Seattle Seahawks Veterans Who Have Been Put on Notice This Offseason

The Seattle Seahawks have one of the better overall rosters in the league. They mainly just have it figured out—most positions have a very reliable player starting and don't need much tweaking. That being said, Seattle does have a few players who are in danger of losing their spot on the depth chart.

One of the players most likely to lose his spot from last season is James Carpenter, a pretty average lineman who shoddily manned the left guard position for the Seahawks in 2013.

Carpenter was replaced by Michael Bowie in the divisional round of the playoffs and that is likely who will take over at left guard long-term. Bowie showed flashes of being pretty great last season, while he was unimpressive.

Carpenter isn't the only one on the team who may lose his job, but he is the most likely. 

Tarvaris Jackson, QB

Ted S. Warren/Associated Press

Tarvaris Jackson has been a decent backup for Russell Wilson the past two seasons, but it's looking like he may have some competition. Seattle recently signed undrafted free agent Keith Price, and he's been impressive thus far.

Pete Carroll spoke very highly of him at the conclusion of their minicamp last weekend, via Terry Blount of ESPN.com:

"

He looks like he could help us. He did really well. It was like he’s been around longer than he has. He’s very comfortable in the pocket and very natural quarterback. He moved very well. He made a lot of big throws and threw the ball downfield really well.

"

Price had a strong season in 2013, completing 66.2 percent of his passes while also tossing 21 touchdowns. He showed a good amount of progression between his junior and senior seasons, which leads some to believe that he should be very coachable at the next level.

Price and Wilson also have pretty similar builds, and he could turn out to be a pretty reliable backup for Wilson while also growing as an NFL player himself.

Jackson has certainly done nothing special in his career with Seattle, and his underwhelming moments may lead to a demotion if Price steps up.

James Carpenter, OL

Paul Sancya/Associated Press

In 2013, James Carpenter was lackluster to say the least. He was an atrocious run-blocker and wasn't too great at protecting Russell Wilson in the passing game.

He was shuffled in and out of the starting lineup last season before ultimately being replaced by Michael Bowie in the divisional round of the playoffs, an opportunity that Bowie would make the most of. 

He showed a lot of promise last season—and costs them a lot less than Carpenter, as he was picked in the seventh round of last year's draft. Seattle is a run-first team, and Bowie is much better at that than Carpenter.

He will also benefit from having another full offseason to learn from Tom Cable and veteran linemen like Max Unger and Russell Okung.

Carpenter remains on the roster for now, but he may find himself on the waiver wire if he can't prove his worth to the team. He simply doesn't have what they need, and if Bowie can continue the level of play he had at the tail end of last year, it could spell the end of Carpenter in Seattle.

Zach Miller, TE

JOHN FROSCHAUER/Associated Press

Zach Miller was an alright player for the Seahawks in 2013, but it's evident they're looking for better options. They kicked the tires on veteran tight end Jermichael Finley this offseason before he failed his physical, leaving his health in question.

Obviously Finley would be an upgrade from Miller, but only if he's healthy. Miller was solid for the team last season—though he wasn't targeted much—but he did leave much to be desired as a pass-catcher.

He's more of a blocker than a receiver, and Seattle's offense is yearning for an athletic tight end to open up their passing game more. It looks as if Miller's starting spot is safe at this time, but if Finley gets to be fully healthy before the season starts, then that story could change.

For now, he's still the starting tight end of the Seattle Seahawks.

Sidney Rice, WR

John Froschauer/Associated Press

Sidney Rice has shown flashes of being an elite receiver in this league, but injury has plagued him since he's become a Seahawk. He was cut at the end of the season and was brought back on a more cap-friendly deal—a smart move given his lingering health issues.

There's little doubt that Rice has the talent and potential to be great, but if he can't stay healthy, then Seattle cannot wait around for him to heal up, which is also a reason why they just drafted two receivers.

Paul Richardson and Kevin Norwood were both rather effective receivers in college and will undoubtedly find roles in the offense in some capacity. Richardson has a smaller build but possesses great speed and could be like a Golden Tate 2.0.

Similarly, Norwood also has pretty good speed and is a definite threat to stretch the field. He's a little bigger than Richardson, as he stands at 6'2" and weighs 198 pounds, and uses that length to maintain space from the defender and clear an easy lane for him to run downfield.

Both Norwood and Richardson have the tools to produce for the Seattle, and they will push guys like Rice and Percy Harvin for playing time, though their starting spots are safe for now. 

Ideally, Rice stays healthy and plays well for the team, but if he can't keep a clean bill of health, then they may have to move on from him sooner than later.