The Seattle Seahawks won’t be playing most of their starters in the Week 1 preseason game against the Las Vegas Raiders. It wouldn’t be too surprising for some Seahawks fans to tune in and see Pete Carroll and Geno Smith take the field against their former franchise and tune the rest out.
But for the sickos who watch every snap of a preseason game, there’s plenty to learn about the 2025 Seattle roster in this matchup, especially without the starters eating up snaps.
Depth is a crucial aspect for every team in the NFL, and most of the names discussed below will serve as depth in the upcoming campaign. That’s why it’s so crucial for these five players to get off to a hot start in the first week of the preseason.
Several Seahawks need to make the most of preseason debut
Guard Grey Zabel
Of course, Zabel is going to be a starter. Since he’s in the rookie class, though, he’ll be one of the few starters who will get on the field for the Seahawks Thursday night.
Zabel’s training camp hasn’t received too much fanfare, which is understandable with the attention that follows guys like Jalen Milroe and Elijah Arroyo in the class of rookies and the issues elsewhere along the offensive line. Nonetheless, Seahawks fans want to know that their first-round pick is worth the pick, especially as an FCS-level prospect.
If Zabel plays well, he may not play for long. That may be the indicator Seattle fans will need to know that the rebuilding effort of the interior offensive line is headed in the right direction.
Wide receiver Tory Horton
Horton is one of the most exciting young players on the roster. There are a lot of bodies in the Seahawks' wide receiver group commanding attention, and the former superstar Colorado State Ram has been at the forefront.
READ MORE: Seahawks have an early problem quietly brewing behind DeMarcus Lawrence
Horton will get plenty of looks with the primary starting trio of wideouts sitting this game out, making him one of the starters. Horton will need to shine regardless of who is under center and show some of that after-the-catch ability he’s displayed at camp, too.
At this point, Horton seems like a lock to make the roster after coming on as a fifth-round pick, but just how much he’ll contribute is the bigger mystery. Starting off with a great showing in live action would certainly help him eat into Marquez Valdez-Scantling’s snaps and targets down the road.
Running back Damien Martinez
Without starters, expect a heavy dose of Seattle’s new bulldozer running back from Miami. Martinez turned heads in pass protection drills when all the attention was placed on him after Kenny McIntosh’s unfortunate season-ending injury. Now it’s time to show what else he can do.
Martinez doesn’t seem to have the big-play ability of the two backs ahead of him on the depth chart, but that doesn’t mean he can’t earn some regular-season snaps with great play in the preseason. He could continue to show off his pass-blocking prowess or show his consistency in short-yardage situations with the ball in his hands.
Fans are eager to see both aspects of his game. Since Kenneth Walker III hasn’t played a full slate of games in his Seahawks career yet, Martinez is bound to be called upon at some point this season, and fans would like to know if he’s up to the task ahead of time.
Quarterback Jalen Milroe
Of course, the potential quarterback of the future needs a great showing in his first preseason game. They’re the backbone of lists like these.
Still, Milroe was listed as the No. 3 quarterback on the depth chart behind Drew Lock. While Seahawks fans certainly trust Lock as the backup to Sam Darnold for now, they certainly don’t want to see Milroe take a backseat for too long.
One or even three solid live-action performances from Milroe might not be enough to have the third-round pick leapfrog Lock on the depth chart, but it would go a long way in easing the minds of Seahawks fans on the state of the position going forward.
Cornerback Nehemiah Pritchett
Not all of the intrigue is on the offensive side of the ball, and not all of the question marks surround rookies. Pritchett was a fifth-round pick last season who got some opportunities in the regular season and did not make the most of them.
Pritchett allowed 72 percent of the passes in his coverage area to be completed last season on just 18 attempts. He gave up 201 yards and a score while playing in 10 games and starting one against Atlanta, which is where most of the damage was done. All six passes targeting his coverage were completed for 59 yards and a score.
Pritchett was listed among the third tier of cornerbacks on the Seahawks' unofficial depth chart, which, if accurate, puts his roster spot in serious jeopardy. Still, being deep on the depth chart means reps in the preseason this week, reps Pritchett will need to take full advantage of to have a shot at sticking around as a depth piece in Seattle.
More Seahawks news and analysis: