Seattle Seahawks 90-Man Roundup: What Can Fans Expect From Italian OT Max Pircher?

The Seattle Seahawks have a player on an International Pathway Program exemption in Italian offensive tackle Max Pircher. What are realistic expectations for him in 2024?

Jun 3, 2022; Thousand Oaks, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams tackle Max Pircher (66) during organized team activities at California Lutheran University. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

With OTAs now opening across the NFL, the Seattle Seahawks will open training camp at the VMAC in a little over two months, officially ushering in the first season under new coach Mike Macdonald.

In preparation for the new incoming season, we'll be detailing every member of the Seahawks 90-man roster over the next several weeks, diving into scheme fits, exploring best and worst case scenarios, and predicting what to expect from each player entering the 2024 campaign.

After spending three seasons on practice squads, can Italian offensive tackle Max Pircher make the active roster?

Jun 3, 2022; Thousand Oaks, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams tackles Max Pircher (left) and Bobby Evans participate in drills during organized team activities at California Lutheran University. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Background

Pircher is from Italy where he spent time with the Swarco Raiders Tirol, a team in Austria. He started his career in 2019 with the Raiders and was on the CEFL championship team. Before his time playing football in Europe, Pircher played handball. With his size, Pircher fit really well as an offensive tackle which made sense for his transition to pro football. During his three years in the NFL, Pircher was on the practice squad for the Los Angeles Rams in 2021 and 2022 and the Detroit Lions in 2023. All three years, Pircher was on an International Pathway Player contract.

Scheme Fit

With Pircher's experience in the National Football League, he has a lot of snaps executing zone concepts. Those are important to the scheme that Ryan Grubb likes to run. His size and length suits him well running all types of schemes and concepts.

Best Case Scenario

With Pircher being in the NFL for three years and is still just 24 years old, there is hope that he will develop into at least a rosterable player. Being an International Pathway player, he doesn't count toward the 90-man roster, and with a quality preseason, he lands a spot stashed on the practice squad as a 17th player.

Worst Case Scenario

Even though he doesn't count toward the 90-man roster, his salary does count toward the salary cap. With a lack of football background, it could be a hindrance to being playable at the NFL level. He has yet to see the field for a single regular season game, and that lack of experience prevents him from making any leeway on the depth chart before being cut in August.

What to Expect in 2024

When it comes to players in the International Pathway Program, it's hard to put any real expectations on them. They come over to the United States and are playing at a significantly higher level of football. Now, with Pircher, he has been with NFL teams for three years. That puts his developmental curve in a significantly better place than most players in the program.

Can the Seahawks expect him to make the roster or even make an impact in 2024? The realistic answer is no. They are in a good place at tackle, especially with the progress that right tackle Abraham Lucas has made. If he does make the team, he is likely to be on the practice squad with a possible elevation because you still have to account for his salary on the cap. He will be an intriguing player to watch, as his size is perfect to play tackle in the National Football League, but he remains raw and unlikely to make the team.