6 Players to Watch in Seattle Seahawks Preseason Finale vs. Cleveland Browns

While starters will get their most extended run of the preseason, bubble players and upstart rookies will remain at center stage in the Seahawks exhibition finale.

Seattle Seahawks safety Ty Okada (39) runs the ball against the Tennessee Titans during the fourth quarter at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024. / Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK

Rolling into their final tune up on Saturday night, the Seattle Seahawks will give starters on offense and defense their most extensive run of the preseason when they face off against the Cleveland Browns on their home turf in their preseason finale.

As confirmed by coach Mike Macdonald after Thursday's practice, quarterback Geno Smith will be among several starters who have yet to see the field this preseason who will see action for the first time, though it remains to be seen how many snaps starters will play and will be handled on a player-by-player basis. Ultimately, Saturday's home opener will be most important for bubble players trying to earn a spot on the 53-man roster and others who may not play in an NFL game again.

Which players should fans keep close tabs on when the Seahawks take the field for their preseason finale? Six players to watch at Lumen Field:

Unlike the rest of the players on this list, Smith isn't battling for a starting job and/or a roster spot. However, he has yet to play a single snap in a game situation running Ryan Grubb's offense, which creates no shortage of intrigue leading up to his 2024 debut on Saturday night. The veteran quarterback will have a chance to show fans why early returns on the practice field in Grubb's scheme have been so promising, as he has demonstrated great command of the system and played with plenty of confidence, likely seeing action with the majority of his skill players and a handful of starting offensive linemen in front of him for at least a series or two against the Browns. As long as Cleveland's defensive front doesn't spoil things, this will be a great opportunity for the gunslinger to shake off any rust and find a bit of a groove going against a live defense for a brief stint before the season opener in two weeks. Fans will be hoping to see a few explosives in the passing game and most importantly, exiting without any injuries.

Christian Haynes

With the clock closing in on midnight for Macdonald and his staff to name a starter at right guard, Haynes has gained ground on incumbent Anthony Bradford over the past two weeks, including allowing no pressures in pass protection against the Titans last weekend. The third-round pick out of UConn will face his biggest test yet against the Browns, as former Seahawks starting defensive tackles Shelby Harris and Quinton Jefferson along with rookie Mike Hall Jr. will be among the players likely to square off against him in the trenches early in Saturday's game. With a step up in competition, even if Cleveland doesn't have starter Dalvin Tomlinson suiting up, this will be Haynes' best litmus test yet to see how he stacks up against Bradford as the team tries to determine who starts the season opener and a strong performance could vault him into the lineup. Additionally, if he plays some at left guard as he has in the first two preseason games, another storyline could be building with him eventually pushing veteran starter Laken Tomlinson for playing time.

Brady Russell

Even before Noah Fant and Pharaoh Brown suffered injuries that have put their respective statuses for Seattle's season opener in question, Russell looked to have crossed into lock territory to make the final roster due to a stellar training camp and start to the preseason schedule. Aside from being one of the Seahawks best all-around special teams players, his athleticism, soft hands, and underrated blocking ability have been on display frequently over the past month, including rumbling for a 13-yard touchdown with multiple broken tackles in a win over the Chargers. Last week, he offset a bad drop with a fantastic demonstration of toe drag swag to set up a field goal late in the first half, and if he continues to flash as a receiver against the Browns while offering the flexibility to line up at multiple positions in Grubb's offense, the opportunity is in front of him to be more than a core special teamer this season.

Jamie Sheriff

Undrafted rookies who sign with an NFL roster more than a week into training camp often face impossible odds to stick around past the preseason and mandated cut date. But Sheriff has bucked that trend since he strolled into town on August 6, making the most of his limited snaps and impressing with a blend of burst and power as a pass rusher, generating seven pressures and a sack in the first two preseason games. Now that Darrell Taylor has been shipped off to Chicago, while the former South Alabama standout remains a long shot to make Seattle's 53-man roster, another great outing going against a solid Cleveland offensive line in front of the 12s could push him towards the top of the list of prioritized practice squad signings and set the table for him to receive several game day elevations over the course of the regular season.

Tyrice Knight

With Jerome Baker returning to practice at the end of this week, Knight may not need to play any snaps on defense to open the regular season. But at the same time, Macdonald's public comments suggest he hopes the fourth-round pick will be ready to play sooner rather than later, and he has showcased tangible growth since the start of training camp through the first two preseason games. Playing more than 40 snaps last week at weakside linebacker against Tennessee, he blew up a screen for a tackle for loss in K.J. Wright-esque fashion and finished with a team-best eight tackles, turning in a strong stepping stone audition with plenty of room left to grow as a blitzer and in coverage. Likely to start on Saturday night next to Tyrel Dodson, like Haynes on offense, this will be the best competition the rookie has faced to this point in a game, presenting an opportunity for him to take another step forward and continue to earn the trust of Macdonald and his staff.

Ty Okada

Squarely on the bubble, Okada helped his cause pushing for one of Seattle's final roster spots last weekend by dishing out several big hits as a tackler and hauling in a diving interception with a bloodied ear, continuing to draw praise for his toughness from Macdonald. Heading into this week, his chances of sticking as a fifth safety seemed questionable at best, but an injury to starter Rayshawn Jenkins during practice on Wednesday has now created a potential need for extra depth at the position rolling into the regular season. With Jenkins not expected to play on Saturday and no timeline for his return at this time, turning in another positive performance on defense and special teams may be enough to keep Okada over other fringe players with safety insurance suddenly having greater importance for the Seahawks.