The Seahawks still can make waiver claims on players who have been released by other teams as they work toward cementing a final roster before practice Monday.
Seattle coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider spun through 41 roster moves during their first cut-down together last year. Expect fewer moves during the next few days this season.
“Those last four or five picks are really the ones that are challenging, and we’ve got to do a good job of it,” Carroll told reporters before the team’s final exhibition game against Oakland. “There will be a lot of guys that don’t get to stay with us that deserve to play in the league. We’re at a better stage than we were a year ago in that regard. The competition is higher, and I think we’ve moved up some in that regard.”
The list of players released produced a few surprises, including defensive tackle Colin Cole, who had been on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list during training camp rehabbing an ankle injury.
Cole, 31, was due $3.75 million in base salary this season if he was on the regular-season opening roster, and Brandon Mebane already had been signed to a lucrative deal as the long-term solution at nose tackle.
Center Mike Gibson also was a surprise cut. The 25-year-old player out of Cal came into the league as a guard, but the 6-foot-3, 300 pounder was learning center behind Max Unger and could also play tackle in a pinch.
But the Seahawks appeared to prefer a true center in Lemuel Jeanpierre out of South Carolina.
The full list of players released by Seattle on Saturday:
Fullback Dorson Boyce, receiver Chris Carter, running back Thomas Clayton, Cole, cornerback Kennard Cox, guard Paul Fanaika, defensive end Maurice Fountain, Gibson, defensive tackle David Howard, linebacker Michael Johnson, defensive end Jameson Konz, safety Mark LeGree, receiver Ricardo Lockette, linebacker Mike Morgan, safety Josh Pinkard, tackle William Robinson, defensive end A.J. Schable, receiver Owen Spencer, running back Vai Taua and receiver Patrick Williams.
Rookie defensive end Pierre Allen was waived/injured. And tight end John Carlson, receiver Isaiah Stanback and defensive end Jimmy Wilkerson were placed on the season-ending injured reserve.
Wilkerson, a free agent signed to be Seattle’s inside pass rusher on third downs, appeared to suffer a sprained knee in the game against Oakland, but that injury must have been more serious after further evaluation.
Cornerback Roy Lewis, tight end Cameron Morrah and receiver Deon Butler were put on the PUP list for the regular season, meaning they will not be available for the first six weeks.
The Seahawks may also bring back players they like by adding them to the practice squad on Monday if they are eligible. Likely candidates include LeGree, Lockette, Carter, Pinkard, Taua, Fanaika, Konz and Morgan.
Eric D. Williams: 253-597-8437 Eric.williams @thenewstribune.com blog.thenewstribune.com/seahawks
BREAKING DOWN THE ROSTER
OFFENSE (25 PLAYERS)
Quarterbacks (3): Tarvaris Jackson, Charlie Whitehurst and Josh Portis
Running backs (4): Tailbacks – Marshawn Lynch, Leon Washington and Justin Forsett. Fullback – Michael Robinson.
Wide receivers (6): Sidney Rice, Mike Williams, Ben Obomanu, Golden Tate, Kris Durham and Doug Baldwin.
Tight ends (3): Zach Miller, Anthony McCoy and Dominique Byrd.
Offensive linemen (9): Russell Okung, Robert Gallery, Max Unger, John Moffitt, James Carpenter, Tyler Polumbus, Lemuel Jeanpierre, Breno Giacomini and Paul McQuistan.
DEFENSE (25 PLAYERS)
Defensive linemen (9): Chris Clemons, Brandon Mebane, Alan Branch, Red Bryant, Raheem Brock, Dexter Davis, Junior Siavii, Pep Levingston and Quinton McDonald
Linebackers (7): Leroy Hill, Aaron Curry, David Hawthorne, Matt McCoy, K.J. Wright, Malcolm Smith and David Vobora.
Defensive backs (9): Marcus Trufant, Brandon Browner, Walter Thurmond, Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas, Kam Chancellor, Atari Bigby, Byron Maxwell and Jeron Johnson.
SPECIAL TEAMS (3 PLAYERS)
Jon Ryan, Jeff Reed, Clint Gresham.
Eric D. Williams, staff writer
