By Bob Condotta / The Seattle Times
Seahawks training camp is approaching quickly — players report July 25 with the first practice set the next day.
Once camp begins, so too does the process of the Seahawks paring their roster from the offseason maximum of 90 to the regular-season limit of 53. There is now just one cutdown date, following the final preseason game Aug. 26 at Green Bay (officially, teams have to be at 53 by 1 p.m. Seattle time Aug. 29).
To help you get to know the players better, it’s time for our annual pre-camp ranking of the roster. Seattle actually has only 89 as this is written, though the Seahawks are sure to fill that last spot by the time the first practice is held.
We’ll start with players 89-76 and work our way to the top.
89. CB Benjie Franklin
Potential role in 2023: Franklin, a product of Tarleton State who spent some of last season on Green Bay’s practice squad, is one of a whopping 12 cornerbacks on the roster, meaning it will be pretty competitive just to get on the practice squad. For most of the corners beyond the top five or six guys, that might be the most realistic goal.
Why he’s ranked here: We simply didn’t see much of Franklin in the spring as he didn’t sign until June 1 when Seattle needed depth with a few other corners sitting out due to injuries. That he has spent time on practice-squad rosters of the Jaguars and Packers indicates teams see something worth exploring.
88. DE Jacob Sykes
Potential role in 2023: Sykes, an undrafted free agent (UDFA) from UCLA, is listed as one of six defensive ends heading into camp, and the Seahawks are sure to keep one or two on their 16-man practice squad, so that might be his main goal. Sykes is one of 32 rookies on the current roster, and one of a pretty large class of 22 undrafted free agents.
Why he’s ranked here: Sykes is another we simply didn’t see a lot of, as he was with the team briefly in May, released, then re-signed June 5.
87. WR John Hall
Potential role in 2023: Hall is one of 12 receivers on the roster heading into camp, one of five rookies and one of four undrafted free agents. So, this will be another pretty competitive spot, with Seattle likely to keep five or six WRs on the 53 and two or three on the practice squad. Getting one of those PS spots is the logical goal for Hall.
Why he’s ranked here: The 6-3, 194-pound Hall played at Division II Northwood University in Midland, Mich., so an NFL camp is a little bit of a jump up in class. But his size is intriguing.
86. SS Christian Young
Potential role in 2023: Young is one of six players listed as either a strong safety or safety on the roster. The availability of Jamal Adams will determine the depth chart at the top of the roster. For Young and two other UDFA strong safeties on the roster, the practice squad appears the most realistic goal.
Why he’s ranked here: Young, who started 32 games in five years at Arizona, has interesting size, listed at 6-1, 221. If he can turn that size into impact, he’ll have a chance to work his way up the depth chart.
85. CB James Campbell
Potential role in 2023: Like the other four rookie UDFA corners, Campbell’s first goal is simply to get on the radar of the coaches.
Why he’s ranked here: The 5-11, 183-pound Campbell began his Montana State career at receiver before moving to corner in 2021 and has only one year of starting experience in college at that spot. He was regarded as a good special teams player at MSU, and that could be his ticket to sticking around.
84. WR Tyjon Lindsey
Potential role in 2023: Lindsey, a top-50 national recruit in 2017 out of Bishop Gorman in Las Vegas, will try to impress not only with his receiving — at 5-8, 171, the slot might loom as his best spot — but also as a returner.
Why he’s ranked here: Lindsey’s background as a five-star high-school recruit is intriguing. Lindsey also had 25 carries in his four seasons at Oregon State, where he transferred after one year at Nebraska, so he could be used in a number of different ways in camp.
83. CB Lance Boykin
Potential role in 2023: The Coastal Carolina product is another in a long line of young players who will try to make some headway at a pretty loaded cornerback spot.
Why he’s ranked here: Boykin was an NFL combine invitee who then went undrafted, signing with Seattle as a UDFA. His size (6-2, 200) has led some to conclude he could be also play safety, and showing versatility might be his best way to impress the Seahawks.
82. Cornerback Arquon Bush
Potential role in 2023: Bush is intriguing, having played at Cincinnati alongside Coby Bryant. But there he played largely in the nickel spot, where the Seahawks in the spring used first-round draft pick Devon Witherspoon with Bryant sitting out. So that’d be a tough spot to crack, as well.
Why he’s ranked here: Seattle has undoubtedly seen a lot of Bush, and his relationship with Bryant might help.
81. Cornerback Montrae Braswell
Potential role in 2023: Braswell is another UDFA rookie Seattle signed to add cornerback depth late in the spring, inking his deal June 1. He had been with Kansas City for a day earlier in the spring. But he immediately got work not only at corner but also as a returner, having scored three touchdowns on kickoff returns at Missouri State.
Why he’s ranked here: The 5-10, 194-pound Braswell’s best chance to make an impression might be on special teams.
80. Linebacker Cam Bright
Potential role in 2023: Bright, who started all 13 games at UW last season after transferring from Pitt, where he finished third on the team with 60 tackles, will try to win a spot as a backup at one of the off-ball linebacker positions or, more realistically, landing on the practice squad.
Why he’s ranked here: Seattle might only keep four off-ball backers, but with it being unclear when Jordyn Brooks will be back, there could be an opening for a young player to impress.
79. Receiver Matt Landers
Potential role in 2023: Landers, who played three years at Georgia before spending one year at Toledo and then his final season at Arkansas, will try to make his way through a crowded receiver room to at least land on the practice squad.
Why he’s ranked here: Seattle loaded up on some tall receivers in its UDFA class, a list that includes the 6-4, 200-pound Landers. He also showed big-play ability at Arkansas with 47 catches for 901 yards and eight TDs last year. If he can show some of that in camp, he might have a chance to stick around.
78. Strong safety Ty Okada
Potential role in 2023: Another UDFA trying to carve out a spot in a crowded secondary.
Why he’s ranked here: Okada was productive during his career at Montana State (nine pass breakups last year).
77. Linebacker Patrick O’Connell
Potential role in 2023: Battling for a backup linebacker spot and on special teams, and at least on the practice squad.
Why he’s ranked here: O’Connell’s 28.5 career sacks are the sixth-most in Montana history, but he’ll need to show that at 6-1, 227, he can still be an effective rusher in the NFL.
76. Tight end Noah Gindorff
Potential role in 2023: Seattle has a pretty veteran tight end corps, so Gindorff is logically aiming for a spot on the practice squad.
Why he’s ranked here: The 6-6, 267-pounder from North Dakota State projects more as a blocking tight end. The Seahawks can always use those.
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