Bob Condotta
The Seattle Times
Here’s the second installment of our ranking of the Seahawks’ roster as the team gets set to begin training camp July 26. Today, we reveal the players ranked 75th to 61st, based on how integral we think they are to the team.
75. Damore’ea Stringfellow
Position: Receiver.
Potential role in 2018: Backup receiver and special teamer.
Main competition: While the likes of Keenan Reynolds and Cyril Grayson will try to make their mark with speed, Stringellow’s potential calling card is his size — 6-2, 209. He’d likely have to beat out at least one of 2017 draft picks Amara Darboh and David Moore — who each have similar size — to make the roster.
Why he’s ranked here: The Seahawks have been intrigued by the former UW and Ole Miss receiver for more than a year and finally signed him in May. Still, he seems a longshot to make the 53-man.
74. Joey Hunt
Position: Center
Potential role in 2018: Backup to Justin Britt and maybe at guard.
Main competition: Former Bellevue High star Marcus Henry is also vying for a backup center/guard role. Each will need to show they can play more than center, though.
Why he’s ranked here: Former OL coach Tom Cable seemed enamored with Hunt but new OL coach Mike Solari will bring a fresh set of eyes to the entire group.
73. Eddy Wilson
Position: Defensive tackle
Potential role in 2018: An undrafted free agent from Purdue, Wilson is vying for a backup spot on the line.
Main competition: Poona Ford, Quinton Jefferson.
Why he’s ranked here: The Seahawks appear to have four pretty sure things at defensive tackle but could keep five, and the last spot could come down to Ford, Wilson and Jefferson. Wilson got one of the larger signing bonuses for Seattle’s undrafted free agents — $12,000.
72. Joshua Perry
Position: Linebacker.
Potential role in 2018: Backup linebacker and special teamer.
Main competition: Jake Pugh, Marcus Smith.
Why he’s ranked here: The Seahawks signed Perry, a former fourth-round pick of the Chargers in 2016, in June to add to the depth at linebacker. Perry was used largely at strongside linebacker, where the backup spot looks wide open, with the Seahawks likely to also see if he can add some pass rush.
71. Poona Ford
Position: Defensive tackle.
Potential role in 2018: Backup and in the rotation on the defensive line.
Main competition: Eddy Wilson.
Why he’s ranked here: Like Wilson, Ford is an undrafted rookie free agent looking to at least do enough to hang around on the practice squad and show he could be part of the team’s future. Ford is listed at 5-11, 300 and will have to show that his height won’t be an impediment — many believe concerns over his size are why he went undrafted out of Texas.
70. Jake Pugh
Position: Linebacker.
Potential role in 2018: Backup linebacker, special teamer.
Main competition: Joshua Perry.
Why he’s ranked here: Pugh, an undrafted rookie free agent from Florida State, is another who will get a long look as a strongside linebacker/edge rusher type. He got a $15,000 signing bonus, the largest Seattle gave to any UDFA.
69. Tre Madden
Position: Fullback.
Potential role in 2018: Starting fullback and core special teams player.
Main competition: Jalston Fowler, Khalid Hill.
Why he’s ranked here: Madden was the starting fullback for eight games last year until he suffered a season-ending injury. He was also a key special teams player, which will be a necessity for whoever gets the fullback job. But he may have a harder time keeping that spot this year with Seattle bringing in two bigger fullbacks as competition in Fowler and Hill — especially if the Seahawks are serious about getting back to basics with their running game.
68. Tyrone Swoopes
Position: Tight end.
Potential role in 2018: Backup tight end.
Main competition: Nick Vannett, Will Dissly.
Why he’s ranked here: Seattle will likely keep at least three tight ends, with veteran Ed Dickson in line to be the starter. Swoopes has a battle to beat out Vannett or Dissly. But maybe Seattle could keep four tight ends. At very least, Swoopes would likely be wanted on the practice squad again this season and kept in the organization.
67. Tre Flowers
Position: Cornerback.
Potential role in 2018: Backup cornerback and special teamer.
Main competition: Neiko Thorpe, Dontae Johnson.
Why he’s ranked here: Flowers, a safety at Oklahoma State, is being moved to corner by the Seahawks, who see his 6-3, 203-pound frame as rather, well, Sherman-esque. Veterans Thorpe and Johnson currently project as the likely backups at outside corner behind Shaquill Griffin and Byron Maxwell, and Flowers probably has to move ahead of one of them to make the 53-man roster.
66. Marcus Johnson
Position: Receiver.
Potential role in 2018: Backup receiver, core special teamer.
Main competition: Amara Darboh, David Moore, Tanner McEvoy.
Why he’s ranked here: Johnson, acquired from the Eagles in the Michael Bennett trade, has intriguing size (6-1, 204) and speed (coach Pete Carroll said he ranks with Tyler Lockett as the fastest player on the roster). As such, he’s got a legit shot to make the roster, especially since the Seahawks also think he can be a factor as a gunner on coverage teams.
65. Jalston Fowler
Position: Fullback.
Potential role in 2018: Fullback, special teams.
Main competition: Tre Madden, Khalid Hill.
Why he’s ranked here: Fowler, who played collegiately at Alabama, played in 42 games with seven starts for the Titans from 2015-17 before being waived and signed to Seattle’s practice squad in December. Seattle seems likely to keep a fullback this year and the battle between Madden, Fowler and Hill seems wide open as camp begins. Fowler’s experience could be a factor.
64. Jamarco Jones
Position: Offensive tackle.
Potential role in 2018: Backup left tackle.
Main competition: Isaiah Battle, George Fant.
Why he’s ranked here: A fifth-round pick out of Ohio State, Jones is will battle for the backup left tackle job behind starter Duane Brown. The first few weeks of camp will tell a lot about his readiness to make any real move at a roster spot this season.
63. T.J. Mutcherson
Position: Safety.
Potential role in 2018: Backup safety and special teamer.
Main competition: Tedric Thompson.
Why he’s ranked here: Mutcherson, a teammate of Shaquill and Shaquem Griffin at Central Florida, could become a much more intriguing player if Earl Thomas holds out for any significant length of time. Thompson, a fourth-round pick in 2017, projects as the backup to Bradley McDougald at free safety if Thomas is not around. But Mutcherson, who was on the Houston Texans’ practice squad last season, could push him.
62. Jason Myers
Position: Kicker
Potential role in 2018: Starting place kicker.
Main competition: Sebastian Janikowski.
Why he’s ranked here: Janikowski, a 19-year veteran, appears a heavy favorite to take over for the departed Blair Walsh as kicker — for one, he has $600,000 guaranteed in his contract, while Myers doesn’t have any. But Janikowski is 40, battled a back injury last season and missed time with a hip issue in the offseason training program. After their travails with Walsh last season, the Seahawks are likely to keep Myers around a while to at least push Janikowski for the job and act as insurance if health or age creep up.
61. Willie Beavers
Position: Offensive line.
Potential role in 2018: Backup guard, tackle.
Main competition: Rees Odhiambo, Jordan Roos.
Why he’s ranked here: A fourth-round pick of the Vikings in 2016, Beavers spent time on Seattle’s practice squad last season and during minicamp, got some work with the starting line at right guard when D.J. Fluker was limited. He also can play tackle and will battle for a backup swing job during training camp.
This is the second of a seven-day series ranking all 90 of the Seahawks’ players as we count down to training camp.
