Well, here we are just a couple days before the Seahawks travel to play their final preseason game in Green Bay, and I am ready to project my final roster. I don’t image we will see many starters play in that matchup, if any.

No matter. Through training camp and these first two preseason games, I think I have seen enough. If I am the brain trust of Pete Carroll and John Schneider, here is my list of players on my active roster heading into the first game of the season agains the Rams.

Quarterback: Geno Smith, Drew Lock, Holton Ahlers (3)

I have Seattle carrying three quarterbacks. Geno is the established starter, Lock looks better in the system this year than he did at this point last year, and Ahlers is too interesting as a duo threat quarterback not keep around in some sort of Taysom Hill styled way. If I am Shane Waldron, I’m pleading for Ahlers to be kept in order to further expand the playbook of my offense.

Running Back: Ken Walker III, Zach Charbonnet, DeeJay Dallas, Ken McIntosh (4)

K9 and Charbonnet are my one two punch with Dallas and McIntosh as my depth players. I was tempted to carry five backs with rookie SaRodrick Thompson, but I think Seattle can get away with placing him on the practice squad.

Wide Receiver: DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, Jaxon Smith Njigba, Jake Bobo, Cody Thompson, Tyjon Lindsey (6)

This in the position group is muddied right now with JSN’s twist injury, and Dee Eskridge facing a six game suspension. I believe that undrafted rookie Jake Bobo is a lock to make the club. He feels like a classic big bodied west coast offensive possession receiver who gets it. Cody Thompson has been in the system for a few years now and will probably be kept as a valuable depth player at least until JSN is ready to go. The real surprise is another undrafted rookie Tyjon Lindsey making the cut. Seattle needs a reliable returner who isn’t Tyler Lockett or JSN, and Lindsey showed out big time against Dallas making a spectacular punt return at a pivotal point in the game.

Tight End: Will Dissly, Noah Fant, Coby Parkinson (3)

Seattle has a great three headed monster at tight end. This is a fun position group.

Offensive Line: Charles Cross, Damien Lewis, Evan Brown, Phil Haynes, Abe Lucas, Stone Forsythe, Olu Oluwatimi, Anthony Bradford, Jake Curhan (9)

Cross, Lewis, Brown, Haynes, and Lucas should be the starters. Oluwatimi is the backup center who could also be looked at as depth at guard. Curhan also has position flexibility at tackle and guard. Bradford should continue to battling Haynes for starter reps at right guard, and Forysthe provides value as the backup left tackle. Seattle has enough player flexibility to go a bit lighter on the OL with a couple guys stashed on the practice squad.

Interior Defensive Line: Dre’Mont Jones, Jarran Reed, Mario Edwards, Myles Adams, Cam Young, Jacob Sykes (6)

It will be interesting to see if Seattle adds here with a trade for, or a released veteran, but I also kinda sense from Carroll that they might like their DTs more than fans and media types do. Reed is the starting nose tackle. Adams and Young provide flexibility to play nose and 3 tech. Jones, Edwards, and Sykes are the DT/DE types. Promising rookie Mike Morris starts the season on the PUP list, which is kind of a bummer.

Edge Rusher: Uchenna Nwosu, Boye Mafe, Derick Hall, Darrell Taylor, Tyreke Smith, Levi Bell (6)

I think Boye Mafe is the starter opposite of Nwosu even if Darrell Taylor is healthy enough to start the season and isn’t traded; he looks that good, and he looks ready to emerge in year two as a pass rushing threat. I kinda think that Taylor could be trade bait, but we will see. Derick Hall looks Frank Clark-promising, and Levi Bell has been a preseason star through two preseason games. Tyreke Smith brings a tough physicality, and ideally, should be kept. Seattle is DEEEEEEEP at the edges, and I think that is exactly how they want it.

Inside Linebacker: Bobby Wagner, Devin Bush, Jordyn Brooks (3)

I am going to make the bold prediction that Jordyn Brooks is on the active roster in week one. On paper, this makes Seattle light at middle linebacker for a team that is operating out of more 3-4, but I think that they are going to mix up their looks more, and not be so much a true 3-4 team as some would have it. I also think Jamal Adams is going to fit into this group as a nickel linebacker, and play a lot of that, but we will see. Also, could Levi Bell serve as an inside backer on occasion? It’s an interesting thought as Michael Bennett as described him as a Swiss army knife player.

Cornerback: Riq Woolen, Devon Witherspoon, Mike Jackson, Tre Brown, Artie Burns (5)

Seattle is very solidly four deep at corner with Woolen, ‘Spoon, Jackson, and Brown. All four of these guys are starter types in this league. ‘Spoon probably starts his career as their nickel corner but will eventually be an outside starter in the base defense, as well, I suspect. Burns provides quality veteran depth. Where is Coby Bryant, you ask? Hmm..

Safety: Quandre Diggs, Jamal Adams Julian Love, Coby Bryant (4)

Diggs and Adams are the starters, and Cody Bryant will transition to backup safety while possibly mixing in at corner, as well. I suspect Jordan Love becomes the “starting” nickel strong safety when Adams plays more of a nickel linebacker role. This position group provides Seattle with a crazy amount of positional flexibility on the back end.

Special Teams: Jason Myers, Michael Dickson, Chris Stoll (3)

Seattle has a pro bowl kicker, and pro bowl punter, and some dude to play long snapper.

Final thoughts about this projected 53 and the Seahawks heading towards the regular season

I don’t know how realistic it is for Seattle to cary three QBs but I don’t want them to lose Ahlers to another team by trying to stash him on the practice squad. Therefore, I hope he is rostered and they find certain ways of using him on Sundays while trying to develop his game as a passer. It would be fun to have a Taysom Hill type in Seattle.

I also do not know how realistic it is for Seattle to cary six edge rushers. Five seems more realistic, but I love the potential of all six of those guys.

In that, if Seattle were to move a player for more interior DL or MLB bolstering, I think Darrell Taylor would likely bring the most back in return. He’s a good pass rusher and young enough to think that there is still upside to his game, and because he redshirted injured his rookie season, he is a restricted free agent next Spring. A team trading for him would have club control over him next year. I think Philly, with their log jam at DT, might serve as an interesting trade partner considering that their current DC was on the Seahawk staff last year.

Heading into the season, I was excited about JSN mixing in right away as the slot receiver, and alas, we are probably going to have to wait a couple games for that. The Dee Eskridge suspension looms bigger now. Seattle is going to need someone who can reliably hold down the slot until JSN is ready. As fun as he’s been in the preseason, Jake Bobo is probably not that guy. Maybe this is an opportunity for Cody Thompson to finally make his mark. He’s been a guy on the fringe of the roster who they have liked for a while.

The JSN wrist injury really buggers up what I wanted to do with this final roster. I don’t want to PUP him and lose him for a full month of games, and ideally, I also don’t want to carry six receivers. In result, I chose to go light at middle linebacker for a while by adding an extra receiver. That’s scary for a team that wants to function in a 3-4 base defense more often.

I have very popular LB/FB and special team’s caption Nick Bellore not making the cut, and that’s probably the biggest stunner. I’m not convinced Seattle will do this, but I was willing to make him the sacrificial lamb in order to keep Levi Bell and Tyreke Smith on this roster. Bell can play fullback, and looks like someone who could be a special teams ace in the making with his motor.

I have five undrafted rookies making this squad with Ahlers, Bobo, Lindsey, Sykes, and Bell. I think their undrafted free agent class is that good. Seattle continues to be a great destination for undrafted players. That is a big aspect of Pete Carroll’s “always compete’ culture. Doesn’t matter where you have been drafted, if at all. What matters is what you did with your opportunities. All five of these guys have showed out with theirs.

On Sunday, we will see start seeing how this final roster shakes out. This is how I would do it, but I’m bracing for the reality that Seattle will likely do it a bit differently. Cool. I’m excited to see how it shakes out.

Go Hawks.