Seahawks could have eye on these players if they're cut or traded

Will Seattle find necessary help at guard, linebacker, or defensive tackle with upcoming roster cuts?

If the Seattle Seahawks remain dissatisfied by the end of the month with their centers, right guards, nose tackles, and outside cornerbacks brought to training camp, they will struggle to find solutions through final roster cuts around the league.

The chances of an impact signing or trade at this time of year are remote but far from impossible.

These are 11 players I’ve mined from rosters in the NFC North and NFC South who might become available soon (if they aren’t already) based on factors like age, contract situation, poor team fit, and being replaced with cheaper, younger options. The odds of any of these players becoming Seahawks are low, but even knowing that we as fans will still learn something from these lists:

If a GM wants to add a STARTING guard or center to his offense, he should probably do it in March or April.

11 players who might get cut or traded (NFC South/North edition)

G/C Ryan Bates, Bears

I’m leading with Bates because he’s the only offensive lineman who made this list. That’s different than him being the only potential guard or center who could be available and is worth having…he’s just the only one I found today.

The Bears only save $3.5 million to release or trade Bates, but Chicago has an entire new coaching staff, a new offensive philosophy, and they’ve overhauled the offensive line with three new starters on the inside: Joe Thuney, Drew Dalman, and Jonah Jackson. Altough the Bears once desperately wanted Bates, first trying to sign him and then when that failed, trading for him…

The test run failed and Bates only appeared in three games in 2024. So if Bates is not good enough to start for Chicago, is he good enough for the Seahawks? Uhhh…yeah, maybe! The bar isn’t high.

Bates has only started 21 career games, including 15 with the Bills in 2022, but there was hope around the league that he was ready for a promotion and when you consider Seattle’s current situation at center and right guard, Bates might still be worth a try to a team like the Seahawks. Olu Oluwatimi is missing practice after practice, Christian Haynes could be Seattle’s “surprise cut”, and Anthony Bradford didn’t show improvement during the team’s first preseason game.

John “guards are overdrafted and overpaid” Schneider could even make the pitch to GM Ryan Poles that the two teams should swap guards, sending the more project-y Haynes to Chicago in exchange for a more Sunday-ready utility backup in Bates. Unless we see him with the starters this week against the Chiefs, which is unlikely, Haynes has probably lost that job and if he’s lost that job to Anthony Bradford then can he be trusted to be the backup to Bradford?

What do you think: Are you pulling the trigger on a Haynes for Bates trade?

TE/HB Taysom Hill, Saints

This is definitely more of a name than a realistic option at final cuts, but Hill’s familiarity with Klint Kubiak’s offense and versatility could eventually lead to a signing at some point. Hill is still recovering from a torn ACL suffered last Week 13 though, so he’s not even necessarily an option for the Saints right now.

With $10 million in cap savings and a new regime in charge, Hill should be released eventually and that’s the expectation. Because the Seahawks have a fullback and a full tight end room, I don’t think Taysom Hill is on their radar yet. If the Saints release Hill, he’s available during the season, and Seattle needs reinforcements at those positions, Kubiak might ask Schneider to look in his direction.

FB C.J. Ham, Vikings

Seattle has to be happy with Robbie Ouzts but should they need to pivot at the last second, Ham is possibly on the chopping block because of his age and cap hit. The 32-year-old has spent all eight seasons with the Vikings and he made the Pro Bowl in 2019 and 2023, plus he caught 17 of 18 targets when Kubiak was the offensive coordinator in 2021. The Seahawks added a fullback to the roster this week, so take that as you will.

DT D.J. Reader, Lions

I wouldn’t expect Reader to be available but if he does that’s an instantaneous 330 lb upgrade to Seattle’s run defense lacking a big body veteran in the middle since Johnathan Hankins continues to sit out. Reader’s name has come up now and again because of age and cap savings, although any notion to release him could have changed with Alim McNeil injured. The Lions used their first round pick on another defensive tackle, Tyleik Williams, but they’re not likely to lean on a rookie that much.

OLB D.J. Wonnum or DT Shy Tuttle, Panthers

Wonnum’s job is probably safe and he might even be starting in Week 1, but there has been a little bit of chatter that the Panthers would move on for cap savings if rookies Nic Scourton and Princely Umanmielen are impressive enough because Carolina saves $7 million with a release. With Uchenna Nwosu’s availability at the start of the season at best “iffy”, Mike Macdonald could keep checking for options around cut time.

Although I will say that this enthusiastic breakdown of Jared Ivey’s preseason debut did get me hyped:

Another Panthers player mentioned is DT Shy Tuttle, which would be more relevant to Seattle’s needs, but his release is even less likely than Wonnum’s.

CB Jamel Dean, Bucs

If the Seahawks are underwhelmed by what they’ve seen from Shaquill Griffin, a player who has already missed a lot of camp thus far, a veteran with outside corner experience could become a major need. By most accounts, Dean has not played very good recently but maybe Macdonald could get more out of him than Todd Bowles if he becomes expendable there. Tampa spent two day two picks on cornerbacks, opening the door for change.

DT David Onyemata, Falcons

There is not an expectation that the Falcons will cut Onyemata, but there’s been a little bit of smoke there because of his age and cap hit. Raheem Morris recently noted that Onyemata is playing the Grady Jarrett role for Atlanta — the Falcons cut Jarrett for cap reasons already — so they might not be in a hurry to move on but they have invested a ton of resources on their d-line in the past three years.

I know there’s been a lot of positive momentum building for Brandon Pili and Quinton Bohanna and maybe it’s warranted. That would be great news because there won’t be many exciting NT options on the waiver wire.

WR Romeo Doubs, Packers

Although Doubs entered training camp with questions to answer, the reports throughout the month have been mostly positive so a cut seems unlikely now. On top of that — or contrary to that? — Doubs is missing practice Thursday with a new injury. However, let’s also say this about Doubs and the WR position in Green Bay:

• The Packers drafted Matthew Golden and Savion Williams.

• Also: Jayden Reed, Christian Watson, Dontayvion Wicks, Mecole Hardman.

• The room is too full and Doubs is a 2026 free agent who has not done enough to earn an extension. Green Bay may try to trade him, if he’s healthy, to open the door for someone not in a contract year.

At 6’2, 204, Doubs could be a better option at X than Marquez Valdes-Scantling, should the team feel Tory Horton is not ready. The trade price shouldn’t be anything major although at this point it seems that Doubs is too valuable to Green Bay to put him on the block now.

CB Dwight McGlothern, Vikings

An unusual one, but no less relevant. Although McGlothern has gotten a lot of publicity out of training camp for making plays, not everyone expects him to make the final 53-man roster.

Undrafted in 2024, McGlothern started as a four-star prospect at LSU and he flashed a 4.47 40-yard dash at 6’1 and a half, 185 lbs at the combine. He also had a 1.5 10-yard split. Should Minnesota choose the newest UDFA over the previous UDFA, the Seahawks could take a flier on McGlothern; coincidentally he was teammates with Griffin on the Vikings last year.

KR/WR Tyler Scott, Bears

I was interested in Scott going into the 2023 draft because of comparisons to Tyler Lockett, but the fourth round pick was hard-demoted last year: Scott only got 20 snaps in the 11 games he was active for, finishing with one catch for five yards.

He did return 8 kickoffs for 207 yards (25.9 average) and that part of his game that could be getting better. He made a spectacular special teams tackle against the Seahawks last year. But due to falling off in 2024, the change in coaching, and the addition of 4 new receivers expected to make the roster (including returner Devin Duvernay), Scott is unlikely to make the 53. He’s a more intriguing returner option than Steven Sims.

DT Zacch Pickens, Bears

Weird: 2 players in NFL history have “zacch” in their names and they’re both on the Bears right now with the other being Olamide Zaccheus.

This is admittedly one of those “do you actually like the player or just his draft ranking?” choices because Pickens is only here due to the fact that he’s playing poorly. The 64th overall pick two years ago, not even Bears fans want him around anymore. However, teams rarely let a player’s career end that soon when he was so highly rated recently.

He’s not the nose tackle that the Seahawks might be looking for — Pickens measured 6’4, 291 at the combine — but you never know what Macdonald thinks he can get out of a defensive player.

Think I missed any names in these two divisions? Let me know in the comments. I’ll turn to two other divisions next so make sure you are subscribed to not miss those!

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