Seahawks 90-Man Roster Primer: Walter Palmore

From junior college to the XFL, Walter Palmore's rollercoaster career has brought him to the Pacific Northwest. Could the big defensive tackle push for a spot on the Seahawks' 53-man roster in 2021?

With the calendar flipping to June and offseason programs in full swing across the country, NFL training camps will begin around the league in less than two months. To celebrate the new incoming season, we will be breaking down the Seahawks' 90-man roster over the next several weeks, exploring best and worst case scenarios and what to expect from each player entering the 2021 campaign.

Walter Palmore, Defensive Tackle

Height/Weight: 6-foot-3, 317 pounds

2020 Stats: 1 game played, 1 tackle, 1 pressure, 0.0 sacks

The road to Seattle has been a wild one for Palmore. Signing with the Texans as an undrafted free agent in 2019, he was waived upon final roster cuts and failed to land with another team. Thus, he turned to the XFL, posting six tackles and 0.5 sacks on one pressure in two games for the Houston Roughnecks. But as the league abruptly shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequently filed for bankruptcy, Palmore's contract was terminated. Fortunately for him, his efforts in those two games helped land him back on the radars of NFL teams as the 2020 season approached. Added to the Cowboys' practice squad in October, he was promoted to the 53-man roster for their Week 17 matchup against the Giants and recorded one tackle and one pressure. Now a member of the Seahawks since mid-May, the Columbus, Georgia native enters a fairly condensed group of interior defenders, but one that doesn't have many opportunities to offer.

Best Case Scenario: Palmore makes the most of his opportunities late in the Seahawks' three preseason games, proving to be the solid rotational run defender he was in his two years with Missouri. If so, perhaps he pushes Cedrick Lattimore and Robert Nkemdiche for one of Seattle's final roster spots, though it's more likely he lands on another team's 53-man roster or gets practice squad consideration. 

Worst Case Scenario: Palmore gets cut as the Seahawks continue to build their roster out and struggles to find his next destination—if there is one, that is. 

What to Expect in 2021: The Seahawks seemingly have two - perhaps three - defensive tackle spots locked down with Poona Ford, Al Woods, and Bryan Mone. It stands to reason there's one last spot up for grabs between Lattimore, Nkemdiche, and Palmore. However, the free agent market for defensive tackles remains strong, giving Seattle an opportunity to add a veteran presence to the heart of its front line. That would likely spell doom for players like Palmore, though he could impress if he's given the opportunity to play some in the preseason. He's big, lengthy, and plays stout against the run. He could make some noise in August and give the team a solid depth piece on its practice squad. 

Previous Seahawks 90-Man Roster Primers

Alex McGough | Darvin Kidsy | LaDarius Wiley | Joshua Moon | Cam Sutton