'Hard Decisions' Await Mike Macdonald, Seattle Seahawks as Cut Down Day Approaches

From running back to cornerback to kick returner, the Seahawks will have whittle their roster down to 53 players with no shortage of difficult cuts looming.

Aug 24, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Dee Williams (33) returns a punt against the Cleveland Browns during the first quarter at Lumen Field. Seattle Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon (21) blocks at left. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports / Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

SEATTLE, Wash. - Wrapping up their preseason in victorious fashion thanks to an explosion of big plays on offense and special teams, the Seattle Seahawks captured a 37-33 exhibition win over the Cleveland Browns on Saturday night.

Now, with the regular season opener against the Broncos just two weeks away, the real work begins for coach Mike Macdonald, general manager John Schneider, and the rest of the coaching staff and front office as they are tasked with shrinking the Seahawks roster down from 90 to 53 players before Tuesday's deadline.

Coming off a preseason game where several players on the bubble performed at a high level, including undrafted rookie outside linebacker Jamie Sheriff producing two sacks against Cleveland, Macdonald understands challenging decisions await in one of his first big tests as a first-time head coach. But he's hopeful many of those players will be back on the practice squad by the end of the week.

"Yeah, these are hard decisions. You just kind of let what's best for the team be the guiding light," Macdonald said after Saturday's win. "John [Schneider] and I, we've been hand-in-hand through this whole thing. I'm looking forward to kind of the next stage. This is a tough time. This is probably the toughest part of the job. I think if you look at it optimistically, you're saying, this is a long-term investment. There's opportunities for guys to be on squads, other people that have earned an opportunity somewhere else. Hopefully the guys feel like we're invested in their growth, as well. Bittersweet for sure. It's going to be some tough decisions."

As Macdonald acknowledged, roster cut down day isn't an easy time for any NFL coach. He and his staff have built strong relationships with many of the players who will receive a pink slip since the offseason program first kicked off in April and it's never easy to give that news to young men who have invested everything into trying to make Seattle's roster.

Inevitably, some decisions will be tougher than others, as the Seahawks have a number of position groups where competition has been fierce in the dog days of August, starting at running back where Kenny McIntosh and undrafted rookie George Holani have both made strong cases for inclusion on the opening day roster behind Ken Walker III and Zach Charbonnet.

McIntosh, a second-year back out of Georgia, enjoyed a stellar preseason as a runner, including ripping off a 56-yard touchdown run against the Browns that culminated with a powerful stiff arm on safety Chase Williams. Holani finished exhibition play on a strong note as well for the Seahawks, racking up 43 yards after contact and punching it in from a yard out for a touchdown of his own, leaving the two players neck-and-neck in what could amount to one roster spot depending on how other positions shake out.

"I thought both played really well," Macdonald said of the two backs. "George didn't have the flashy run, but he had some tough, good runs to get back to the line of scrimmage, get positive yards. I think both made plays on special teams. Just two really good players. Kenny Mac, another example of a guy that's been working really, really hard. For him to have an opportunity to make such a great play, just really happy for him. Really happy for where he's at. He should be proud of himself."

Among other positions where Macdonald and his staff may have difficult decision to make, Sheriff's storybook rise from beer delivery driver to surprise exhibition star this month has created a compelling case for keeping him on the 53-man roster, especially after trading away Darrell Taylor to the Bears earlier in the week. The ex-South Alabama standout finished the preseason with a trio of sacks and double digit pressures, making a name for himself as a preseason darling.

But reading between the lines after Saturday's game, Macdonald seemed to hint that a roster spot may not be in the cards for Sheriff despite his surprising preseason success. With that said, thinking from a growth standpoint, he should be a prioritized candidate to bring back to the practice squad if another team doesn't claim him off waivers, which is far more than was expected of him when he signed with Seattle on August 6.

"He's a guy that really stood out during the rookie tryout," Macdonald said. "Just kind of the message with all the guys; if there's not a spot for you right now, we're still invested in your growth and development. To his credit, he didn't skip a beat since he's been here. He should be proud of the way he played."

With conversations already under well under way between Macdonald, Schneider, and the rest of Seattle's brain trust, a number of factors will weigh into who wins a roster spot.

For one, injuries will be a key part of the equation. The Seahawks may not have tight end Pharaoh Brown ready to return from a foot injury for Week 1, creating a need to keep an extra tight end such as Tyler Mabry on the roster in the short term. If outside linebacker Uchenna Nwosu's knee injury suffered on Saturday night proves to be serious enough to miss significant time, the door could be opened for Sheriff to sneak onto the roster.

As always, special teams will also be a critical component on making decisions at a number of position groups. Receiver Laviska Shenault looks to be a lock at this point due to his strong performance on offense and returning kicks in the preseason, but it remains to be seen whether undrafted rookie cornerback Dee Williams has a spot waiting for him as the other return specialist or former second-round pick Dee Eskridge ends up retaining a spot for the same role.

In the case of Holani and McIntosh, both have shown they can contribute on special teams, which may make it easier for Macdonald and Schneider to justify keeping both and choosing to have four running backs on the active roster.

Things move quite quickly this time of year and the process of figuring out the 53-man roster began in earnest much earlier than after Saturday's victory. But that doesn't make the situation any easier for Macdonald, and as for the players who don't know what their future holds, whether staying with the Seahawks or hitting the waiver wire with hopes of being picked up by another team, the next 36 hours will move at a snail's pace as they await their fate.