Stock Watch: Which Seahawks Have Edge in Roster Battles After Offseason Program?
Bringing another offseason program to a close, the Seattle Seahawks wrapped up mandatory minicamp with a spirited final practice session highlighted by strong defense, sending the team into summer break before returning to kick off training camp on July 25.
“I feel like it's been great,” veteran defensive tackle Leonard Williams said. “Great attendance from the leaders, from the older guys. Young guys working hard, trying to be sponges of the game, learn as much as possible. To me, I really just see our culture elevate to another level.”
Coming off an All-Pro season, Williams won’t have to worry about his starting job or roster spot being in jeopardy when Seattle returns to the practice field next month. However, several positional groups on offense and defense already have intense competitions well underway that will continue in earnest in training camp, whether for starting roles or one of the final spots on the 53.
Heading into a six-week moratorium, which competitions have emerged as ones to watch once training camp arrives? And where do things stand on the depth chart at those positions coming out of the offseason program?
Running Back
Without having an opportunity to take on actual tacklers and show what they can do with the ball in their hands in non-contact, non-padded practices, running backs can be tricky to evaluate before training camp opens. But based on snap share alone, rookie Jadarian Price already appears to be in good position to carve out a major role out of the gate, as he and third-year runner George Holani took the bulk of the first team snaps in OTAs and mandatory minicamp with what seemed to be close to a 50/50 split.
Given his first round pedigree and talent, Price should have every opportunity to seize the starting job when camp kicks off in late July. To be able to edge out Holani, at least early in the season, however, he will need to showcase steady improvements in the passing game, including being able to haul in passes more than 10 yards downfield and holding up against blitzers in pass protection drills. Right now, Holani would have the advantage in both departments, already proving his proficiency as a three down back with impressive play behind Ken Walker III in the playoffs last year. Price will have to close that perceived gap while also flashing his dynamic playmaking skills as a runner to ensure he opens the season as a starter.
Behind Price and Holani, free agent signee Emanuel Wilson looks to have the third back role on lockdown as a change of pace power back in place of the injured Zach Charbonnet, at least for now. Kenny McIntosh didn’t participate at all in on-field workouts during the spring coming off a torn ACL and will face an uphill climb once he returns to the practice field, while Jacardia Wright and Velus Jones Jr. don’t appear to be in the mix for the third spot at this time.
Receiver
Led by reigning Offensive Player of the Year Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Rashid Shaheed, assuming Tory Horton returns healthy for training camp coming off a shin injury, the Seahawks have a wealth of riches at receiver, with five players likely already being locks to make the opening roster. But the battle for a sixth - or potentially even a seventh - roster spot at the position continues to brew as one of the fiercest set to play out in July and August.
Always seemingly overlooked, Cody White has entered Rodney Dangerfield territory for the Seahawks. He simply does not get enough respect for his overall game, including his special teams contributions, but the coaching staff has seen that value the past two years with increased opportunities. With that said, he had a pretty quiet OTA/minicamp period, and Irv Charles coming over from the Jets via trade may be his greatest challenger now. The veteran has fully recovered from a torn ACL and made several nice grabs in team drills during open practices, using his 6-4 frame to his advantage as a pass catcher against smaller defensive backs. Known for his gunner skills on punt coverage, his real time to shine will come in training camp when special teams becomes a bigger factor.
Away from the big-bodied duo of Charles and White, rookie Emmanuel Henderson Jr. got off to a rough start early in OTAs, watching several catchable passes clunk off his hands for bad drops. But he started to find his footing in minicamp, flashing his elite speed snagging a crosser in the red zone and diving inside the pylon for a touchdown during a red zone period in the final practice. Like Charles, he has a proven track record as a standout gunner, which puts him right in the thick of the competition for a final roster spot. Second-year wideout Ricky White III remains in the mix as well, though he had a rather quiet offseason program and much like his rookie year, he hasn’t found a way to stand out compared to the rest of the field and currently would be on the outside of the roster bubble.
Guard
For a select group of fans who hoped to see Anthony Bradford get pushed by incoming rookie Beau Stephens at the right guard spot, that dream should be stashed into the fantasy category at this juncture. Though he missed one practice after tweaking his knee during OTAs, Bradford played all of the snaps with the first team offense when healthy, including throughout mandatory minicamp, and looked great during drill work demonstrating elite power and underrated quicks. There isn’t a competition there and won’t be when training camp opens, as the job clearly belongs to the fourth year veteran after helping Seattle win the Super Bowl last season.
Where the situation at guard could get interesting, however, remains behind Bradford. Third-year blocker Christian Haynes has been a disappointment up to this point, failing to beat out Bradford in open competitions in 2024 and 2025, but he took all of the second team reps at right guard in open OTAs and minicamp while also stepping in with the starters in the one practice where Bradford sat out. For the time being, line coach John Benton appears to be favoring the maligned veteran over Stephens, who has been entrenched in the third team offensive lineup thus far while splitting up reps with second-year guard Bryce Cabeldue.
While this development would suggest Haynes has a significant lead over the rest of the competition, recent history suggests otherwise. Benton has made significant depth chart changes early in training camp on several occasions, including last year transitioning from Olu Oluwatimi to Jalen Sundell at center and opting for Cabeldue over Haynes at right guard down the line. Haynes may have the inside track to winning a “swing” guard spot, but it’s far from out of the question that Cabeldue or Stephens could push and potentially leap frog him once the pads come out in August, making this an intriguing position to keep tabs on moving forward.
Cornerback
In terms of “wide open” competitions on Seattle’s roster, cornerback takes the cake coming out of OTAs and minicamp. Behind starters Devon Witherspoon and Josh Jobe, several newcomers have staked a claim to earn the third spot on the depth chart, including veteran free agent signing Noah Igbinoghene. The former first round pick out of Auburn started off OTA practices struggling a bit as he adapted to Macdonald’s defense, but during minicamp, he racked up four pass breakups and returned a Drew Lock pass 100 yards for a pick six after jumping a curl route in the end zone, standing out as the best defensive player in the two sessions.
Igbinoghene’s efforts to close out the offseason program likely have put him into the driver’s seat alongside incumbent Nehemiah Pritchett, but incoming rookies also performed well in their first spring with the Seahawks to bolster the competition heading towards camp. Third round pick Julian Neal regularly got his hands on the football, including a pair of red zone interceptions in 7-on-7 drills, while seventh round selections Andre Fuller and Michael Dansby showed well, with the latter making two picks of his own in OTAs and minicamp. All three players performed at a high level, albeit largely going against third string quarterback Jalen Milroe and the third team offense.
Like the receiver position, special teams will hold a major card in regard to how the cornerback depth chart shakes out. Igbinoghene has been a stellar special teams player throughout his NFL career and offers more positional flexibility than Pritchett with the ability to line up on the boundary as well as in the slot defensively, which may give him the inside track to the third spot. Neal’s physicality will come to the forefront when pads come out, including potentially in the mix for a gunner spot on the punt coverage team, while Fuller and Dansby may get a chance to see if they can move around a bit position-wise to boost their cases for roster spots. With five players likely battling for no more than three spots on the 53, this has a chance to be the most intense competition set to be waged in camp.
Safety
Even after losing Coby Bryant in free agency, the Seahawks still boast one of the most talented safety units in the league and that depth was on display throughout the offseason program. The return of a healthy Julian Love paired with rising superstar Nick Emmanwori and reliable veteran Ty Okada gives Macdonald a trio that few teams can match, but that group could potentially be even better with the additions of second round pick Bud Clark and veterans Rodney Thomas II and D’Anthony Bell.
Though he spent most of his time in OTAs and minicamp with the second team defense, Clark managed to eek his way into a handful of snaps with the first unit in the final two open practices. The ball-hawking defender’s ability to play both safety spots as well as the slot cornerback role presents the type of versatility Macdonald covets, which could open the door to more four-safety personnel groupings in dime packages this upcoming season. He will enter camp as the No. 4 safety on the depth chart and will have to impress as a tackler in preseason games to earn a bigger role, but it wouldn’t be a surprise at all if he pushes Okada for the No. 3 role early.
If there’s a position where the Seahawks could opt to keep an additional one or two backups as core special teams players, safety would be atop the list along with receiver because of the presence of Thomas and Bell. Thomas, who started for two seasons for the Colts, offers plus size and fluid athleticism to go with the flexibility to play free and strong safety, while Bell played well for the team last year when called upon before being claimed off waivers by the Panthers and recorded a pick six in minicamp, showing he deserves to be in the roster discussion once again. Keeping both of those players may be tricky, but if they play at a high level in training camp and the preseason, having as many as six safeties on the 53-man roster isn’t out of the question.
