken by Milroe and rookie Robbie Ouzts. Now closing in on the tail end of training camp with two more exhibition games left to play, the competition for a handful of roster spots continues to wage on in Seattle. Who has the edge at four offensive positional battles to land a spot on the 53? ### Running Back: George Holani vs. Damien Martinez **Case for Holani**: A powerful runner with a developed all-around skill set, Holani impressed last summer as an undrafted rookie and after the season-ending injury to Kenny McIntosh, he’s ran with his latest opportunity - literally and figuratively. Sprinting through and around defenders in the preseason opener as a runner and pass catcher out of the backfield, he averaged more than 10 yards per touch while scoring a 24-yard touchdown and turning a short screen into a 20-yard gain after breaking through an arm tackle. He also made a nice stop in kick coverage on special teams, which continues to add to his value. At least among healthy backs, he may be the Seahawks best all-around back in terms of catching, pass blocking, and special teams contributions to go with his hard-nosed running style. **Case for Martinez**: While Martinez didn’t necessarily look comfortable running the ball in his preseason debut while being held under two yards per carry, he has had a stellar training camp and at 217 pounds, he offers more size to be able to combat NFL defenders between the tackles. He also has been more durable than Holani, who battled through multiple injuries at Boise State and also spent time on injured reserve while on the practice squad for Seattle a year ago. He has been a pleasant surprise as a pass protector throughout camp, his receiving has steadily improved, and the Seahawks have given him a real opportunity to demonstrate that he can return kicks as well, something he did not do at the college level at Oregon State or Miami. **Who Makes the Cut?**: With Seattle now deploying a more run-oriented scheme, it’s not out of the realm of possibility Holani and Martinez both have a spot on Seattle’s 53-man roster, as releasing either of them would be quite risky in regards to potentially losing one or the other off the waiver wire. But if only one can make the squad, Holani appears to have the more polished skill set out of the backfield with soft hands as a receiver to go with physicality in pass protection and he’s light years ahead of Martinez currently as a special teams contributor. ### Receiver: Marquez Valdes-Scantling vs. Dareke Young **Case for Valdes-Scantling**: Unlike the rest of Seattle’s receiving corps, Valdes-Scantling has a proven track record of success in Kubiak’s offense. After joining the Saints midway through the 2024 season, he averaged north of 20 yards per reception and scored four touchdowns in only eight games, showcasing playmaking ability as both a downfield threat and yards after the catch maestro. As far as complementary weapons go, though he isn’t the most polished route runner, he can do damage from the boundary as well as in the slot and his explosive speed contrasts the strengths of Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Cooper Kupp quite well. Even if he isn’t getting a high volume of targets, his potential for taking the top off a defense would add a much-needed different dimension to the passing game. **Case for Young**: Coming into his own in his fourth training camp with the Seahawks, Young has reeled in several highlight reel-worthy catches on the practice field this summer, showcasing increased flexibility working out of his breaks and using his 6-2, 224-pound frame to his advantage to win on contested reception opportunities downfield. Along with taking big steps forward as a pass catcher, his physicality as a run blocker and previous experience working out of the backfield present two other significant advantages for him playing in Kubiak’s offense, as he can be moved around the formation and implemented into the run game on sweeps and end arounds. Most importantly, he’s a fantastic special teams player who excels as a gunner and remains in the mix for kick return duties. **Who Makes the Cut?**: Before camp opened, nobody would have suspected Valdes-Scantling would wind up on the roster bubble given his ties to Kubiak, and with $3 million in guaranteed money, it would be an expensive decision for Seattle to move on from him. But at the same time, the emergence of field-stretching rookie receiver Tory Horton has left the veteran fending for second-team scraps on the practice field and he hasn’t played a single special teams snap since 2021\. On the flip side, still on an affordable rookie contract, Young has been one of the team’s most reliable and consistent special teams players and he has a unique skill set to bring to the equation on offense as well. It would still be a surprise if Valdes-Scantling isn’t on the roster in Week 1, but Young has absolutely earned a spot and it can be argued he has more to offer as a depth receiver than his veteran counterpart. ### Tight End: Brady Russell vs. Eric Saubert **Case for Russell**: Possibly the best non-kicker/punter on Seattle’s roster from a special teams perspective, Russell has racked up tackles in bunches on kick and punt coverage in his first two NFL seasons and with long snapper Chris Stoll nursing a sore back during camp, he demonstrated his proficiency as an emergency snapper at the team’s Football Fest practice earlier this month. On offense, though he hasn’t been involved much in the passing game as a pro to this point, he’s a fluid athlete who can catch the ball and block as an inline tight end, fullback, and out of the slot, offering the positional flexibility Kubiak prefers from skill players in his offense. **Case for Saubert**: A journeyman who has spent time with nearly a third of the NFL’s franchises, Saubert won’t wow as a receiver and doesn’t offer much flash, but he has no problem handling the dirty work required of tight ends in Kubiak’s system. He’s an above average blocker who has done well in previous stops playing in a similar scheme, including with Kyle Shanahan in San Francisco last year, and he has generally been a capable pass catcher when granted opportunities few and far between. Add in more than 300 special teams reps for the 49ers in 2024 and his familiarity with the offense coupled with value in the third phase of the game could warrant his inclusion on the initial 53. **Who Makes the Cut?**: Before the Seahawks decided to cut Noah Fant leading up to the start of camp, Russell’s best path to a roster spot appeared to come in the form of beating out rookie Robbie Ouzts for the new fullback job. But with Fant departing, even though Ouzts clearly has already won the fullback job, the third-year veteran has done some nice things at camp catching the ball and his positional versatility gives him a slight edge over Saubert. This is another position where both players could make the initial roster, but if the Seahawks have to choose between one or the other, Russell’s youth and remaining upside would make him trickier to slip through waivers than a seasoned veteran like Saubert, who could likely be brought back on the practice squad without any issues. ### Tackle: Mike Jerrell vs. Mason Richman vs. Amari Kight **Case for Jerrell**: Benefiting from a full offseason to get stronger and shore up fundamentals, Jerrell has looked much more comfortable battling against NFL defenders than he did at this time a year ago. Making the switch to left tackle after starting three games on the right side as a rookie coming out of Findlay University, handling the blind side protector role hasn’t been too big for him, as his elite athletic profile has helped ease the transition to this point both as a pass protector and a run blocker in Kubiak’s zone-heavy system. Still capable of playing on the right side in a pinch as well, the improved positional flexibility will work in his favor with more competition chasing after his spot. **Case for Richman**: Incredibly seasoned coming into the NFL after starting 52 consecutive games at Iowa in the Big Ten, Richman has steadily improved over the course of his first training camp after getting beat up quite a bit and looking overmatched in the first few padded practices. Since then, he has adjusted well to the competition, particularly in pass protection where he hasn’t been as overwhelmed by NFL power as of late, seeing some snaps with the second-team offense in the past week as both a tackle and a guard. Adding more intrigue to his future, the Seahawks have started to see if he can handle snapping the football as a center, so that bears watching as well. **Case for Kight**: Formerly a four-star recruit who began his college career at Alabama before transferring to UCF, Kight’s pedigree has been evident in flashes during his first NFL camp as an undrafted rookie. At the start of the summer, he only saw work with the third-team offense, but he has started to cut into Jerrell’s playing time as of late, including seeing 29 total snaps with nine reps at left tackle in the preseason opener. Though he didn’t test very well in the pre-draft process, he has looked nimble enough in the zone blocking department and after allowing one pressure and no sacks in his pro debut, this could be a case where a high profile recruit who didn’t initially pan out in college has better fortune at the next level. **Who Makes the Cut?**: Even with Kight flying up the depth chart in the past week and change and Richman offering the highest floor of the group with his extensive Big Ten experience, this still feels like Jerrell’s job to lose. He has performed well for most of camp, adjusting fairly seamlessly to playing on the left side, and he’s a 92nd percentile athlete who checks off all the boxes in terms of quickness, lateral agility, and burst necessary to excel as a zone blocker. Richman and Kight both could be fun developmental practice squad players if they sneak through waivers, which would be far more likely to happen than if they tried to do the same with a high upside player of Jerrell’s talent.