One week into Seahawks training camp, a few names are already forcing their way into the conversation.
That’s the good news for Seattle, which is trying to blend a strong group of returners with a handful of new pieces after free agency departures. The defending champs still have plenty to sort through, but the first stretch of camp has already produced a clear set of early standouts - and a couple of players feeling the heat.
Tyrice Knight is one of the biggest early risers. He’s not officially a starter, but he has been a steady presence through his first two NFL seasons, piling up 145 tackles and 3.5 sacks.
This summer, though, he looks ready for a bigger slice of the defense. Mike Macdonald even made it plain that Knight has earned more attention.
"He has been having a great camp. There are ways to get him out there. He is definitely applying pressure right now, which is great," Macdonald said about Knight's work during camp.
Knight is sitting behind Ernest Jones and Drake Thomas on the depth chart, which explains why he isn’t listed with the starters. But if camp keeps going the way it has, Seattle will have a hard time keeping one of its more gifted defensive players off the field.
The secondary has its own storyline, and it starts with Nick Emmanwori. The second-year safety has become one of the team’s most important building blocks because of his versatility, with the ability to line up in different spots, including the slot. The problem is that he’s been out to begin camp after offseason ankle surgery.
His absence has already pushed Seattle to take a look at Donovan Wilson as a possible depth addition at safety. Even if the Seahawks do bring in another body there, Emmanwori’s ability to handle multiple roles makes his absence a real blow to the group’s depth.
On the other side of the ball, Anthony Bradford is showing signs that he may be ready to change the conversation around him. Entering his fourth season, Bradford has started for three years and has spent much of that time being viewed as a weak point up front. Early in camp, though, Jeremy Brener of Seahawks On SI said Bradford has been one of the team’s top performers.
That matters for a Seattle offense built around winning at the line of scrimmage. If Bradford keeps trending up, it could make that identity easier to sustain this season.
That development also has a ripple effect for Beau Stephens. The fifth-round pick out of Iowa was seen as a possible starter as a rookie because of Bradford’s struggles over the past couple of years. If Bradford continues to play well, Stephens may have a tougher path to meaningful snaps, which would be a disappointment for a Day 3 pick with some promise.
And then there’s Jadarian Price, who may be the most eye-catching name of the bunch. George Holani had been turning heads during offseason work, but the first-round pick has already taken over the spotlight. Price opened camp with the first team and has stacked together several explosive plays.
One of them made the rounds on social media, with Price catching veteran Drake Thomas off guard and ripping off a big gain. He’s also shown he can contribute in the passing game, and Ernest Jones summed up the buzz with a grin: "he's good man"
Seattle doesn’t often get praised for taking a running back in the first round, but the team clearly believed Price could be a difference-maker. After the first week of camp, that bet is looking pretty sharp.
In Other News...
Seahawks Camp May Have Uncovered The Secondary Piece This Defense Needed
Training camp has given the Seahawks a better look at one of the more interesting young defenders on their roster, and rookie Bud Clark has been making it hard not to notice him. Mike Macdonald has been impressed by the second-round pick from TCU, whose ball skills and versatility fit the kind of hybrid secondary Seattle has been building, especially with Nick Emmanwori in the mix.
The opening left behind by Coby Bryants departure to the Chicago Bears is still there, and Ty Okada remains in the conversation to help fill it. But Clark is starting to look like the more natural long-term answer for the slot duties, with enough range to move around and enough instincts to keep his name in the discussion as camp wears on. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Rookies Battle As One Name Surges Up Depth Chart
The Seahawks have wrapped up their first weekend of training camp, and the early rookie evaluation is already taking shape around eight first-year players trying to carve out roles in a crowded competition. Across drills and team periods, Seattle has been sorting out who can handle the pace, who can translate practice reps into something more tangible, and which newcomers are beginning to look like real candidates for roster spots once the roster decisions start to tighten.
For now, the picture is a mixed one, with some rookies showing encouraging progress while others are dealing with the kind of setbacks that can slow a push up the depth chart. The work is still early, but the Seahawks are already using every rep to test how these young players fit with different units and whether any of them can force the conversation as camp moves along. [Read more 🡒]
Bud Clark Just Got His First Real Taste Of Seahawks Legacy
Bud Clarks first rookie minicamp with the Seahawks came with a side of franchise history. On May 1, the rookie safety met Richard Sherman, who was at the facility unofficially to help out the defensive backs and pass along a little guidance. For a young player trying to find his footing in Seattle, it was the kind of introduction that reminds you how much weight this organization still carries.
Sherman, a retired five-time Pro Bowler, has long been one of the defining figures of the Seahawks era, so even a brief encounter carries some meaning for a newcomer like Clark. The moment is also getting a bigger spotlight with the NFL promoting it ahead of the Aug. 4 premiere of Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Seattle Seahawks, which will follow the team through its title defense and the daily grind of camp. [Read more 🡒]