Seahawks vs. Cowboys Preseason: 6 Players to Watch

Though it remains unknown how many starters will play for the Seattle Seahawks in their second preseason game, a handful of reserves should have the most to play for against a quality Dallas Cowboys opponent with roster spots hanging in the balance.

Continuing to progress toward their regular season opener on Sept. 10, the Seattle Seahawks will face a quality test in their second preseason game with the Dallas Cowboys rolling into town for a Saturday night clash at Lumen Field.

After only playing a handful of starters in a 24-13 win over Minnesota last week, coach Pete Carroll declined to provide information on which players may or may not suit up for Seattle against Dallas. But the second exhibition game tends to be when teams play their starters the most to tune up for the regular season and regardless of how many play or how long they play, Saturday's contest will be a crucial one for several players battling for roster spots.

Which Seahawks have the most to gain - or lose - heading into Saturday's matchup against the Cowboys? Here are six players to keep a close eye on under the lights at Lumen Field.

WR Dareke Young

After seeing an expanded role late in his rookie season, the door has been opened for Dareke Young to earn the fourth receiver spot for Seattle / USA TODAY

Now in his second season out of Division II program Lenoir Rhyne, Young entered training camp as a favorite to win a reserve spot behind DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, and rookie Jaxon Smith-Njigba for the Seahawks following a strong finish to his rookie campaign. Along with moonlighting as a fullback and starring on special teams late in the year, after not making a catch in the first 16 games, he caught two first down passes in a playoff-clinching win over the Rams in the season finale, building momentum for 2023.

But the athletic 6-3, 224-pound Young missed a significant chunk of camp and Seattle's first preseason game with a groin/hip injury and thanks to the ascendance of undrafted rookies Jake Bobo and Matt Landers as well as the healthy return of Cody Thompson, his roster spot may not be set in stone. Back healthy, if he can find a way to reel in a few catches, create yardage with the ball in his hands, and perform well on offense and special teams against Dallas, with Dee Eskridge suspended the first six games, a prime opportunity to win the No. 4 job remains in front of him.

LB Devin Bush

Flying all over the field making plays, Devin Bush stood out as one of the bright spots for Seattle's defense in a preseason opening win over Minnesota / © Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

One of the shining stars for the Seahawks on defense in their preseason opening win over the Vikings, Bush made the most of his first game donning navy blue and action green. Receiving the start next to Jon Rhattigan in the middle of the defense, he finished with five tackles and a tackle for loss, blowing up reserve running back Abram Smith for a one-yard loss in the red zone. Though he allowed a 27-yard catch in coverage, he also had a nice pass breakup that was negated by a questionable roughing the passer call on Derick Hall.

After signing a one-year deal with Seattle as a free agent in March, Bush should be viewed as a roster lock. But with Jordyn Brooks recently activated from the PUP list and shooting for being ready to suit up in the regular season opener, the former Michigan standout has plenty riding on Saturday's exhibition game. Another strong performance as a run defender against Dallas would provide more confidence for the coaching staff to not rush Brooks back too quickly and at worst, he can still earn himself a situational role on defense due to his athleticism and stellar tackling ability.

OT Stone Forsythe

Now in his third season, Stone Forsythe may feel the heat with Jalen McKenzie putting pressure on him for a backup tackle job / © Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

When thrust into duty last year replacing an injured Abraham Lucas, Forsythe held up fairly well against a talented Jets defensive front, helping the Seahawks secure a 23-6 win at Lumen Field. But the third-year pro has struggled at times during training camp and after giving up a pair of pressures and a quarterback hit against the Vikings, he will need to step up his game in pass protection against a deeper, more talented Cowboys front line featuring several backups who could start elsewhere.

At this stage, it would be a stunner if Forsythe doesn't remain on Seattle's roster as a swing tackle behind Lucas and Charles Cross. But former undrafted signee Jalen McKenzie has made significant strides and played solid football against Minnesota, potentially creating an unforeseen competition for a backup spot and putting a bit of pressure on the 2021 sixth-round pick to perform with two preseason games left to play. Another sluggish performance would put his standing on tenuous ground.

SAF Jerrick Reed II

Making a big jump after an inconsistent start to training camp, Jerrick Reed II will look to build off a strong preseason debut against Dallas / © Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

Speaking with reporters after Thursday's practice, coach Pete Carroll suggested that Reed's head has been swimming a bit as he tries to nail down multiple positions in Seattle's defense, including nickel cornerback and both safety positions. This has led to some missed assignments during practice along the way, but the sixth-round pick out of New Mexico took a positive step forward with a quality outing against Minnesota last week, finishing with four tackles, a tackle for loss, and a pass breakup while allowing no receptions in coverage.

A top-tier athlete with 4.4 speed, Reed has all the physical tools to develop into a starter-caliber defender in time. However, Carroll and the coaching staff need to see consistency as a key part of his growth, especially playing in a crowded safety group including Quandre Diggs, Julian Love, Joey Blount, and an upstart undrafted free agent Jonathan Sutherland. With Jamal Adams closing in on his return, there may be only one reserve spot available on the roster, making Saturday's glorified scrimmage a critical one for the Mississippi native to play well again and solidify his standing.

RB SaRodorick Thompson Jr.

Likely to be the bell cow for most of Saturday's contest, SaRoderick Thompson Jr. could make a statement for a practice squad spot / © Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

Signed early in training camp, Thompson Jr. joined the Seahawks as another body to take reps at the running back position with Ken Walker III and Zach Charbonnet nursing injuries and didn't seem like a candidate to push for a roster spot. Approaching the second preseason game, his chances of being on the Week 1 roster aren't any better with Walker and Charbonnet on the mend, but he has impressed enough on the practice field and during scrimmage games to warrant a closer look.

Against the Vikings, Thompson unfortunately had a 30-yard run wiped out by a hold by center Joey Hunt. But even with that play not counting in his stats, he ran tough and demonstrated a decent second gear on an 11-yard carry while also stone-walling a blitzer on his lone pass blocking snap. With Walker, Kenny McIntosh, and Bryant Koback unlikely to play on Saturday, the 5-11, 207-pound back out of Texas Tech should see a ton of action against the Cowboys and another strong performance could put him in the driver's seat for a practice squad spot.

OLB Tyreke Smith

Back healthy after missing his rookie season due to injury, Tyreke Smith needs to show a bit more consistency in his second preseason game against the Cowboys / © Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

Playing his first extensive snaps in the NFL after missing his rookie season with a hip injury, Smith has endured an up and down training camp and preseason so far. The former fifth-round pick out of Ohio State has certainly flashed in spurts, generating a pair of quarterback pressures in Seattle's mock game. But his performance has been uneven as a rusher and run defender to this point, as he produced one pressure on 17 pass rushing attempts against Minnesota, missed two tackles, and often had trouble working off of blocks in the run game.

The Seahawks remain intrigued by Smith, whose career to this point has been set back by injuries dating back to his time in Columbus. With more experience, the team believes his play will quickly improve. But with undrafted rookie Levi Bell quickly catching up behind him and motivated to land a spot on the roster, the ex-Buckeye needs to turn up his game a notch or two and play with more consistency against a quality Cowboys offensive line to fend off the competition and ensure his place on the team in a talented young edge rushing group.

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