Roster Slots

Mike Sando put out his roster analysis of the Seahawks a few days ago, so I finally have some numbers to apply towards the possibility of my practice squad guys making the team.

I read/heard that Holmgren prefers to keep a combination of 11 running backs and receivers. Apparently tight ends serve a different enough purpose that they don't factor into the equation. Sando's numbers actually show slightly fewer in the average of the past five season: 10.4 running backs and receivers. It doesn't look good for Payne or Forsett, as I don't think anything has changed since I last looked at their roster potential.

With Payne out with a cracked rib, and not being able to show his game abilities, I think he's almost guaranteed to get cut for the practice squad. If Deion Branch gets put on the PUP list to start the year, Payne probably makes it onto the roster.

Baring an ultra-spectacular showing by Forsett in preseason games, which would effectively force the Seahawks to keep him on the roster, I think there's one scenario where he makes the 53-man roster: Duckett shows himself to be a more adept fullback than Owen Schmidt (who could probably be cut for the practice squad without much danger of another team picking him up, given how raw he is) and Forsett shows enough punt/kick return potential that Holmgren feels comfortable relieving Burleson (now a starter) of (the majority of) his return duties.

Lastly, Jamar Adams. John Morgan at FieldGulls.com had a great breakdown of the competition between Adams and C.J. Wallace. Earlier I thought both might make the team, but with roster spots being scarce, what's the point of keeping two young, developing safeties that are basically redundant? I'll admit to pulling for Wallace because of his UW connection, but if he's not good enough, or at least not better than Adams, then there's no reason to keep him. Sando has the average number of DBs at 8.0, and seven this year are locks. Barring injury to one of those seven Wallace and Adams will have to fight it out in the preseason. Stay tuned. I'll be following the game against Minnesota tonight via whatever live blog is available (I know Frank Hughes will have one going, at the minimum).