Who matters most to the Seahawks in 2026? On the surface, the answer looks obvious: Sam Darnold.
And in a lot of ways, it is. Seattle is built differently than a team where one quarterback has to drag everything uphill.
The Seahawks are bringing back 20 of 22 starters from a 2025 roster that already had real depth, and they’re operating with a stronger supporting cast around Darnold than most quarterbacks get. That kind of setup is part of why the conversation doesn’t end with him.
The case for Darnold is still easy to make. He’s the quarterback.
He’s the one who has to keep the offense on schedule, avoid the kind of mistakes that can flip games, and make the whole thing hum. But the fact that other names come up at all says plenty about where Seattle stands.
Michael Bumpus went in a different direction and landed on Jadarian Price.
“If it’s expanded to coaches it’s clearly [offensive coordinator] Brian Fleury, and my mind first went to Sam Darnold… but after that, I have to go with Jadarian Price. We just don’t know what he’s going to do,” Bumpus said.
“Even with Sam’s turnover issues, I still know what I’m going to get out of him. I’m going to get some great performances, I’m going to get some turnovers, I’m going to get some game-winning drives, I’m going to get a couple sacks.
I’ve seen his movie before. But I haven’t seen Price’s movie.
We know Sam is at his best when he can hand the football off; last year he was third in the league in passing yards off of play action.”
That’s the heart of the Price argument. Seattle’s backfield was the biggest question on the roster heading into the offseason.
Kenneth Walker III left in free agency, and Zach Charbonnet will be out for at least four weeks after landing on the reserve/PUP list. George Holani is back, and Price arrives as a first-round pick, but there’s not much proven production in that room.
If Price changes the shape of the offense, that ripples straight to Darnold.
The offensive line matters here too. Seattle’s front is coming off its best season in more than a decade, and all five starters are back. That gives the quarterback and the run game a chance to stay connected, which matters even more if the Seahawks want to keep defenses from pinning their ears back.
Stacy Rost took the discussion to the other side of the ball and named Leonard Williams.
“I think Jadarian and Sam are the ‘right’ answers here, but I’m sticking to an answer that I think you could make a case for that will also be overlooked: Leonard Williams. Think of all the roster moves and transactions and risk-taking and due diligence the Seahawks have done with their cornerback room.
The Seahawks, to me, and I know you can never have enough defensive backs, feel like a team that might have some questions about that room. And for that matter, everyone has questions about safety with whether or not Nick Emmanwori’s starting Week 1.
Losing Coby Bryant and Riq Woolen, I think they’ve got a few concerns or perhaps would like to add depth there. There’s something to the moves they’ve made to sign those free agents in particular - one of whom is under investigation (Terrion Arnold) and isn’t even playing with you and the other who hadn’t even been in a camp (Trevon Diggs).
Those are moves to find upside. And you know what becomes really important if you’ve got some questions with DBs?
Pass rush.”
Seattle did add more to that defensive back mix, including a trade for Chargers cornerback Avery Smith. But Rost’s point was less about the names in the secondary and more about what happens if that group needs help.
If the back end is under stress, the line has to take over. And if the line is going to define the defense, Williams is the most obvious centerpiece.
In Other News...
Seahawks Suddenly Have A Week 1 Concern In The Secondary
The Seahawks opened their 2026 injury report with a familiar sort of early-season unease, and the secondary was right in the middle of it. Safety Ty Okada showed up with a hamstring issue, while rookie Nick Emmanwori is still working back from ankle surgery, leaving Seattle with an immediate reason to watch the back end of the defense as Week 1 approaches. Wide receiver Tory Horton was also limited with a hamstring injury, but rookie corner Julian Neal was a full participant after dealing with a quad issue.
For a team that leans on communication and depth in the secondary, any limitation at safety this early is worth monitoring closely. The first practice week always comes with a little caution, but Seattles initial report offered a reminder that the opening game plan could depend on how quickly Okada and Emmanwori can get right. Across the field, New England had its own concerns, with defensive tackle Christian Barmore and running back TreVeyon Henderson both missing practice because of injuries. [Read more 🡒]
Braden Fiske Is Feeling The Rams' Blockbuster Move In A Real Way
The Rams defense keeps coming up as a moving target in the NFC West, and Braden Fiske has been right in the middle of that conversation. The outside linebacker has already weighed in on the teams blockbuster trade chatter around Myles Garrett and on the departure of Jared Verse, a reminder that even a division rivals personnel moves can ripple well beyond one locker room.
For the Seahawks, the larger picture is how quickly the divisions roster landscape can shift, with Arizona also locking up Michael Wilson on a new extension and Seattle making its own notable addition in Terrion Arnold. The one-year deal came after the Seahawks did their homework with background checks and consultations across the football world, but the legal situation around Arnold still leaves the move carrying more scrutiny than your typical depth signing. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Seahawks Opener Just Got Dragged Into A Mike Vrabel Mess
The Seahawks season opener has picked up an unexpected off-field subplot, with NFL insider Albert Breer predicting that more details could surface before New England and Seattle kick off the regular season. What began in April as a swirl around photos involving Dianna Russini and Mike Vrabel has already spilled well beyond a tabloid-style rumor, forcing the issue into the NFL conversation at the exact moment the Patriots are trying to turn the page and get ready for Week 1.
Vrabel has kept the focus on football in recent public comments, declining to address the report directly during a press conference and steering the conversation back to the matchup ahead. But the unresolved questions around the episode still hang over a game that should have been about the Seahawks measuring themselves against a new-look Patriots team, making this opener feel a little less like a clean start and a little more like a story with another chapter still to come. [Read more 🡒]