3 Seahawks in danger of being cut after preseason Week 1

The first preseason game for the Seahawks is in the books and its already clear that three players are heading for the chopping block.

The Seahawks opened the 2023 preseason with an encouraging win over the Vikings, 24-13. There were plenty of standouts to warrant praise but always remember that the NFL preseason is a zero-sum game. With the 53-man roster cuts always looming, one player’s big game can spell bad news for another.

The NFL has changed the cut process. Teams don’t have to dump players in waves during the preseason. Instead, they’ll trim the roster from 90 to 53 in one big cut at the end of August.

Even so, the first week of preseason action for Seattle made it clear which cuts are coming.

Seahawks who should be cut after preseason Week 1: Holton Ahlers

Former East Carolina quarterback Holton Ahlers got his first taste of NFL action on Thursday and he looked decent doing it.

The undrafted free agent went 4-for-4 for 43 passing yards and a touchdown. He also ripped off a 22-yard gain on a designed QB run.

Unfortunately, there’s basically nothing Ahlers could do to secure a roster spot with the Seahawks so long as Drew Lock solidifies his place as QB2 behind Geno Smith. And Lock did that against the Vikings.

Lock went 17-of-24 for 191 yards and two touchdowns. He did throw an interception but that didn’t marr his performance enough to suggest he’s in danger of being caught by the rookie.

The Seahawks have to feel good about Smith as their quarterback in 2023 and they’ve got to feel even better about Lock as the backup after the win. Ahlers won’t make the roster, but he can still use his preseason opportunities to get try to land a gig somewhere else.