The Seahawks opened the preseason with a 17-7 home loss to the Dallas Cowboys, and while Mike Macdonald kept the starters out of it, the night still told a few important stories for players fighting to stay relevant.
That’s the reality of preseason football for roster bubble guys: every snap matters. Some players used the opportunity to help themselves.
Others made the climb a lot harder. Four Seahawks, in particular, walked away from the opener with their stock heading the wrong way.
Shemar Jean-Charles was already in a tough spot with the Seahawks’ cornerback group crowded from top to bottom. Devon Witherspoon and Josh Jobe aren’t being pushed for starting jobs on the boundary, which leaves a crowded battle for the backups.
Jean-Charles needed a clean showing against Dallas’ reserves, and instead he looked a step slow too often. He was flagged for a huge pass interception on third down and later gave up a big catch for a touchdown late in the second quarter.
Michael Dansby was in a similar position entering the game, with his path to the 53-man roster looking thin from the start. He looked more like a developmental Day 3 pick headed for the practice squad, and one play in particular underlined why.
Cowboys rookie Camden Brown went up and took the ball from him in the end zone for a now-viral touchdown grab. For Dansby, it was a rough reminder that his lack of high-end speed and slimmer frame can get exposed against stronger competition.
Ricky White III needed a much louder night than the one he got. As a rookie, he did very little, and as a second-year player, the expectation was that he’d at least show up against third-stringers.
That didn’t happen. Montorie Foster Jr got snaps ahead of him, and White finished with just one catch for four yards.
His case gets even thinner when you consider that his value has always been tied to special teams, and he’s not getting on the field with that unit. With Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Cooper Kupp, Rashid Shaheed, Jake Bobo, and Tory Horton all potential locks, there’s not much room left for him.
Jalen Milroe showed a little progress, but not enough to feel secure. At times, he looked more comfortable in the pocket and didn’t immediately fall back on scrambling.
Still, a botched snap brought back some of the same execution problems that have followed him from last year’s preseason and his time at Alabama. Expectations are higher now, and Brian Fleury wants to see Milroe prove he can actually play quarterback before the team starts drawing up special-package plays for him.
If he can’t beat Drew Lock for the QB2 job, he may simply not have what it takes.
In Other News...
Seahawks Fans Will Understand DK Metcalfs New NFL Label
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Seahawks fans know the arc of that story as well as anyone. Metcalf requested a trade after the 2024 season and was dealt to Pittsburgh, where he signed an extension through 2029, while Seattle moved on and won the Super Bowl the following season. For Metcalf, the new setting brings fresh pressure and a longer runway, but the debate around him has followed him from one team to the next, and it is not going away anytime soon. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Hit With Brutal Injury Setback As Backfield Questions Linger
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For a division race that already figures to be shaped by health as much as talent, that leaves Arizona trying to piece together answers on the fly. Seattle has its own news to manage after locking up cornerback Devon Witherspoon and issuing updates on fullback Robbie Ouzts and Terrion Arnold, but the Cardinals situation is the one that most directly keeps the Seahawks watching the depth chart across the field. [Read more 🡒]
ESPN Just Put The Seahawks At The Top Of The NFL Future
ESPNs latest future power rankings give the Seahawks a pretty flattering long-view snapshot, placing Seattle No. 1 through the 2029 season when it comes to overall roster strength outside the quarterback spot. The evaluation also reflects well on the people building and coaching the team, with the Seahawks staff and front office both landing high in the league-wide outlook.
The one area that keeps the picture from looking completely finished is at quarterback, where Seattle was ranked 16th. That split between a strong supporting cast and a more modest view of the most important position is what makes the ranking so interesting for Seahawks fans, since it suggests the organization has done a lot right everywhere but the most obvious place still leaves some room for debate. [Read more 🡒]