Posted by Clare Farnsworth on August 31, 2012 – 8:15 pm

Here’s how the Seahawks’ 53-man roster looks after the club made 22 moves today to reach the league-mandated limit:

Offense

Quarterbacks (2): Russell Wilson, Matt Flynn

Comment: Wilson, the third-round draft choice, won the starting job during the preseason. Will Josh Portis return on the practice squad, or do coach Pete Carroll and GM John Schneider have something else in mind?

Wide receivers (6): Sidney Rice, Doug Baldwin, Golden Tate, Ben Obomanu, Braylon Edwards, Charly Martin.

Comment: With Edwards and Martin in after their strong camps and preseasons, former draft choices Deon Butler and Kris Durham are out. The keys here, however, are Rice staying healthy after having surgery on each of his shoulders during the offseason; and Baldwin returning to his productive form after sitting out the preseason with a hamstring problem.

Tight ends (3): Zach Miller, Kellen Winslow, Anthony McCoy.

Comment: This unit was set, despite the play of rookies Sean McGrath and Cooper Helfet in the preseason.

Running backs (5): Marshawn Lynch, Michael Robinson, Robert Turbin, Leon Washington, Kregg Lumpkin.

Comment: The club carried only four last season, but Lumpkin’s versatility and productivity earned him a spot. Lynch’s back remains a concern, but the presence of Turbin gives the offense another physical presence.

Line (9): LT Russell Okung, LG Paul McQuistan, C Max Unger, RG R.J. Sweezy, RT Breno Giacomini, the starting unit in the last three preseason games; G John Moffitt, G James Carpenter, C/G Lemuel Jeanpierre, T/G Frank Omiyale.

Comment: Who starts at right guard? Sweezy or Moffitt? That’s to be determined. Does Carpenter eventually replace McQuistan at LG? That’s also to be determined, when Carpenter is healthy enough to start practicing after spending the summer on the physically unable to perform list while rehabbing the severe knee injury that ended his rookie season. But one thing is known: The Seahawks were able to run the ball for a league-high average (178.3 yards per game) during the preseason regardless of who was running and who was blocking.

Defense

Line (9): DE Red Bryant, NT Brandon Mebane, DT Alan Branch, DE Chris Clemons, the starters; DE Bruce Irvin, DT/DE Jason Jones, DT Clinton McDonald, DT Jaye Howard, DE Greg Scruggs.

Comment: The returning starters helped the Seahawks rank ninth in the league in average yards allowed last season. But they now have some help. From incumbent backup McDonald. From newcomers Irvin and Jones, who were brought in to increase the pass rush from the nickel line. From Scruggs and Howard, draft choices who made plays during the preseason.

Linebackers (6): Leroy Hill, Bobby Wagner, K.J. Wright, the starters; Mike Morgan, Heath Farwell, Malcolm Smith.

Comment: Wagner, the second-round draft choice, won the starting job in the middle. Farwell’s primary duties will remain on special teams after he led the league in coverage tackles last season, but he also made plays during the preseason while replacing Wagner with the second unit. Smith and Morgan have potential and also will help on special teams.

Secondary (10): CB Brandon Browner, CB Richard Sherman, SS Kam Chancellor, FS Earl Thomas, the starters; CB Marcus Trufant, CB Byron Maxwell, CB Jeremy Lane, S Jeron Johnson, S Winston Guy, S Chris Maragos.

Comment: How good was this unit last season? Thomas, Chancellor and Browner all played in the Pro Bowl. But it’s even better this season, with Trufant moving in as the nickel back, Johnson making plays while subbing for Chancellor during the preseason and Guy providing the versatile third safety needed for the Bandit package.

Special teams

P Jon Ryan, K Steven Hauschka, snapper Clint Gresham.

Comment: No drama here, on this cut down or during the games. While Hauschka was the NFL’s leading scorer in the preseason, Ryan continues to rewrite the club record book and Gresham is as steady as they come.

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