Seattle Seahawks: 5 Cut candidates sitting on roster bubble

Seattle Seahawks cut candidate No. 1: Travis Homer, RB or Nick Bellore, FB

The Seahawks selected Travis Homer in the sixth-round of the 2019 NFL Draft. Teams usually don’t cut second-year players, especially ones they invested draft picks in. However, Homer sits in a precarious position. He’s part of a backfield that already features three other healthy running backs, the rehabbing Rashaad Penny, and fullback Nick Bellore.

Keeping around as many as five running backs and a fullback doesn’t make sense because at least two of those players won’t get enough snaps to justify retaining them. With that in mind, it seems like Bellore or Homer could lose their jobs before the start of the 2020 season.

Technically, Penny might not count against the roster limit because he could open the 2020 season on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list. Players on the PUP list don’t count toward the roster limit until they return after the first six weeks of the season. Then, the player’s team must make room for their return.

Assuming Penny starts the 2020 season on the PUP list as he rehabs from a torn ACL, that still leaves five players in Seattle’s backfield. Chris Carson and Carlos Hyde already own secure roster spots. Carson is by far the best back on the Seahawks, and Hyde recently agreed to a one-year deal with the team.

Rookie DeeJay Dallas shouldn’t face any trouble either. Seattle used a fourth-round pick on Dallas this year, making him a higher priority investment than Homer. As a former first-round pick, Penny isn’t at risk of losing his job either. That leaves Bellore and Homer.

Homer didn’t see much playing time last season. He recorded 18 regular-season carries for 114 yards and received 14 carries during Seattle’s two playoff games. Overall, Homer played more special team snaps (215) for Seattle than offensive snaps (84). Bellore played 267 special teams snaps and 29 offensive snaps last year. Of the two, Seattle probably won’t retain Bellore.