As Seahawks safety Ty Okada talked to reporters Friday about the likelihood of him playing a big role in Sunday's game, tight end AJ Barner stood a few lockers away in a T-shirt that has become a common sight around the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.

The shirt frequently worn by players this season reads "Ready Squad" on the front, then on the back has a large No. 70, with a smaller 53 crossed out.

The message portrayed by the shirt, and emphasized by Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald and general manager and president of football operations John Schneider, is that the Seahawks don't view their team as a 53-man roster and a 17-man practice squad, but rather a collection of 70 players, with the term "ready squad" replacing practice squad, all of whom are expected to contribute to the team's success this season.

Okada, who is on the 53-man roster this season, has been back and forth between the active roster and practice squad since joining the team in 2023 as an undrafted free agent out of Montana State. And with Julian Love and Nick Emmanwori both listed as doubtful for Sunday's game against the Saints, there's a good chance Okada will make his first career start, or at the very least see his most significant playing time on defense.

"Yeah, you can expect to see Ty in a larger role," Macdonald said when asked if Okada will start if Love and Emmanwori are both out.

Also likely to contribute in a meaningful role is safety D'Anthony Bell, who is on the practice squad, and who last week was elevated for the game and started with the Seahawks opening in a big-nickel package.

Those two likely playing meaningful roles, and Derion Kendrick playing 42 snaps last week as Seattle's nickel corner, a role he'll likely play again with Devon Witherspoon listed as doubtful, are demonstrations of the type of team Macdonald and Schneider are trying to build where everyone is ready not just to fill in when called upon, but to thrive when given the opportunity, be it a backup on the 53-man roster like Okada or a practice squad player like Bell. Already in Macdonald's year plus on the job, the Seahawks have seen players like Coby Bryant and Tyrice Knight go from backups to playmaking starters, while players coming off the practice squad have made big plays in games, including receiver Cody White, and most notably Josh Jobe, who started last year on the practice squad and is now a starting cornerback.

"We had several of these conversations last year, and now it's this year, and it's going to be every year. that's why it's so important to have depth on your football team," Macdonald said of players stepping up when given the chance. "It's why the 70 matter, it's why we coach everybody all the time. It's why we do what we do."

The added emphasis on the "ready squad" and talk of the 70-man roster this year has been largely driven by the man responsible for building that roster, Macdonald said.

"It's always been my personal philosophy of depth and growth and development, that's really important, but it was really John's vision of how he wants it to operate, and it meshes with our philosophy," Macdonald said. "It makes a lot of sense, and I think it's the best way to do it. I love how we do it."

Okada, who has appeared in 11 games, playing mostly on special teams with a total of 48 defensive snaps, says getting ready for a big role this week is the same as any other week of preparation.

"Just going out there and doing what I've been practicing this entire time," he said. "Whatever that opportunity may be, just being ready for the moment. That's how I approach every single week, whether I'm going to just be on special teams or whether I have a small role or a big role on defense, it doesn't change. So it's just another week and I'll be ready for any opportunity that comes my way."

The approach that helped Okada make an NFL career for himself as an undrafted player out of Montana State is one that is described well by his former special teams coordinator, BJ Robertson, and it's one that aligns with what Macdonald and Schneider are preaching when they talk about a 70-man roster.

"Whatever your role may be on a week-to-week basis, you do your absolute best at that role," Okada said. "My college coach used to always tell me, 'You don't get a better job doing a poor job at the current job that you have.' So for me, whatever my role is, whatever impact I can make week in and week out to help the team win, whether that's giving great looks on defense or making plays on special teams or making plays on defense, I'm going to do my absolute best to make that happen week in and week out."