After a summer full of practices and preseason games with 90 players on the team, the Seahawks trimmed their roster to the NFL-mandated 53 on Saturday afternoon, two days after wrapping up exhibition play with a 4-0 record for the first time since 2013 while fielding what head coach Pete Carroll has called "one of the deepest groups we've had."
To reach the 53-man limit, Seattle executed three trades on Saturday, all of which are conditioned on players passing physicals. The team sent defensive end Cassius Marsh to the New England Patriots for fifth- and seventh-round draft picks in 2018, dealt cornerback Tramaine Brock to the Minnesota Vikings for a 2018 seventh-round pick, and acquired offensive lineman Isaiah Battle from the Kansas City Chiefs for a seventh-round pick in 2018.
The Seahawks also waived 24 players, including last year's backup quarterback Trevone Boykin, a sign the job now belongs to Austin Davis. Additionally, Seattle waived/injured three players (waived/injured players will revert to a team's injured reserve list if they go unclaimed on waivers); placed three players on injured reserve, including left tackle George Fant and cornerback DeAndre Elliott; placed DeShawn Shead on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list, meaning he'll be out for at least the first six weeks of the 2017 season; and terminated the veteran contracts of a trio of last year's starters in strongside linebacker Mike Morgan, defensive tackle Ahtyba Rubin, and fullback Marcel Reece.
Here's a look at exactly how the Seahawks got from 90 to 53 players:
Waived:
QB Trevone Boykin
T Darrell Brown
LB Rodney Butler
RB Alex Collins
RB Mike Davis
CB Pierre Desir
WR Cyril Grayson
DT Tylor Harris
C Joey Hunt
DT Quinton Jefferson
WR Kenny Lawler
DT Jeremy Liggins
DT Greg Milhouse
WR David Moore
LB Kache Palacio
C/G Will Pericak
LB Otha Peters
WR Darreus Rogers
DT Garrison Smith
WR Rodney Smith
TE Tyrone Swoopes
T Tyrus Thompson
CB Mike Tyson
WR Kasen Williams
Waived/Injured:
LB Christian French
CB Demetrius McCray
DT Rodney Coe
Terminated Veteran Contracts:
LB Mike Morgan
FB Marcel Reece
DT Ahtyba Rubin
Departed Via Trade:
CB Tramaine Brock (Minnesota)
DE Cassius Marsh (New England)
Acquired Via Trade:
OL Isaiah Battle (Kansas City)
Placed on Reserve/PUP
CB DeShawn Shead
Placed on Injured Reserve
FS Marcus Cromartie
CB DeAndre Elliott
T George Fant
Placed on Reserve/Non-Football Injury
DE Dion Jordan
DT Malik McDowell
Saturday's flurry of roster moves came following a busy Friday afternoon for the Seahawks that saw the team announce two trades. The first sent receiver Jermaine Kearse to the New York Jets for defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson in a deal that also involved 2018 draft picks, while the second exchange brought in cornerback Justin Coleman from the New England Patriots for a 2018 seventh-round selection. Tight end Stevie Donatell was waived Friday to make room for Coleman.
On Sunday afternoon, the Seahawks and each other NFL team can begin forming their 10-man practice squads, which could potentially see some players return to the same club they parted ways with.
"A bunch of guys had great opportunities to show where they fit and what they can do in the league," Carroll said Thursday night at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. "And hopefully guys who can't make our team will have made a statement for themselves so that they will be able to hang on and play somewhere else if not here."
Labor Day will feature Seattle's new roster on the field at Renton's Virginia Mason Athletic Center for a "Bonus Monday" workout ahead of the team's regular-season opener against the Green Bay Packers. Kickoff for that matchup is set for 1:25 p.m. PT on Sunday, September 10 at Lambeau Field.
"There's a lot of real positive things and we're ready to take on the season," said Carroll. "We're ready. It happens to be an extraordinary opener going to Green Bay and all that, we'll see how that goes. We're ready for this."
RELATED
A player-by-player look at the Seahawks' 2017 53-man roster following Saturday's roster moves.
Kansas City Chiefs offensive tackle Isaiah Battle (62) pass blocks in action against the San Francisco 49'ers Friday August 11, 2017 in Kansas City, Mo. (Damian Strohmeyer via AP)
Kansas City Chiefs, Preseason, Seattle Seahawks, Kam Chancellor
New England Patriots defensive back Justin Coleman (22) runs in pass coverage during an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions, Friday, Aug. 25, 2017, in Detroit. The Patriots won 30-28. (Scott Boehm via AP)
Seahawks running back Thomas Rawls leaps in the end zone after scoring on a four-yard touchdown run to extend Seattle's lead to 19-6 over Detroit.
New York Jets defensive end Sheldon Richardson (91) during an NFL regular season game against the Miami Dolphins on Saturday, Dec. 17, 2016 in East Rutherford, N.J. The Dolphins won, 34-13. (Ric Tapia via AP)
