Post-2025 NFL Draft Way-Too-Early Seahawks 53-Man Roster Projection
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Olu Oluwatimi (center) will aim to retain his starting role for the Seattle Seahawks, while Kenny McIntosh (left) will have to fend off new competition and incoming seventh-round pick Ricky White III (right) will look to earn his keep in a retooled receiver room. [/caption]
Training camp may still be several months away in the NFL, but following the conclusion of the 2025 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks and all 32 teams will soon be stepping back on the field for OTAs and minicamps and schedules will be revealed on May 14, meaning the upcoming season will be here in quick fashion.
Keeping that in mind, with rookie minicamp set to open on May 2 and the roster to soon be at 90 players for the start of spring practices, it’s never too early to start projecting what Seattle’s roster will look like in early September as coach Mike Macdonald’s squad begins gearing up for the season opener.
After adding 11 players as part of their latest draft class and reportedly adding 15 undrafted free agents this past weekend, which Seahawks will make the cut? My first prediction for the final 53:
Quarterback (3)
Starter: Sam Darnold
Backups: Drew Lock, Jalen Milroe
The Seahawks have trimmed some fat from what had become a crowded position group in the past few days, trading Sam Howell to the Vikings in a pick swap on the final day of the draft and waiving Jaren Hall on Tuesday. Following those moves, there’s a clear pecking order with Darnold cemented as the starter to replace Geno Smith after signing a three-year deal, Lock coming back to town on a two-year contract as the experienced, reliable backup, and Milroe providing an intriguing gadget weapon for Klint Kubiak to deploy out of wild cat packages as he develops behind the scenes.
Running Back (5)
Starter: Ken Walker III
Backups: Zach Charbonnet, Kenny McIntosh, Damien Martinez, Robbie Ouzts
With all four of Seattle’s top running backs returning from last season, cracking the rotation won’t be a given for Martinez, but the hard-nosed runner has more than enough talent to surpass former undrafted signee George Holani on the depth chart and a reasonable shot to give McIntosh or even Charbonnet a run for their money for reps when training camp opens in July. This should be one of the Seahawks most competitive position groups, including at fullback where Ouzts will square off against Brady Russell for one roster spot, with the rookie holding an advantage in the size and physicality department and the veteran having an edge as a cog special teamer. In the end, Ouzts fits the profile of the position too well to let go and has special teams value of his own, snagging a final roster spot.
Receiver (6)
Starters: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Cooper Kupp
Backups: Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Tory Horton, Jake Bobo, Ricky White III
A near-complete overhaul at receiver won’t bring much drama atop the depth chart, as the duo of Smith-Njigba and Kupp will see the majority of reps with Kubiak’s offense using less three and four-receiver sets and Valdes-Scantling will see his fair share of action as a change-of-pace vertical threat. Where things could get interesting will be behind those three veterans, starting with the addition of Horton and White to the mix against incumbents such as Bobo, Dareke Young, and Cody White, who re-signed with the team this spring.
Special teams will play a crucial role into deciding who wins those final roster spots for the Seahawks, and with Horton and White both being contenders to return punts and/or kicks along with having other special teams talents and Bobo being serviceable on coverage teams, Young and White will be on the outside looking in this time around with a chance to return as practice squad members.
Tight End (3)
Starters: Noah Fant, AJ Barner
Backups: Elijah Arroyo
While Russell and Eric Saubert will vie for a roster spot as strong special teams players and capable blockers, neither offers enough upside as pass catching threats to justify retaining them as a fourth tight end based on special teams merit alone. As long as the athletic Arroyo stays healthy, he will be utilized frequently as a move tight end in the slot and as an H-back rotating in with Fant and Barner will hold serve as the primary inline blocker of the group. With those three players atop the depth chart, it would be a surprise if anyone else breaks through at the position by the time September rolls around, though Russell could feasibly still be in the mix as a hybrid fullback/tight end.
Offensive Line (9)
Starters: Charles Cross, Grey Zabel, Olu Oluwatimi, Christian Haynes, Abraham Lucas
Backups: Josh Jones, Sataoa Laumea, Jalen Sundell, Mike Jerrell
As should be the case considering how poorly the offensive line played for most of last season, there will be at least two starting jobs up for grabs in the trenches, if not three. The departure of Laken Tomlinson in free agency leaves a vacancy at left guard for Zabel, who should be the favorite to secure that spot as a rookie. Meanwhile, Haynes, Laumea, Anthony Bradford, and potentially Bryce Cabeldue will be vying for a wide open right guard job and there’s a chance Oluwatimi will have to re-earn his starting center role against Sundell.
It’s possible the Seahawks could opt to keep 10 linemen out of the gate similar to how they did last season, but the competition will be fierce for four or five reserve spots regardless. In this projection, Haynes and Laumea’s athleticism proves to be the difference as better scheme fits than Bradford, who might be a potential trade candidate due to his youth and starting experience. Both Cabeldue and seventh-round pick Mason Richman could carve out successful NFL careers, but that path likely will have to start on the practice squad with the organization having high hopes for Jerrell in his second season and Jones coming on board as a seasoned former starter at the swing tackle spot.
Outside Linebacker (4)
Starters: Uchenna Nwosu, Demarcus Lawrence
Backups: Boye Mafe, Derrick Hall, Jared Ivey
After swapping out Dre’Mont Jones for Lawrence during free agency to pair the former All-Pro with Nwosu, Mafe, and Hall, the Seahawks should have a strong quartet of edge defenders offering a variety of skill sets and strengths to rotate into the lineup. This likely will create a starter-by-committee approach depending on opponent, giving the coaching staff plenty of flexibility with an experienced group.
If Nwosu isn’t ready for the start of the season after undergoing knee surgery this spring, Jamie Sheriff or Tyreke Smith could open the season on the 53-man roster, but neither has Ivey’s size or All-SEC pedigree. The undrafted rookie out of Ole Miss didn’t test well at his pro day, leading to him not being selected, but he has plus-size at 6-6, 274 pounds, throws violent, heavy hands at the point of attack, and plays with the toughness and physicality Macdonald wants from an edge setter, making him a viable threat to crack the roster as a versatile chess piece up front who can reduce inside and do damage on passing downs.
Defensive Line (6)
Starters: Leonard Williams, Jarran Reed, Byron Murphy II
Backups: Johnathan Hankins, Mike Morris
PUP: Rylie Mills
Compared to most teams in the NFC, the Seahawks have a gold mine at the 3-tech defensive tackle/5-tech defensive end positions with Williams coming off one of the finest seasons of his illustrious career, Reed remaining a highly productive disruptor in the middle as he enters a new contract, and the uber-talented Murphy poised for a breakout sophomore season after posting subpar pass rushing numbers as a rookie. Those three players will receive the lion’s share of the reps in the interior with Hankins’ reported return anchoring the nose tackle spot.
Where things could get a bit tricky will be the depth chart behind those four players, starting with Mills’ uncertainty coming off a torn ACL suffered in January during Notre Dame’s playoff win over Indiana. The fifth-round pick expressed confidence that he could be back doing football activities before training camp, but Seattle won’t want to rush him back onto the field, making a PUP stint to begin his career probable, if not a guarantee. This will leave Morris and Ivey as the only other 3-tech options on the roster currently with Quinton Bohanna and Brandon Pili being strictly early down nose tackles who can be stashed on the practice squad.
Inside Linebacker (4)
Starters: Ernest Jones IV, Tyrice Knight
Backups: Drake Thomas, Jackson Woodard
Unlike a year ago, the Seahawks don’t have any concerns in the starting lineup at off-ball linebacker with Jones signing a three-year extension and Knight emerging as a rock solid starter in the second half of his rookie season. Those two players will have the opportunity to continue to grow together for at least the next three seasons in the middle of Macdonald’s defense, alleviating short and long-term question marks that existed rolling into the 2024 season.
Behind Jones and Knight, however, an exciting competition could be on tap with four or five players jockeying for two or three roster spots, with special teams contributions being a significant factor. Thomas earned invaluable experience as a nickel substitute last year coming off a torn ACL and the coaching staff holds him in high regard, so it would be a surprise if he doesn’t keep his spot. Behind him, Patrick O’Connell and Josh Ross will be in the hunt to stick on the roster, but Woodard comes into the NFL with more upside as a defender to develop after racking up 251 tackles and five interceptions as a two-year starter for the Runnin’ Rebels, earning himself a spot to be groomed as a capable injury replacement at either linebacker role.
Cornerback (5)
Starters: Devon Witherspoon, Riq Woolen, Josh Jobe
Backups: Shemar Jean-Charles, Nehemiah Pritchett
If everything comes together, the Seahawks could have one of the best cornerback trios in the NFL with Witherspoon and Woolen each previously being selected to at least one Pro Bowl and Jobe coming off an unexpected breakthrough campaign. The aggressive playmaking Witherspoon will be eligible for an extension next spring and going into his second season in Macdonald’s scheme, expectations will be through the roof for the former top-five selection, while Woolen has millions of reasons to be motivated with free agency looming and two inconsistent seasons in the rear view mirror. The same can be said to a lesser extent for Jobe, who stands to earn himself quite a bit of money if he performs well on a one-year deal.
Unfortunately, Seattle didn’t do much to help itself depth-wise at cornerback this offseason, choosing not to select one in the draft and only signing Jean-Charles in free agency to compensate for the departures of Tre Brown and Artie Burns. Jean-Charles played well in his first extended action for the Saints last year and that experience should serve him well, while Pritchett will have a prime opportunity to take a sophomore leap and show that he has the talent to push Jobe at the other boundary corner spot. Undrafted rookies Zy Alexander and Isas Waxter will be worth keeping an eye on, though in this prediction they will coming back as practice squad members initially.
Safety (5)
Starters: Julian Love, Coby Bryant
Backups: Nick Emmanwori, D’Anthony Bell, Jerrick Reed
Even before trading up in the second round to draft Emmanwori, the Seahawks had a strong safety group with Love and Bryant coming off three interception seasons and returning as established starters in Macdonald’s secondary. Now, the defensive mastermind will have to deal with the good problem of figuring out how to maximize Emmanwori’s immense gifts and athletic tools meshing him into the lineup alongside the two veteran starters, but based on his previous success in Baltimore, that shouldn’t be too difficult with him deploying plenty of three-safety looks in the past.
Arguably the most underrated free agent addition by Seattle this offseason, Bell flashed as a spot starter each of the previous two seasons in Cleveland. Emmanwori’s arrival will make it tricky for him to see the field on defense unless injuries strike, but he’s an excellent insurance policy and should be one of the team’s core special teamers in 2025. Now more than a year removed from a torn ACL, Reed should be back to rookie form and his own special teams value and positional flexibility secures one of the final roster spots on defense.
Specialists (3)
Starters: Jason Myers, Michael Dickson, Chris Stoll
As has been the case for the past half decade, the Seahawks won’t have any drama at the kicker or punter spots with Myers and Dickson returning as one of the NFL’s best one-two punches. Stoll has been a reliable, consistent long snapper in two seasons so far and could be in line for an extension next spring. Don’t expect any changes here.
