The Seahawks opened Week 1 in New England already carrying a trimmed-down roster, and the inactives only reinforced how much has changed since the end of last season.
Seattle came into the opener knowing it would be without a handful of familiar pieces. Fan-favorite wide receiver Jake Bobo, rookie safety Bud Clark, and fullback Robbie Ouzts are out for the year. Running back Zach Charbonnet began the season on the physically unable to perform list after the knee injury he suffered in last year’s playoffs.
The team also had already ruled out starting safety Ty Okada, who picked up a hamstring injury before the season. If that had happened earlier in camp, he might already be back. Instead, the timing has delayed his return, though the expectation is that he should be able to play soon.
Seattle’s injury picture widened with two more expected absences. Fellow safety Nick Emmanwori has not practiced fully since ankle surgery in July, and the hope is that he can get back within the next few games.
Second-year wideout Tory Horton was also expected to miss, and his injury history has become a frustrating pattern. He hurt his knee in his final college season, played early last year, then suffered a shin injury that wiped out the second half of Seattle’s title-winning campaign.
Now he is dealing with a hamstring issue as well. Mike Macdonald has not offered a specific timetable for his return.
Even with those losses, Seattle is still described as relatively healthy overall this early in the season. But the margin is getting thinner. The Seahawks already watched 2025 starters Kenneth Walker, Riq Woolen, Boye Mafe, and Coby Bryant leave in free agency, and they can’t afford to keep losing more key names.
In Other News...
Seahawks Just Sent Their Strongest Signal Yet About Melbourne
The Seahawks are leaning harder into their push in Australia and New Zealand, announcing a strategic partnership with Collingwood that ties the NFL club to one of the biggest names in Australian football. It is part of Seattles marketing rights under the NFL Global Markets program, and it gives the team a more visible platform in a region where it has been looking to build real traction rather than just occasional awareness.
Melbourne will be the first major stage for that effort, with the two clubs set to co-host a kids AFL and NFL crossover flag football clinic. For Seattle, the move is less about a single event than about showing it is serious about planting roots abroad, using a local partner to connect with fans who may already know the sport through a different lens. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Secondary Suddenly Faces A Week 1 Problem
A thin-looking Seahawks secondary got thinner this week when Ty Okada was ruled out for the upcoming game because of a hamstring injury. Seattle also listed Nick Emmanwori as questionable, leaving the safety group in a shaky spot heading into a matchup where depth could matter quickly. Tory Horton is also questionable, but the bigger concern for Seattle is how it will patch together the back end if the injury picture does not improve before kickoff.
The roster math becomes even more important because the Seahawks may need to elevate safeties from the practice squad to cover the gaps. Across the field, New England has already ruled out running back TreVeyon Henderson and backup center Ben Brown, while defensive tackle Christian Barmore is expected to play, so both teams are still sorting out their Week 1 availability. For Seattle, the question now is not just who is healthy enough to suit up, but whether the secondary can survive the day if the list stays this short. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Open With A Rematch That Feels Different This Time
A season opener against New England already carries some extra weight for Seattle because it comes as a rematch of the previous years Super Bowl, and the game now has even more intrigue after the Patriots locked up Christian Gonzalez on a four-year, $135 million extension. The deal made him the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history and adds another layer to a matchup that figures to be watched closely in both cities, especially with the Seahawks and Patriots each trying to show how much they have changed since that championship meeting.
For Seattle, the bigger picture is not just the logo on the other sideline but the shifting cast around it. New Englands offensive line and receiving corps have both been upgraded, which gives the Patriots a better chance to stress a Seahawks defense that will have to answer some different problems this time around. However it plays out, it is the kind of opener that can tell a lot about where Seattle stands right away, and it sets up a meeting that feels less like a replay than a test of how far both teams have come. [Read more 🡒]