Michael HanichAug 24, 2026
Hanich projects Seattle's updated safety and nickel depth charts after Bud Clark's injury, naming Julian Love and Ty Okada as starting safeties, A.J. Finley as Love's backup, and laying out a nickel pecking order with Devon Witherspoon first, Noah Igbinoghene third and Nehemiah Pritchett behind them. They also predict roster outcomes for D'Anthony Bell, Rodney Thomas and Andre Fuller.
Published in writing · Sports IllustratedRead the original
What Michael Hanich said
With Clark out, that No. 3 nickel spot likely goes to Noah Igbinoghene, then Nehemiah Pritchett.
- Where it was published
- Sports Illustrated
- The piece
- Seahawks Depth Chart Update After Bud Clark Injury
- The original
- Read the original
- Read it wrong?
- Tell us and we will look
- SaidAug 24
- GradedSep 25
Box score, by kind
HitCloseMissWaiting| Group | Hits | Close | Misses | Waiting | Calls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roster Spot Calls | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |
| Depth Chart Calls | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | |
| All | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
How each call scored
9 checkable claims — 6 depth chart calls and 3 roster spot calls — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.
It names 10 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
1 of 9 have settled so far, averaging 100 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess at the same calls.
Of the 3 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands above the room on 1 and below it on 2.
Each call is scored 0 to 100 against what happened, on its own, by the published methodology. The naive guess is what knowing nothing would have scored on the same calls; the gap, weighted by how hard the call was, is the skill.
Roster Spot Calls1 hit · 2 waitingShow ▸Hide ▾
Rodney Thomas to make the roster
“Thomas is likely to make the 53-man roster based on his consistency through the training camp and preseason.”
3 weeks on a 53100Hit100 − 100 naive = 0 × 2 difficulty = 0 skill
Think this is wrong?How this was scored
- club:
- SEA
- skill:
- 0
- player:
- Rodney Thomas
- season:
- 2026
- claimed:
- he makes the 53
- accuracy:
- 100
- baseline:
- 100
- difficulty:
- 2
- the naive guess:
- he was on somebody's 53 last season, so he makes one again
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks on the53:
- 3
- weeks left when called:
- 18
- first week on the53:
- 1
- weeks on the practice squad:
- 0
Andre Fuller to be cut
“He could make a good emergency spot on the practice squad if he doesn't make the initial 53-man roster.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
D'Anthony Bell to make the roster
“His experience with the team and how dynamic gives him an extra push to make the roster.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Depth Chart Calls6 waitingShow ▸Hide ▾
Ty Okada to be 1st on the depth chart
“The two easiest spots at the safety positions are Julian Love and Ty Okada, who is coming in as a full-time starter.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Julian Love to be 1st on the depth chart
“The two easiest spots at the safety positions are Julian Love and Ty Okada, who is coming in as a full-time starter.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
AJ Finley to be 2nd on the depth chart
“Finley remains the backup behind Love.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Devon Witherspoon to be 1st on the depth chart
“If Nick Emmanwori is still injured, the Seahawks would likely have cornerback Devon Witherspoon go back to where he spent his first two years of his career.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Noah Igbinoghene to be 3rd on the depth chart
“With Clark out, that No. 3 nickel spot likely goes to Noah Igbinoghene, then Nehemiah Pritchett.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Nehemiah Pritchett to be 4th on the depth chart
“that No. 3 nickel spot likely goes to Noah Igbinoghene, then Nehemiah Pritchett”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Who this take is about
Others on the same people
Albert Breer · Game Outcome Picks · Seattle Seahawks · Hit 100
Breer picks the Seahawks to beat the Cardinals in their Week 9 NFC West matchup.Tyler Sullivan · Game Outcome Picks · Seattle Seahawks · Hit 100
Sullivan picks the Seahawks to win in Week 9.Dave Richard · Game Outcome Picks · Seattle Seahawks · Hit 100
Richard picks the Seahawks over the Cardinals.John Pluym · Game Outcome Picks · Seattle Seahawks · Hit 100
Pluym picks the Seahawks over the Cardinals.Pamela Maldonado · Game Outcome Picks · Seattle Seahawks · Hit 100
Maldonado picks the Seahawks in Week 9.
More depth chart calls
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
Michael Moore · Depth Chart Calls · Shedeur Sanders · Hit 100
In a Week 9 injury roundup, Moore forecast which banged-up fantasy contributors would play or sit: Deshaun Watson, Garrett Wilson, David Montgomery, Mike Evans, Deebo Samuel, TreVeyon Henderson and Terrance Ferguson are expected out, while Travis Kelce, Saquon Barkley, Michael Wilson, Christian Watson and Emeka Egbuka should play. They also expect Shedeur Sanders and Drew Lock to start at quarterback.Nic Bodiford · Depth Chart Calls · Joe Fagnano · Hit 100
Previewing Week 9 running game matchups, Bodiford expects Jacksonville to win lopsidedly over a depleted Baltimore team, with Bhayshul Tuten sitting out and Chris Rodriguez taking over as lead back, while Joe Fagnano starts at quarterback for the Ravens. They also view Broncos rookie Jonah Coleman as an RB2 going forward.Jacob Herlin · Depth Chart Calls · J.J. McCarthy · Hit 100
Herlin published Week 7 fantasy D/ST rankings with projections for 28 team defenses, led by Houston, Minnesota and Cleveland. They also expect Cleveland to post a fourth straight top-10 fantasy defense result, and predicts Jalon Daniels starts another week for Tampa Bay while J.J. McCarthy takes over as the Giants' starter.