One thing is certain for the Seattle Seahawks offense in 2025, and that is that new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak is going to use his tight ends more. Seattle's two previous OCs, Shane Waldron and Ryan Grubb, seemingly focused their entire scheme on the wide receivers.
The team has not been without tight end talent, though. The issue was how players such as Noah Fant were being used. He has good hands, but was more of a check-down option. AJ Barner proved to be an unexpectedly good receiver and a solid blocker. In the 2025 draft, Seattle added Elijah Arroyo.
One free agent signee might find he has a difficult time making the active 53-man roster, though. Eric Saubert most recently played for the San Francisco 49ers, and he is a decent blocker. Kubiak needs that kind of player for his scheme.
Free agent signee Eric Saubert could be the odd man out at tight end for the Seattle Seahawks
The problem for Saubert is that the Seahawks could choose to keep two fullbacks, both of whom can also play tight end. Robbie Ouzts was chosen in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL draft and weighs 273 pounds. He is certainly big enough and tenacious enough to play meaningful snaps right away.
Veteran Brady Russell was a standout in training camp in 2024, as he can catch and run, but he's also a capable blocker and has shown a willingness to do whatever it takes to help his team win.
That means that ultimately, Seattle has five tight ends vying for a roster spot. Even if Russell and Ouzts are mainly fullbacks, the Seahawks are not going to have a fullback on every play, and the versatility of Ouzts and Russell could give them an advantage over Saubert.
Ouzts is almost certainly not going to be released. Seattle probably wouldn't have wasted a fifth-round choice on him if the team did not think he could make the roster. Russell has been around long enough for the Seahawks to have a good idea about what they are going to get.
Saubert does not have much guaranteed money on his one-year contract. Should Seattle decide to release him, he would account for only $517,500 in dead cap. That is relatively nothing.
While he has mostly been a blocker throughout his career, he hasn't been a great one. Over the last few years, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), Saubert has graded as just slightly better than average in run blocking and has been particularly poor at pass protection.
