After a flurry of moves over the last few days, the Seattle Seahawks have finally set their initial 53-man roster for the 2025 season.
We say initial because it may change as soon as Wednesday if the Seahawks make waiver claims of players from other teams, or make other additions or subtractions.
But for now, an initial roster for the second season of the Mike Macdonald era is in place.
It includes 27 offensive players and 23 on defense -- numbers that may change quickly -- and 11 rookies.
The Seahawks' move to a more run-based offense also is evident in the team keeping four tight ends and two fullbacks among five running backs.
Here's a position-by-position look at the Seahawks' initial roster with some of our thoughts.
Quarterback: Sam Darnold, Drew Lock, Jalen Milroe.
Comment: There was never any question about the makeup of the QB room -- Darnold is the starter, Lock the backup and rookie Milroe will get a year to develop, but he could get some occasional snaps in specialty packages to take advantage of his running ability.
Running back: RBs Kenneth Walker III, Zach Charbonnet and George Holani, and fullbacks Robbie Ouzts and Brady Russell.
Comment: As expected, Holani won the No. 3 job over rookie seventh-round pick Damien Martinez, who was waived but figures to be re-signed to the practice squad, assuming he clears waivers (that will be known Wednesday morning).
Ouzts is the No. 1 fullback, while Russell spent camp in a hybrid fullback/H-back/tight end role. Both will be core special teamers.
Tight end: AJ Barner, Elijah Arroyo, Eric Saubert, Nick Kallerup.
Comment: The top three have been long set with Barner the starter, Arroyo sure to get a ton of snaps, especially in receiving roles, and Saubert a good blocker and special teamer. As noted, Russell also can play a lot of tight end snaps if needed.
Kallerup, a UDFA from Minnesota, was maybe the biggest surprise to make the roster. But it's evident why he did -- run blocking.
Kallerup caught just one pass for 12 yards in the preseason but finished with one of the best run-blocking grades on the team from Pro Football Focus at 74.8. He blocked on 56 of his 72 snaps in the preseason, according to PFF, and was inline on 71 of them.
Receiver: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Cooper Kupp, Tory Horton, Dareke Young, Cody White, Jake Bobo.
Comment: There had been increasing rumors over the last week or so that the Seahawks could try to trade or release Valdes-Scantling after he had a slow start to training camp and was surpassed by Horton on the depth chart. Trade inquiries went nowhere and MVS was cut about an hour before the deadline.
One big factor is that he doesn't play special teams, something required of receivers beyond the top three -- Young, White and Bobo are three of the Seahawks' best special teamers at any position.
That leaves an untested group of receivers beyond the top two with Horton a rookie and Young (two), White (eight) and Bobo (32) having a combined 43 career receptions.
The guess here is the Seahawks could look to add a veteran.
They also released veteran Steven Sims with an injury settlement. He was signed primarily as a returner. But Horton, Holani, Young, White and Bobo all worked in those roles during the preseason and figure to divvy them up for the regular season.
Offensive line: LT Charles Cross, LG Grey Zabel, C Olu Oluwatimi, RG Anthony Bradford, RT Abraham Lucas, C/G Jalen Sundell, T/G Josh Jones, C/G Mason Richman, G Bryce Cabeldue.
Comment: The Seahawks began the day trading backup second-year tackle Michael Jerrell to Atlanta for a conditional seventh-round pick in 2027.
The Seahawks put second-year guard Christian Haynes on IR with a pec injury.
That left them with nine offensive lineman and no real surprises with those moves opening the door for rookies Richman and Cabeldue to make it.
Each had better camps than second-year player Sataoa Laumea, who was waived. They will probably try to get him back on the practice squad.
The Seahawks had interest in veteran Dalton Risner and could bring him in as experienced depth at guard.
Interior defensive line: Ends Leonard Williams, DeMarcus Lawrence and Mike Morris; tackles Jarran Reed and Byron Murphy II.
Comment: The Seahawks put veteran nose tackle Johnathan Hankins on the non-football injury list, meaning he must miss at least four games, while releasing veteran Quinton Bohanna and waiving Brandon Pili.
The guess here is one or both of Pili and Bohanna will be back on the practice squad at the least and could eventually be on the 53 as there is no way the Seahawks will go into the season with just two defensive tackles.
Morris was on the bubble but had a strong camp playing more of a true base defensive end role.
Edge rusher/outside linebackers: Derick Hall, Boye Mafe, Uchenna Nwosu, Jared Ivey, Connor O'Toole.
Comment: Lawrence is essentially an edge rusher and he will join Hall, Mafe and Nwosu as the four in the edge rush rotation.
It was a surprise that undrafted rookies Ivey (from Ole Miss) and O'Toole (from Utah) made the 53.
But O'Toole had the best pass rushing grade on the team from PFF at 82.0, which surely is why he made it, and Ivey also impressed on special teams, a versatility the team will need.
They waived Tyreke Smith, who had a solid camp and appeared to be on the bubble and will likely be kept on the PS if he clears waivers.
Inside linebacker: Ernest Jones IV, Tyrice Knight, Drake Thomas.
Comment: With Knight sidelined much of camp, Thomas and Patrick O'Connell split time working with the starters at weakside backer alongside Jones in the middle.
It was a surprise that O'Connell was waived, which for the moment leaves the Seahawks with just three ILBs as they also waived Jamie Sheriff, who played inside and out in camp.
The Seahawks are sure to try to get both back on the PS, and could look to add more experienced depth in someone cut by another team.
Safety: Julian Love, Coby Bryant, Nick Emmanwori, D'Anthony Bell, Ty Okada.
Comment: The Seahawks cut 2023 sixth-round pick Jerrick Reed II, a favorite of Schneider's, to keep Bell and Okada. They are sure to try to get him back on the practice squad and Okada in particular had one of the best camps on the team and serves as one of the better stories in finally making the initial 53 in his third season. Bell brings the veteran experience of 50 games played with Cleveland.
Cornerback: Devon Witherspoon, Riq Woolen, Josh Jobe, Nehemiah Pritchett, Shaquill Griffin.
Comment: There were no surprises here. The top three were givens and Griffin came on the last few weeks to secure a spot, while Pritchett seemed set after showing vast improvement in camp in his second year.
Specialists: Kicker Jason Myers, punter Michael Dickson, snapper Chris Stoll.
Comment: Stoll has been dealing with a back issue so three weeks ago the Seahawks signed veteran Zach Triner and he handled the snaps in all three preseason games. The Seahawks waived Triner on Tuesday, indicating Stoll is on the mend.