Roster cut-down coming

They don’t have permanent addresses. They live out of their suitcases. They’re fueled by a dream but often dragged back to reality by a fast approaching date on the calendar.

By Tuesday, the Seahawks must trim their 92-player roster to 65, which actually climbs to 74 with nine NFL Europe exemptions. That leaves only a few more chances and Friday’s preseason contest at San Diego for players on the bubble to make a favorable – and lasting – impression on the coaching staff. The final cut-down to 53 players is Sept. 5.

“It’s very tense because you’re competing for a spot and at receiver it’s really, really competitive,” said Jason Willis, a University of Oregon product who spent last year on injured reserve and the spring with Frankfurt in NFL Europe. “You can’t really pinpoint, besides probably the main four (Darrell Jackson, Koren Robinson, Bobby Engram and Alex Bannister, a special teams Pro Bowler last year), who is going to make the team so it’s a big game for us.”

Willis had an audition as a starter against Denver last Saturday, finishing with one catch for 16 yards.

“I had a couple of mental errors,” Willis said. “I was going against one of the best cornerbacks in the league in Champ Bailey so I was really trying to put my ‘A’ game out there. I executed well and ran my routes at the correct depth. The coaches are looking for consistency.”

Defensive tackle Cedric Woodard, a fifth-year pro, remembers life in limbo and still admits to counting the numbers at certain positions. He became a Seahawk prior to the 2000 season after being waived by Baltimore. He’s a starter now, but he’ll never forget the anxiety on cut-down days the last few years.

“When I was really worried about it, I always tried to be positive because if you’re down you can’t play to your full potential,” Woodard said. “I tell anybody who’s thinking about it to just keep working and see what happens.”

That’s been defensive end Omar Nazel’s approach. An undrafted free agent from co-national champion USC, Nazel had four tackles, batted down two passes and forced a fumble against Green Bay. However, he didn’t crack the stat sheet against Denver.

The Denver game “didn’t go well for me, but football is a game of short-lived memories and you’re only as good as your last game,” Nazel said. “Coach (Mike) Holmgren just says, ‘You have to put your best foot forward,’ and that’s all you really can do. That’s the attitude I took coming in here. I’m going to put out 100 percent and if it’s not enough, then it’s not enough and at least I’m satisfied with what I did.”

Nazel, like many players at training camp at Eastern Washington University, hasn’t made long-term living arrangements in Seattle. In the short term, the Seahawks will put numerous players up at a hotel near team headquarters in Kirkland early next week while roster spots are being decided.

“I live out of my suitcase,” Nazel said. “That’s just how it is. That’s my situation, and I see people that are in the same situation as me.”

Willis understands that sentiment.

“I had a place last year but I didn’t keep it because I went to Europe,” he said. “Cut-down day is nerve-wracking. Last year we were told to stay in the hotel and wait for the phone call. So you’re sitting there watching TV and you can hear in the hall phones ringing. You just try to keep cool and keep your composure – and pray.”

Linebackers center stage

Middle linebacker remains a three-player scramble and, if Tuesday is any indication, identifying Chad Brown’s replacement at outside linebacker might be worthy of further monitoring.

Brown broke his left fibula Monday and is out for eight weeks. He’ll undergo surgery today. Fifth-year veteran Isaiah Kacyvenski received coach Mike Holmgren’s recommendation and the first-team reps Monday afternoon, but Tracy White and Kacyvenski shared time with the first unit Tuesday. White was one of only two undrafted free agents to make the team a year ago.

In the middle, Orlando Huff, Solomon Bates and Niko Koutouvides continue to jockey for the starting job.

Koutouvides will take his turn as the starter against San Diego. Huff started against Green Bay and Bates started versus Denver.

Notes

First-round draft pick Marcus Tubbs (hamstring tightness) hasn’t practiced since Thursday. He played one series against Green Bay and sat out Saturday’s loss to Denver. … Camp concludes after this morning’s practice, which is scheduled from 8:45-10:15. … With the wind and rain picking up, Holmgren called off the afternoon practice after an hour.