Five weeks into the 2025 season, Mike Macdonald has the Seattle Seahawks at 3-2 and tied for second in the NFC West. It is the same record they had at this point last year, but there is reason for more optimism now.
Despite a disappointing loss in Week 5 against Tampa Bay, Seattle is playing better. The offense is improved. The defense – Tampa game notwithstanding – is potentially quite good. At this point in 2024, the Hawks were in the midst of a three-game skid, which had some questioning whether first-time coach Macdonald could right the ship.
Those questions do not exist now, but the Tampa Bay game revealed some issues with the roster that need attention. Some personnel groupings are thin. Injuries have certainly been a problem in the early weeks, but that is SOP in the NFL.
Roster changes may be in the works for the Seattle Seahawks
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General manager John Schneider may want to juggle some depth pieces to try and improve overall play. Here are four players who might be looking at a reduction in their current status.
### Wide receiver Cody White
White has been a good soldier for a couple of seasons now, mostly on special teams. His value as a receiver is limited, and he would appear to be clearly behind Jake Bobo and Dareke Young as an offensive weapon.
[2025 draft pick Ricky White III](https://12thmanrising.com/training-camp-exposes-harsh-reality-seattle-seahawks-rookie-over-head) has been on the practice squad all season. He was a dynamic special teamer in college, with a particular talent for blocking kicks. As a receiver, he offers more explosive potential than his veteran namesake. It might be time to swap one White for another on the active roster.
### Linebacker Chazz Surratt
Like Cody White, Surratt is primarily on the roster as a special teamer. He has appeared in all five games this season but has not logged a defensive snap. And his presence on special teams has not stood out in any particular way. Seattle is struggling to find a partner for Ernest Jones IV at linebacker.
They do not seem completely sold on Tyrice Knight, perhaps because of weaknesses in coverage. But Drake Thomas has not been the answer. He is very active but does not make many plays.
It might be time to see what a different youngster can do. Patrick O’Connell played well in the preseason. He is currently on the practice squad. Thomas isn’t about to lose his position but Surratt might, in order to give O’Connell a crack at helping out at linebacker.
### Tight end Nick Kallerup
The mystery of Nick Kallerup continues. The UDFA out of Minnesota was a surprise inclusion on the final roster and if there is some secret plan for his eventual emergence, it certainly has yet to become apparent. He has yet to be active through his first five games.
What makes this especially odd is that Seattle has three other tight ends playing ahead of him, along with two fullbacks who have played tight end in the past. It is therefore difficult to imagine any scenario in which Kallerup actually gets onto the field.
Yet he continues to occupy a roster spot week in and week out. Perhaps when Robbie Ouzts returns from his ankle injury. Kallerup will be demoted, but it’s hard to justify keeping him on the 53-man roster when the injury-depleted secondary seems more in need of help.
### Edge rusher Derick Hall
What has [happened to Derick Hall](https://12thmanrising.com/seattle-seahawks-backup-teasing-kind-breakout-could-reshape-future)? He took advantage of injuries last season to emerge as one of Seattle’s most effective edge rushers. But with Uchenna Nwosu and Boye Mafe healthy and with the arrival of the currently injured DeMarcus Lawrence, Hall has been a non-factor this season. He has been on the field a lot but has yet to have an impact.
Hall was injured in the Tampa game and did not return.
He hasn’t registered a quarterback hit since Week 2 and has just 10 tackles for the season. Unless his injury forces a trip to the IR, it is not likely that Hall loses his actual roster spot any time soon. He has too much talent to abandon him so quickly. But his drop in production is concerning, especially with players like Jared Ivey on the practice squad, awaiting a chance to show what he can do.