First Cuts and Practice Squad

First Cuts
The Seahawks need to cut 12 guys to get down to 75, but it is hard to say exactly who will be let go. There will undoubtedly be surprises, which tend to be players that have earned the courtesy of giving them time to land with another team. And the Seahawks do need to keep a certain number of players available at each position for the final preseason game, which can sometimes make it look like they are keeping an inferior player on at the expense of a better one.

Preliminary guess on first cuts:
QB Erik Meyer, RB A.J. Harris, WR Robert Ortiz, TE Ben Joppru, C Austin King, OG Jason Murphy, DT Eric Taylor, CB Dennis Davis, CB Wally Dada, K Kurt Smith, and P Kyle Stringer. And another WR (Chris Jones, Jordan Kent, or Joe Fernandez).

They might also cut a safety over one of those two corners, but I don't know who it would be. I guess it could be Patrick Ghee, especially if he struggles again with his hamstring. The same goes for any other fringe guy (at any position) that gets dinged and misses practice in the next two weeks. If you can't play in the final preseason game and you aren't making the active roster or practice squad, then you get cut.

Seahawks Practice Squad
Since teams have been allowed to keep 8 guys (the last two years) on the practice squad, the Seahawks have gone with 5 offensive and 3 defensive players both years. And each year the group has included one player at each of these 7 positions: RB, WR, TE, OL, CB, LB, and DE. In 2006, the Seahawks used the eighth spot on a FB, and in 2005 they used it on a second OL.

Preliminary guess on practice squad:
WR Logan Payne, TE Joe Newton, C Pat Ross, OT Jonathan Alston, CB Kevin Hobbs, LB Cameron Jensen, S C.J. Wallace, DE Nu'u Tafisi

I left off WR Courtney Taylor, even though I prefer him to WR Logan Payne. It will be tough for Taylor to make it to the practice squad. I am not sure he will clear waivers and/or can beat out Payne for consideration while injured. They could always keep both receivers and lose one of the DBs (Wallace or Hobbs).

DT Marcus Green could be another option in favor of DE Nu'u Tafisi, especially if the team keeps DE Brandon Green over DT Craig Terrill on the active roster. If the team keeps a 5th CB on the active roster, the CB Kevin Hobbs could be replaced by another WR, maybe even Courtney Taylor.

WR Maurice Mann was the 5th receiver on the initial 53-man roster last year, but was released after just two days to make room for KR Willie Ponder. The following day, he was signed to the practice squad at the expense of CB Gerard Ross. That left the practice squad without a DB, but with 2 WRs (WR Ben Obomanu was already on the practice squad). Four days later, Mann was signed by Minnesota to the active roster, and CB Gerard Ross was re-signed to the practice squad. Ross was off and on the practice squad all year to make room for various players at other positions when injuries became an issue on the active roster.