Post-OTAs 53-man-roster projection

hawknation2018

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QB (2) - Russell Wilson, Alex McGough.
The Austin Davis vs. Alex McGough battle should be an interesting one to watching during preseason. McGough is only the 2nd QB drafted in the Carroll/Schneider Era. Reports are that he has impressed during OTAs with arm strength and footwork.

RB (4) - Chris Carson, Rashaad Penny, C.J. Prosise, Mike Davis.
Because all four backs are good receivers, that could make J.D. McKissic expendable, as does the addition of Penny on kick returns. This also assumes Prosise is healthy.

FB (1) - Jalston Fowler.
Fowler is a veteran who has shown a knack for devastating lead blocks. Returning FB, Tre Madden, is the more athletic option, but the weaker blocker. Rookie Khalid Hill is sort of a combination of the two, but I haven't heard much about him during OTAs. Going with Fowler would show a true commitment to blocking fundamentals and hard nose football.

WR (6) - Doug Baldwin, Tyler Lockett, Brandon Marshall, Jaron Brown, David Moore, Amara Darboh.
I included Marshall because I think he can provide them with a physical, big bodied receiving threat that the roster was missing. Moore has impressed during OTAs with his high wire act. Darboh could use time on the practice squad if they decide to go with five WRs. Several RBs have the ability to shift out wide or run patterns from the backfield, potentially making a 6th WR less of a priority.

TE (3) - Ed Dickson, Nick Vannett, Will Dissly.
Dickson, a sound and veteran route runner, pass catcher, and pass protector, has been taking the early reps in OTAs. Vannett may be the best receiving threat of the three. Dissly is the more physical option and better run blocker. Tyrone Swoopes is probably the most likely 4th TE, but haven't heard his name come up much in OTAs and he still seems a bit raw. Khalid Hill might make the roster as a FB/TE hybrid. Clayton Wilson is an intriguing practice squad candidate.

OL (9) - Duane Brown, Justin Britt, Germain Ifedi, Ethan Pocic, Jordan Roos, D.J. Fluker, George Fant, Jamarco Jones, Skyler Phillips.
I went with just nine linemen; this could easily be 10 with the addition of Rees Odhiambo and/or Isaiah Battle. My impression is they will move on from Odhiambo with the addition of rookies Jones and Phillips. Battle is long, strong, and athletic; he also gives them the versatility to play either left or right tackle. Battle needs to show he has improved as a finisher to make the roster. Odhiambo must prove that he can bounce back from a rough 2017 campaign.

DL (9) - Jarran Reed, Frank Clark, Nazair Jones, Tom Johnson, Rasheem Green, Shamar Stephen, Dion Jordan, Branden Jackson, Marcus Smith II.
Jordan's knee surgery opens up opportunities for Jackson, as well as rookies Green and Jacob Martin. Without Jordan or Clark, Jackson has been taking first team reps during OTAs. I like Poona Ford, but I think his role is already taken up by Stephen. Quinton Jefferson could be on the outside looking in with the addition of Green and rise of Jackson. Barkevious Mingo is expected to take reps at LEO DE, giving them a de facto 10th D-linemen.

LB (6) - Bobby Wagner, K.J. Wright, Barkevious Mingo, Shaquem Griffin, D.J. Alexander, Jacob Pugh.
Wagner and Wright have become the defense's most significant leaders. Mingo gives them length and athleticism at the SLB and LEO positions that they have not had since Bruce Irvin was here. The LB depth is a bit shaky, outside of rookie Shaquem Griffin, but I decided to include Alexander and Pugh. Alexander gives them a veteran backup to Wagner. Pugh was a priority undrafted free agent signing with enough potential to keep around. They can both play special teams.

CB (5) - Shaquill Griffin, Justin Coleman, Byron Maxwell, Dontae Johnson, Tre Flowers.
Griffin is the prohibitive starter at LCB. Coleman is the starter at NCB. I have heard rumblings that Coleman could get a look at RCB, despite his lack of ideal length for a boundary corner. Maxwell is a more than solid RCB in this system. It's just too bad he decided to miss all of OTAs. I'm guessing he is not happy with his one-year deal (and general lack of interest he received on the free agent market). I'm a big DeAndre Elliott fan, both as a boundary and nickel corner. It would be interesting to know where Elliott stands in his return from injury. You could easily put Neiko Thorpe here, in addition to or instead of Johnson. Both Thorpe and Johnson are very good special teamers. But Thorpe's $1.6 million salary seems too rich, unless he shows the potential to meaningfully contribute at CB. I would like to add a 6th corner, but not sure whom I would subtract.

S (5) - Earl Thomas, Bradley McDougald, Tedric Thompson, Maurice Alexander, Delano Hill.
Keeping five safeties is good for special teams purposes. McDougald is the likely starter at SS and can also move to FS if Thomas is absent. Still very excited about Thompson's play making potential at FS; he is also one of the better special teamers on the roster. M. Alexander is a veteran SS and solid special teamer. Hill is a developmental prospect at SS that they won't want to lose just yet.

ST (3) - Michael Dickson, Tyler Ott, Jason Myers.
I might be overreacting to Sebastian Janikowski's absence from OTAs due to a nagging hip injury; would love to type his name here, instead of Myers'. Age and injuries remain concerns for the 40-year-old Janikowski. Dickson has been taking reps at holder during OTAs, which is further indication that he will beat out Seahawks legend Jon Ryan for the punting job. I decided to go with Ott, instead of rookie Tanner Carew, at long snapper because of his experience and coverage ability. Ott has been a steady presence, and I don't know why they would mess with that, unless Carew proves to be outright better.

To help people make their own predictions, here's a look at the breakdown by position of the first 53-man rosters in previous years.

First 53-man roster of 2017 (breakdown by position):
QB (2)
RB (5)
FB (1)
WR (5)
TE (3)
OL (10)
DL (7)
LB (7)
CB (5)
S (5)
ST (3)

2016:
QB (2)
RB (4)
FB (0)
WR (5)
TE (4)
OL (9)
DL (8)
LB (6)
CB (5)
S (7)
ST (3)

2015:
QB (2)
RB (3)
FB (2)
WR (6)
TE (3)
OL (9)
DL (9)
LB (6)
CB (5)
S (5)
ST (3)

2014:
QB (2)
RB (3)
FB (1)
WR (7)
TE (3)
OL (9)
DL (9)
LB (7)
CB (5)
S (4)
ST (3)

2013:
QB (2)
RB (5)
FB (1)
WR (5)
TE (2)
OL (10)
DL (10)
LB (7)
CB (5)
S (4)
ST (3)
 

ivotuk

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Fabulous work! Thank you for doing that. My only squawk would be Poona Ford. He's one of those guys that everyone overlooks, but all he does is perform.

I would be extremely disappointed if he doesn't make the team.
 
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hawknation2018

hawknation2018

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ivotuk":7lrrg811 said:
Fabulous work! Thank you for doing that. My only squawk would be Poona Ford. He's one of those guys that everyone overlooks, but all he does is perform.

I would be extremely disappointed if he doesn't make the team.

Thank you! I think there's definitely a chance for Ford to make the roster as the backup NT. Shamar Stephen is expected to occupy that role, but Ford plays with more consistent leverage (at least at the college level). It's tough to fit all these guys in with the 53-man limit. I could also see them sneaking Ford onto the practice squad to develop him, assuming Reed and Stephen are both healthy (knock on wood). Stephen reminds me of Tony McDaniel, while Ford could develop into a penetrating, low-center-of-gravity Brandon Mebane type of NT.

Giphy

I read somewhere that Reed is in phenomenal shape and could see a higher workload this season.

Another rookie D-Lineman to try to fit in is Jacob Martin. Nifty pass rusher, physical, early reports have been good. He could be a more promising LEO pass rusher than Mingo.
 
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hawknation2018

hawknation2018

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10 best competitions in training camp:
1. RB
2. RG
3. 5T
4. 3T
5. Backup QB
6 FB
7. TE
8. K
9. LS
10. P
 

chris98251

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Well we can bet that some guys are going to hurt their Kaniffer Valve and end up on IR towards the end of training camp if they have the talent but the numbers are prohibitive at the moment the 53 man needs to be announced. Others on the PS squad.
 

hawkfan68

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Great post Hawknation2018. I agree with most of your roster projections. I disagree with you regarding Poona Ford. I believe Ford makes the roster and it's Stephen/Johnson duo that may be in trouble. Ford is the only one with the ability to backup Reed at NT (on paper), Johnson and Stephen don't offer that ability. Plus I believe the upside of Ford is high enough that they would lose him if he was released. More is being made about his lack of height. If he was 6-5, he would be a top 20 pick. That's what the Seahawks got as UDFA.

Honestly, I'm not all that impressed with Tom Johnson and Shamar Stephen signings. Mingo signing doesn't excite me much either. They could save $$ if they were to release them prior to the season, correct? I'd like them to have some type of $ buffer so they don't get into a situation they had last season where injuries constricted their ability to sign players and having to keep underperforming kickers/players because they had no options financially.
 
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hawknation2018

hawknation2018

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hawkfan68":2jij5w97 said:
Great post Hawknation2018. I agree with most of your roster projections. I disagree with you regarding Poona Ford. I believe Ford makes the roster and it's Stephen/Johnson duo that may be in trouble. Ford is the only one with the ability to backup Reed at NT (on paper), Johnson and Stephen don't offer that ability. Plus I believe the upside of Ford is high enough that they would lose him if he was released. More is being made about his lack of height. If he was 6-5, he would be a top 20 pick. That's what the Seahawks got as UDFA.

Honestly, I'm not all that impressed with Tom Johnson and Shamar Stephen signings. Mingo signing doesn't excite me much either. They could save $$ if they were to release them prior to the season, correct? I'd like them to have some type of $ buffer so they don't get into a situation they had last season where injuries constricted their ability to sign players and having to keep underperforming kickers/players because they had no options financially.

Mingo is going to be excellent at SLB in setting the edge & dropping in coverage. Pass rush ability at LEO is TBD. He’s on a reasonable two-year deal, so releasing him is highly unlikely.

Johnson offers a lot of upside as an interior pass rusher at 3T. The question is how well he can hold up against the run on first and second downs. Releasing him would cost $900k in dead money. Only way I see that happening is if he’s badly injured.

Stephen is more of a mauling run stuffer, who plays with good leverage despite his height. Dead money if released is $1 million. He’s currently healing from a meniscus tear in his knee. A release could happen if he doesn’t show something in training camp, they don’t feel he will heal up, and Poona Ford outplays him. Ford needs to prove his pass rushing and run stopping will translate to the NFL level. That’s a tall order for a rookie DT. In the recent past, the Seahawks have preferred veteran tackles like Stephen in that role.
 

getnasty

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I'd rather keep Mckissic the Davis. He's a much better receiver, better special teams player and can return kicks too.
 
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hawknation2018

hawknation2018

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getnasty":3eswt6hh said:
I'd rather keep Mckissic the Davis. He's a much better receiver, better special teams player and can return kicks too.

As a receiver, runner, and returner, the addition of Rashaad Penny makes Mckissic expendable. Mckissic does a lot of things OK but nothing great.

Whether Mckissic makes the roster likely depends on whether C.J. Prosise is finally healthy. Prosise is the more explosive option as a runner and receiver. Prosise has also added muscle to hopefully prevent another injury.

Carson, Penny, Davis, and Prosise can all run routes and catch the football. But the gadget role is likely to fall to Prosise or Mckissic.

Davis looked phenomenal in OTAs. He is fully rocked out in muscle and looks more explosive than he ever has before.

An injury to Prosise, Penny, or Lockett would open up an opportunity for Mckissic. Jaron Brown used to return kickoffs at Clemson. Cyril Grayson is another speedster getting a shot at returning kicks, but don't think he is polished enough yet as a WR to make the roster.

Keeping Carson, Penny, Davis, and Prosise at RB gives them two "thunders" and two "lightnings."
 

CamanoIslandJQ

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I can see a few plays that can be made out of the "I" formation with both Penny & Carson in at the same time. Hand off to the RB or the FB & keep the defense guessing. Who has the ball? Split one out to the slot or the edge and run RW's read-option, etc. Anything but the off-tackle & a cloud of dust plays as the RB tries to run over 320-lb OL guys, often with little success. I hope to see innovative offensive football this season. A lot of zig when they are expecting zag. Finally, the use of a FB has been in decline in the NFL, why? A good FB has proven to be a productive member of previous Seahawks squads & with the new emphasis on the running game, the Seahawks need one of their guys to step up as a viable FB candidate. Hopefully one of them will.

:smilingalien:
 

CamanoIslandJQ

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I can see a few plays that can be made out of the "I" formation with both Penny & Carson in at the same time. Hand off to the RB or the FB & keep the defense guessing. Who has the ball? Split one out to the slot or the edge and run RW's read-option, etc. Anything but the off-tackle & a cloud of dust plays as the RB tries to run over 320-lb OL guys, often with little success. I hope to see innovative offensive football this season. A lot of zig when they are expecting zag. Finally, the use of a FB has been in decline in the NFL, why? A good FB has proven to be a productive member of previous Seahawks squads & with the new emphasis on the running game, the Seahawks need one of their guys to step up as a viable FB candidate. Hopefully one of them will.

:smilingalien:
 

getnasty

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hawknation2018":17nbl36j said:
getnasty":17nbl36j said:
I'd rather keep Mckissic the Davis. He's a much better receiver, better special teams player and can return kicks too.

As a receiver, runner, and returner, the addition of Rashaad Penny makes Mckissic expendable. Mckissic does a lot of things OK but nothing great.

Whether Mckissic makes the roster likely depends on whether C.J. Prosise is finally healthy. Prosise is the more explosive option as a runner and receiver. Prosise has also added muscle to hopefully prevent another injury.

Carson, Penny, Davis, and Prosise can all run routes and catch the football. But the gadget role is likely to fall to Prosise or Mckissic.

Davis looked phenomenal in OTAs. He is fully rocked out in muscle and looks more explosive than he ever has before.

An injury to Prosise, Penny, or Lockett would open up an opportunity for Mckissic. Jaron Brown used to return kickoffs at Clemson. Cyril Grayson is another speedster getting a shot at returning kicks, but don't think he is polished enough yet as a WR to make the roster.

Keeping Carson, Penny, Davis, and Prosise at RB gives them two "thunders" and two "lightnings."

Neither Mckissic or Davis should touch the field if everyone is healthy so I'd rather keep the special teams guy. As good as Penny was at returning kicks I doubt he gets called on to do that at least I hope not.
 

truehawksfan

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Really like the work you put into the projected 53 man roster.

That said, I also agree with several about Poona Ford. If the Hawks want to go back to its roots -stopping the run a priority- as someone already mentioned, Ford is the only true NT in this group who's built to stop the run. I could see him rotate with Reed on run downs.

Stephens is known to be a good run stopper so I was a little shocked to hear Johnson was running first team at DT/3T because he's undersized (6-3 285) for this role and is known for being a better pass rusher. Plus, history shows Stephen should start at DT. The Hawks started Alan Branch (6-5 325) and Tony McDaniel (6-7 295) at DT/3T in the past. Naz Jones (6-5 292) also played a lot at this position, so Stephen (6-5 309) fits the player profile in PC's system.

I also heard Thorpe was running with the first team -a long with Coleman- at RCB in OTAs. Elliot is back from injury and this is Tyson's second year at CB so this should be an interesting camp.

I also like Hills chances at FB. He a converted TE so he can catch the ball, ran the ball at the goal line, was a run blocker at FB and in motion.
 

hawkfan68

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Here's my projection -

QB (2) - Russell Wilson, Austin Davis
RB (4) - Carson, Penny, McKissic, Prosise
FB (1) - Fowler
WR (5) - Baldwin, Marshall, Lockett, Brown, Darboh
TE (3) - Dickson, Vannett, Dissly
OL (9) - Brown, Britt, Pocic, Fluker, Ifedi, Fant, Odhiambo, Roos, Hunt
DL (10) - Reed, Jones, Jordan, Clark, Smith, Green, Ford, Johnson, Jackson, Stephen
LB (6) - Wright, Wagner, Mingo, Griffin, DJ Alexander, Pugh
CB (5) - Griffin, Coleman, Maxwell, Flowers, Thorpe
S (5) - Thomas, McDougald, Thompson, Hill, M. Alexander
ST (3) - Dickson, Ott, Janikowski

PS - McGough, Jamarco Jones, Skyler Phillips, Eddy Wilson, Moore, Mutcherson, Elliott, Khalid Hill
 

Cyrus12

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Nice looking list. I would say mckisiac makes the team as procise will be on ir by week 2 of pre season. Looking fwd to seeing the new faces here.
 
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