As the preseason winds down and Saturday’s cuts quickly approach, the Seahawks face some tough decisions.

Choices at running back and receiver are going to have a trickle-down effect, possibly affecting the lines or the secondary.

Perhaps the biggest decision will be J.D. McKissic, whose status basically depends on whether Tyler Lockett is going to return kicks. McKissic was the full-time return man this preseason, and he showed his versatility as a third-down back and slot receiver — he had 118 all-purpose yards vs. Kansas City.

If Pete Carroll doesn’t want Lockett returning kicks as he comes off a broken leg, it could be good news for McKissic. And bad news for someone else.

Also keep in mind: John Schneider usually makes a trade right around cutdown day, and the Hawks typically add a couple of guys — other teams’ cuts — who were not even in Seattle’s camp.

The Seahawks are as deep as they were in 2013, so other teams will be interested in their castoffs. Schneider would be smart to try to trade a couple of guys at the deepest positions — maybe Jermaine Kearse, Paul Richardson or a cornerback — this week.

As the Hawks prepare for their final preseason game, vs. Oakland on Thursday, Carroll said, “The decisions are really difficult, and I anticipate that. We told you this has been one of the deepest groups we’ve had. There’s a lot of good football players here, and so we’ll just try to figure it out and do the best we can.”

Here’s how we see it (and what Carroll says):

Continue reading Projecting the roster before the final game →

With the preseason halfway over and the one big cut down to 53 a week from Saturday, we’re starting to see the 2017 Seahawks come together. Here’s how we see it:

QUARTERBACK
Keep: 2
Lock: Russell Wilson
In the hunt: Trevone Boykin, Austin Davis
How we see it: Despite his seeming lack of progress, Boykin appears set to reclaim the No. 2 spot. He is still slow to diagnose, leading to pressures, and often inaccurate. But Davis is no better, and Boykin — a poor man’s Wilson — has the athleticism to make up for what he lacks in mental acuity.

RUNNING BACK
Keep: 5
Locks: Thomas Rawls, Eddie Lacy, Chris Carson, C.J. Prosise, Marcel Reece
Long shots: Mike Davis, Alex Collins, Tre Madden
How we see it: It wouldn’t be a surprise if Carson ended up as the starter at some point, especially if Rawls cannot stay healthy. Prosise keeps coming up with one ailment after another (a groin this time). The team definitely will not — and should not — give up on a third-round pick after one year. But Prosise needs to figure out how to avoid nagging injuries that keep him off the field. Davis seemingly has passed Collins, who fumbled vs. the Vikings, but that would matter only if the Hawks kept five tailbacks. Reece is a great veteran to have at fullback.

Continue reading Projecting the roster →