Analysis: 3 Offensive Dark Horse Candidates to Make Seahawks' 53-Man Roster

Which back-of-the-roster players should Seahawks fans keep an eye on in the preseason? Here are three dark horse candidates who could etch out a role for themselves on offense.

Teams with legitimate Super Bowl aspirations typically don't have many open roster spots heading into training camp. Even in Pete Carroll's ultra-competitive domain, folks can get a good idea of who will make up most of the Seahawks' 53-man roster. 

The key word there being "most," because there is, naturally, some uncertainty towards the back end of each team's roster. And because of the competition that Carroll breeds, it's anyone's game for the few spots that remain. Today, we'll be going over three players on the offensive side of the ball who could surprise some fans by staking their claim for the active roster.

For three dark horses to monitor on defense, check out our previous entry in this two-part miniseries. 

RB Josh Johnson

Running back is a fairly deep group for the Seahawks, featuring an established starter in Chris Carson and an interesting stable of backs behind him. But will Rashaad Penny stay healthy? Can Travis Homer give them some sort of upside as a ball carrier? DeeJay Dallas may be the only backup they can place some long-term faith in outside of Carson, giving Johnson—an undrafted free agent out of Louisiana Monroe—an opening to steal a roster spot from someone like Homer or Alex Collins. Johnson may have the best pass blocking skillset of any back in this group, which further helps his case against Homer in particular, whose best tool has been his pass protection. On top of that, while a positive COVID-19 diagnosis and subsequent hamstring somewhat derailed his 2020 season, he dominated on the ground the year prior at ULM with an explosive running style. If he can show off all aspects of his well-rounded game this summer, Homer and Collins will need to step it up to keep their chances of sticking around alive. 

For more on Johnson, check out our offseason primer.

WR Cody Thompson

There aren't many spots up for grabs at the receiver position, and Penny Hart and undrafted free agent Cade Johnson appear to be first in line for the last one-to-two openings. But that could certainly change over the next few weeks once preseason games start up, which will extend an opportunity to a player like Thompson to finally showcase what he can do on the field in a Seahawks uniform. One of the most accomplished wideouts to come out of the University of Toledo, Thompson boasts good size and after-the-catch ability. He'll be in a deep, heated competition, but Seattle has kept him around for nearly two full seasons for a reason. He's been a standout at times in past offseason workouts and potentially offers a unique skillset to stash at the back end of an incredibly talented group. 

For more on Thompson, check out our offseason primer.

TE Tyler Mabry

It's certainly not an obvious conclusion to make, but the Seahawks rostering four tight ends out of the gate may be a stronger possibility than some think. Given Will Dissly and Colby Parkinson's injury woes thus far in their respective NFL careers, could you blame Seattle for going that route? If so, Mabry is likely the guy. With a solid preseason, there's a non-zero chance Mabry gets swooped up by another team, so that's also something to keep in mind here. He's a willing and able blocker, and his size and athleticism gives him some decent upside as a pass catcher—the aspect of his game that has yet to shine. He may not get much of a shot to play early on, but the Seahawks really like him and may have no other choice but to keep him aboard if he balls out in August. 

For more on Mabry, check out our offseason primer.