The Seattle Seahawks have trimmed their roster from 91 players to 53, and the work isn’t done yet. The next step comes Monday, when they build out their practice squad and continue reshaping what the team is calling its “70-man roster” before Week 1 against the New England Patriots.
The clearest feel-good win from the cuts: Montorie Foster Jr. made it. Foster had a strong training camp, then a preseason that came with some highs and lows, but he flashed enough on offense and did enough on special teams to earn a spot. For a player who recently got his real estate license and spent time as a substitute teacher in Ohio, landing on the 53 is no small thing.
Right now, Foster sits as Seattle’s fifth wide receiver. He may not bring the same blocking profile as Jake Bobo, but he gives the Seahawks special teams value and, at least in a limited offensive role, a little more route versatility. He’s become more than just a camp body.
The Seahawks also chose to keep both of their young offensive linemen, Bryce Cabeldue and Christian Haynes, as backup guards, with Mason Richman’s ACL tear likely affecting the math a bit. Haynes seemed like he could be on the way out when Beau Stephens was drafted, but instead he heads into 2026 after the best camp and preseason of his career. Cabeldue even took some snaps at center, just like he and Haynes did a year ago.
Seattle’s depth picture on the offensive line still has some soft spots, especially at tackle, but the team has built real guard depth. Cabeldue’s college background as a tackle gives him another possible lane if needed.
One lesson from the final preseason game: don’t read too much into it. The last exhibition is packed with players who won’t be on the 53, and the modern roster cut process makes that even more true. The Seahawks’ game against the Kansas City Chiefs gave chances to names like Jared Ivey, Jalen Gaines, Aidan Hubbard, and Andre Fuller, but preseason production alone only tells part of the story.
That showed up on defense, where only three of the 23 Seahawks defensive players who played more than one series survived the cuts. Patrick O’Connell might not have been out there Friday if he hadn’t already sat out the Tennessee Titans game the week before. And when Emmanuel Henderson turned in a strong performance and finished second among Seahawks wide receivers in snaps played with 30, after totaling just 19 over the previous two games and only one in the first half, that was a sign to pay attention.
The secondary still looks unsettled behind the obvious names. Josh Jobe, Devon Witherspoon, Ty Okada, and Julian Love are the starters Seattle has in place.
Nehemiah Pritchett could be the Day 1 CB3 and nickel corner, while Nick Emmanwori will eventually be part of the mix once he’s ready to play. He’s closer to a linebacker in disguise than a traditional safety.
Beyond that, the picture gets messy fast. Trevon Diggs is likely headed to the practice squad, and Noah Igbinoghene could end up there too, though that remains to be determined.
The Seahawks also traded for rookie corner Avery Smith. Julian Neal’s injury has cost him valuable practice and game reps, leaving him behind in his first year.
Safety is even thinner. Seattle waived A.J.
Finley and Maxen Hook, and also cut D’Anthony Bell and Rodney Thomas II, leaving only Okada, Love, and Emmanwori on the roster at the position. That isn’t enough to last all season, and the Bud Clark injury clearly changed the shape of the room.
Bell and Thomas look like good practice squad candidates and possible elevations, but more help at safety will probably be needed at some point.
As for the 2026 draft class, it’s a four-player group on the active roster for now, and that’s not a shock. Emmanuel Henderson Jr., Deven Eastern, Michael Dansby, and Andre Fuller all missed the initial 53, though at least a couple could land on the practice squad. It was a weak draft class league-wide, which made this year’s seventh-rounders feel closer to undrafted free agents in a stronger year.
The rookies currently on the active roster are Jadarian Price, Julian Neal, and Beau Stephens. Bud Clark is on injured reserve and won’t be seen again until 2027. Neal has missed significant time because of a quad injury, so Price is the rookie who may need to carry the load this season.
Seattle also didn’t get any of its own undrafted rookies onto the roster, which fits the overall theme. Foster, given his injury last season, might as well be treated like an undrafted rookie himself, and Avery Smith joins that group in spirit too.
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Seattle's safety room does have bodies, with Julian Love, Ty Okada and Bud Clark among the options, but the depth chart is not exactly settled. Clark is working back from a broken ankle, and that leaves the Seahawks in a spot where a known veteran option could make some sense if they want more competition at the back end. [Read more 🡒]