Bob Condotta Seattle Times
SEATTLE – There is not much time left in the NFL preseason.
The Seahawks are practicing in Renton early this week before heading to Green Bay on Wednesday for a joint practice against the Packers on Thursday and the final preseason game Saturday at 1 p.m.
Then the tough work starts for general manager John Schneider and coach Mike Macdonald as they pare a roster of 91 players to 53 by the cutdown deadline of Aug. 26 at 1 p.m.
Teams can sign players who clear waivers, or otherwise go unclaimed, to their 17-man practice squads the following day.
What could the Seahawks’ initial 53-man roster look like?
Here’s our latest projection.
### Quarterback
Sam Darnold, Drew Lock, Jalen Milroe.
**Comment:** They may have all three active on gamedays this season, as well, something the Seahawks haven’t done much of in recent seasons. Milroe figures to get most of the snaps, if not all, against the Packers on Saturday, allowing the Seahawks to get a final glimpse of where he is in his development.
### Running back
Kenneth Walker III, Zach Charbonnet, George Holani Robbie Ouzts.
**Comment:** They will have a decision to make here when it comes to the No. 3 running back. Holani has appeared to earn the job and has been running ahead of Damien Martinez on the depth chart. The Seahawks might worry about losing Holani or Martinez if they put them on waivers. The guess here is they keep Holani and try to sneak Martinez through to the practice squad. There never seemed a doubt about Ouzts making it, but his potential value to the Seahawks has only been reinforced in the preseason games.
### Tight end
AJ Barner, Elijah Arroyo, Eric Saubert, Brady Russell.
**Comment:** The preseason games have revealed how much the Seahawks may use fullbacks and H-backs this season and why they may keep four tight ends. But if they find themselves in a roster crunch, they could try to sneak Russell through to practice squad.
### Receiver
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Cooper Kupp, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Tory Horton, Jake Bobo, Dareke Young.
**Comment:** Horton’s ankle injury, while apparently not serious, reinforces why the Seahawks will want to keep Valdes-Scantling, who has played 14 or more games in all but one of his seven NFL seasons. Bobo seems a lock for his receiving and blocking but also special teams. A final spot at receiver could come down to Young and Steven Sims, who was signed mostly as a punt and kickoff returner. Sims has yet to play in the preseason while dealing with a hamstring issue. If he gets healthy he may squeeze onto the roster. Cody White has had a good camp but seems likely to be a player they try to sneak through to the practice squad.
### Offensive line
LT Charles Cross, LG Grey Zabel, C Olu Oluwatimi, RG Anthony Bradford, RT Abraham Lucas, G Christian Haynes, C/G Jalen Sundell, T/G Josh Jones, T Michael Jerrell, C/G Mason Richman.
**Comment:** The Seahawks appear to have a clear top eight in Cross, Zabel, Sundell, Bradford and Lucas (the likely starters) with Oluwatimi, Haynes and Jones as the gameday backups. Jerrell has worked as a backup tackle on both sides in camp and would provide depth. Richman began getting significant work at center last week and has moved ahead of Sataoa Laumea on the depth chart. If they were to keep a 10th, the guess is that it would go to Richman. Laumea, who had two penalties against the Chiefs, and rookie Bryce Cabeldue would be obvious practice squad candidates as well as center Federico Maranges.
### Interior defensive line
Leonard Williams, Jarran Reed, Byron Murphy II, Quinton Bohanna, Brandon Pili.
**Comment:** Veteran nose tackle Johnathan Hankins remains on the non-football injury list because of a back issue and it’s unclear when he will return. If he is still on it when the season begins, he’ll have to sit out the first four games. For now, we’ll leave him off the initial active roster and go with Pili, who has had a strong camp. That leaves Mike Morris or Quinton Bohanna for the final spot. The guess here is Bohanna, who fills a need as a second true nose tackle-type player with Hankins still out instead of Morris, who plays more at end. It could come down to which player they might worry most about getting claimed on waivers.
### Edge rusher/outside linebackers
DeMarcus Lawrence, Derick Hall, Boye Mafe, Uchenna Nwosu.
**Comment:** Nwosu is eligible to return to practice and he could be available Week 1. The Seahawks have some promising young edge rushers such as Jared Ivey and Connor O’Toole it will want to keep on the practice squad. Four-year vet Tyreke Smith is having a good camp but missed the Chiefs game because of an undisclosed injury. They surely wants to keep him around, but he’d seem likely to slip through to the practice squad. Nwosu’s return would seem to quash urgency to go after a veteran, though that can’t be ruled out depending on price, fit, etc.
### Inside linebacker
Ernest Jones IV, Tyrice Knight, Drake Thomas, Patrick O’Connell.
**Comment:** I have the same four here as last time with one big caveat — the health of Knight. Macdonald said Sunday the team will know more about his situation this week. What the Seahawks learn about Knight obviously influences if they feel a need to add a veteran. If he’s ready Week 1, this seems likely to be the four they take into the season with Josh Ross still recovering from a hand injury. Undrafted free agent D’Eryk Jackson had a quietly decent camp and would appear likely to hang around on the practice squad.
### Safety
Julian Love, Coby Bryant, Nick Emmanwori, De’Anthony Bell, Jerrick Reed II.
**Comment:** I’ve made a chance here from last time, adding Reed and waiving Ty Okada, who seems likely to slip through to the practice squad. Reed has the best grade of any Seahawks defensive player through two preseason games via Pro Football Focus and has been a special teams standout. They could consider keeping Okada — who has consistently worked with the second-team defense — instead of Bell.
### Cornerback
Devon Witherspoon, Riq Woolen, Josh Jobe, Nehemiah Pritchett, Shaquill Griffin.
**Comment:** Jobe and Pritchett seem sure things behind Witherspoon and Woolen. Griffin got nine snaps against the Chiefs and may need to show a little something in the joint practice to assure his spot. Based mostly on his experience and the $1.75 million the team has already guaranteed him, I’m keeping him on the roster. One question is if they prefer to keep Damarion Williams or Tyler Hall, who have each had good camps and can play the nickel. The plan to use Emmanwori often in five-defensive back sets might mitigate the need for another nickel corner.
### Specialists
Kicker Jason Myers, punter Michael Dickson, snapper Chris Stoll/Zach Triner.
**Comment:** Stoll is dealing with a back issue, so the Seahawks signed veteran Zach Triner two weeks ago and he has handled the snaps in both preseason games. The assumption is that job still belongs to Stoll for the long term.