Seahawks cut 22, reach 53-player limit

Brady Quinn lost the battle to Tarvaris Jackson for the job of backing up Russell Wilson and was among 22 players cut by the Seahawks as they trimmed their roster Saturday to the league-mandated 53. Word came earlier that two top vets, FB Michael Robinson and CB Antonio Winfield, a three-time Pro Bowl player, were cut. Winfield subsequently announced his retirement.

Quinn was at a disadvantage. In 2011, Jackson was Seattle’s starter and earned the respect of teammates by playing through injuries. His familiarity with offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell’s schemes during the 2013 preseason also helped.

Quinn expressed his gratitude on Twitter Saturday. Quinn completed eight of 15 passes for 110 yards Thursday against the Raiders.

Winfield, whose release was announced earlier in the afternoon when coach Pete Carroll tweeted this, retired after a 14-year NFL career with the Bills and Vikings. His one-year contract guarantees he will collect $1 million after signing with Seahawks in the off-season. The club hoped he would serve in nickel formations, replacing long-time starter Marcus Trufant.

The cuts:

WRs: Phil Bates, Arceto Clark

G: Rishaw Johnson, Ryan Seymour

FB: Michael Robinson

TEs: Sean McGrath, Darren Fells

DTs: Jaye Howard, Clinton McDonald, Michael Brooks, Dewayne Cherrington, Sealver Siliga

CBs: Antoine Winfield, Ron Parker, DeShawn Shead

LBs: Ty Powell.

The Seahawks also traded an undisclosed draft pick to the Jacksonville Jaguars in exchange for D’Anthony Smitch, according to USA Today’s Tom Pelissero.

Here’s the 53-man roster. It can change  over the next few days as the Seahawks evaluate cuts made by other teams.

OFFENSE

WIDE RECEIVERS (5): Sidney Rice, Doug Baldwin, Jermaine Kearse, Golden Tate, Stephen Williams

TACKLES (5): Russell Okung, Alvin Bailey, Breno Giacomini, Mike Person, Michael Bowie

GUARDS (3): Paul McQuistan, James Carpenter, J.R. Sweezy

CENTERS (2): Max Unger, Lemuel Jeanpierre

TIGHT ENDS (2): Zach Miller, Luke Wilson

QUARTERBACKS (2): Russell Wilson, Tarvaris Jackson

RUNNING BACKS (3): Marshawn Lynch, Robert Turbin, Christine Michael

FULLBACKS (2): Derrick Warren, Spencer Ware

DEFENSE

ENDS (6): Red Bryant, Michael Bennett, Chris Clemons, Cliff Avril, O’Brien Schofield, Benson Mayowa

TACKLES (3): Tony McDaniel, Jordan Hill, Brandon Mebane

LINEBACKERS (8): Malcolm Smith, Bruce Irvin, Mike Morgan, Bobby Wagner, Allen Bradford, Heath Farwell, K.J. Wright, John Lotulelei

CORNERBACKS (5): Richard Sherman, Byron Maxwell, Brandon Browner, Walter Thurmond, Jeremy Lane

SAFETIES (4): Kam Chancellor, Earl Thomas, Jeron Johnson, Chris Maragos

SPECIAL TEAMS (2): Steven Hauschka (K), Jon Ryan (P).

Cuts to 75: WR Perez Ashford, CB Will Blackmon, WR Donavon Kemp, LB Kyle Knox, TE Jameson Konz, TE Andrei Lintz, TE/LS Kyle Nelson, DT Martin Parker, WR Brett Swain, LB Craig Wilkins.