The Seahawks open the season with plenty of attention on the marquee names, but Week 1 could also be the kind of game where a few quieter contributors step into the spotlight. Seattle is back as the defending Super Bowl champions, and the rematch with Mike Vrabel and the New England Patriots brings a new test right away. Drake Maye and company have added real talent, so this is not the same Patriots team Seattle handled roughly six months ago.
That matters, but so does the other side of the matchup. Seattle kept most of its core intact, and a handful of players are set for larger jobs than they had a year ago. If the Seahawks get the kind of lift that swings an opener, it may come from names that don’t usually headline the conversation.
Rashid Shaheed is the easiest place to start. He signed a three-year, $51 million deal this offseason, so this is not a pure under-the-radar story.
Still, last season he was mostly a decoy on offense and a special-teams player. That should change quickly.
With a new offensive coordinator in place and Cooper Kupp not getting any younger, Shaheed looks like the kind of explosive complement Seattle can lean on next to Jaxon Smith-Njigba. He’s been getting rave reviews in camp, and the Seahawks appear ready to expand his role immediately.
If Christian Gonzalez shadows Smith-Njigba after his strong Super Bowl performance, Shaheed may be the player tasked with keeping the offense moving and proving he can do more than just run deep.
Julian Neal is in a different spot entirely. Seattle drafted multiple cornerbacks, but he was the last one still standing.
He is not projected to start, yet injuries could force the issue fast. Nick Emmanwori is likely to miss the game, and Ty Okada is also dealing with a hamstring injury, which could push Neal into action sooner than expected.
He has mostly played on the outside, but his physicality and strength give him a chance to hold up in the slot. The Seahawks can also shift Witherspoon to nickelback on certain snaps and let Neal work on the boundary.
Either way, Mike Macdonald’s secondary may need him, especially if Emmanwori can’t play and the team has to turn to Neal before Nehemiah Pritchett.
AJ Barner is another player who could benefit from the way defenses are likely to treat Seattle’s receivers. Barner didn’t do much as a rookie, but he steadily earned a bigger role in the passing game during his second season.
Now, after dealing with multiple injuries, he enters his third year with a chance to take another step. Brian Fleury, described as a tight end guru, helped George Kittle become the superstar he is nowadays, and while Barner is not being put in that conversation, Fleury should have some ideas for him and the rest of the tight end group.
With Smith-Njigba expected to draw tight coverage, there should be room in the short and intermediate areas of the field. Tight end usage could become a bigger piece of the offense in the Fleury era, and Barner may be one of the players who benefits most if the target share grows.
George Holani rounds out the group, and his role may be more important than his name recognition suggests. First-round running back Jadarian Price has grabbed most of the offseason attention, and that makes sense.
But he is still a rookie, and he did not play in the preseason. That does not mean Seattle will hold him back in Week 1, but it does mean the Seahawks may want help taking some of the load off.
Holani is used to working in a committee, and his body may need more time before handling a bigger workload. He also stands out as Seattle’s best option in pass protection and in obvious passing situations.
Since Zach Charbonnet suffered his season-ending injury, Holani has earned trust, and he could wind up being a major factor for the running game in 2026.
In Other News...
DK Metcalf Just Reopened A Seahawks Debate Fans Never Dropped
DK Metcalfs exit from Seattle was never just a roster move, and the way things have played out has only made the old debate louder. He asked the Seahawks for a trade before the 2025 season, landed with the Steelers, and Seattle responded by turning the page with draft-pick compensation and a major contract for Jaxon Smith-Njigba. From the outside, it was the kind of decision that invites instant comparison, especially after the Seahawks went on to win Super Bowl LX while Pittsburghs run ended in the wild-card round.
Metcalf, though, is not treating the result like a reason to revisit his choice. He has said he understands the consequences of asking out and has congratulated his former teammates, even as the Steelers committed to him with a four-year, $132 million extension. For Seattle fans, it keeps the conversation in a familiar place: whether the franchise got the timing right, whether Metcalf got what he wanted, and how much a championship ring changes the hindsight around a trade that was already going to be dissected for years. [Read more 🡒]
Cooper Kupps New Seahawks Partnership Goes Well Beyond Sneakers
Brooks Running has officially stepped into the Seahawks orbit as the teams new Running Partner, and the rollout comes with Cooper Kupp serving as one of three new global ambassadors. The arrangement fits Seattles sports culture neatly enough, but it is aimed at more than branding and sideline visibility. Brooks is tying the partnership to community work across Washington state, with a focus on supporting high school football coaches and athletes through programs such as Coach of the Week and Future Run grants.
The broader push also reaches into girls flag football, where Brooks plans to recognize coaches and players as the sport keeps growing in the region. The company expects to spotlight those efforts at a Seahawks home game, turning what could have been a straightforward endorsement deal into a much wider effort around local football. For Kupp and the Seahawks, it is a partnership built as much on community footing as on what happens on game day. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Could Get A Big Backfield Boost Sooner Than Expected
Zach Charbonnets start to the season remains on hold, but theres at least a little more optimism around his recovery than there was when the Seahawks first braced for a long absence. The running back is on the physically unable to perform list after the knee injury he carried out of last season, which means he will miss the first four games, but coach Mike Macdonald said Charbonnet is progressing well and could be back sooner than the December timeframe that had seemed to be the target.
For Seattle, the possibility matters because Charbonnets return would give the backfield a jolt at a point in the season when teams usually start absorbing wear and tear. Still, nothing is locked in yet. He has to pass a physical before the Seahawks can activate him, and with no firm return date in place, the team is left waiting to see whether the encouraging signs turn into an actual midseason comeback. [Read more 🡒]