The Seahawks came into the 2026 season with hopes that Sam Darnold would keep playing at a Pro Bowl level and that Brian Fleury’s arrival would unlock the offense. Six games in, that hasn’t happened. Darnold has regressed, his interceptions have helped swing three games, and the running game has gone flat.
That was all on display in Seattle’s 17-14 overtime loss to the Denver Broncos, one of the team’s worst offensive performances of the year. And buried inside the wider struggles is a clear problem: the Seahawks are not using AJ Barner enough.
Through six games, Barner is the fourth-most targeted pass-catcher on the roster, trailing Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Cooper Kupp and Rashid Shaheed. That tells you everything about how the offense is being built. The Seahawks want their passing game stretched deep, away from the line of scrimmage, while Barner has been left to work in a limited role.
Even with that usage, Barner has produced. He has 15 catches on 24 targets for 138 yards.
That puts him just 24 yards behind Shaheed, who has disappointed as the No. 2 receiver. Kupp hasn’t been the rescue act either, though he has been steady enough to create a few completions against younger defensive backs.
Kupp and Shaheed are being paid heavily for production that has not matched the contract sheet, and only Kupp has reached the end zone.
Barner, meanwhile, still has no touchdown this season. The way Seattle has deployed him explains a lot of that.
Over the last few games, he has been shifted from the line of scrimmage into the backfield as a fullback. Brady Russell, the second-string fullback, logged only six offensive snaps in the Week 5 loss to the San Francisco 49ers and just two against the Broncos, while Barner has been asked to fill that space in single tight sets.
That usage has taken the best pass-catching tight end on the roster and parked him too far from where he can really help the offense. Fleury needs to change that before the Seahawks host the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 7. Barner should be back at the line of scrimmage full-time, where his hands and toughness after the catch can matter more.
The numbers back up the case. Barner has only one game with more than 20 receiving yards and only one with more than four catches.
That came in the 33-31 Week 3 road loss to the Washington Commanders, when he turned screen opportunities into gains of 15 and 32 yards and finished with five receptions for 69 yards. In that game, Seattle’s offense opened up when Barner became a real part of the passing plan.
Fleury has a history of working with tight ends and developing into a high-caliber playmaker. Right now, though, the Seahawks look like they’re limiting both Barner and themselves. JSN should still be the center of the offense, but Seattle needs more variety, more consistency and more aggression with Barner involved as one of Darnold’s top options.
In Other News...
NFL Just Confirmed Seahawks Fans Had Every Right To Be Furious
Late in Seattles matchup with San Francisco, Jaxon Smith-Njigba took a hit from 49ers safety Malik Mustapha that never drew a flag on the field, even though it was later deemed a violation for hitting a defenseless player. The lack of a penalty at the time left Seahawks fans with plenty to gripe about, especially in a game where every late snap carried extra weight.
The NFLs review backed up that frustration, fining Mustapha $6,998 for the play and effectively confirming the missed call. No other players from the game were fined, but for Seattle supporters, the bigger point is hard to miss: the league looked at the same hit and came to the conclusion many in the building already had. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Backfield Picture Could Get More Interesting Than Fans Realize
Week 6 is bringing a little more uncertainty to the running back landscape than usual, and it is the kind of wrinkle Seahawks fans can keep an eye on even if the names involved are elsewhere. Quinshon Judkins, Jacory Croskey-Merritt, TreVeyon Henderson, Alvin Kamara and Rico Dowdle are all listed as questionable, with practice participation varying from player to player as teams sort through injuries and workload concerns heading into the weekend.
Jadarian Price adds another layer to the picture, even though he is still on injured reserve for now. His coach said a return could come as early as Week 8, which means the backfield conversation is only getting started in a league where availability can change the depth chart fast. For a Seattle team always watching the market and the ripple effects around it, these are the kinds of updates that can quietly shape what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Have A Pass Protection Problem Fans Cant Ignore
Through six games, the Seahawks offensive line has already become one of the clearest pressure points on the roster, and the latest reminder came in a rough afternoon against Denver. Pro Football Focus charted 26 pressures allowed on quarterback Sam Darnold, who was under duress 27 times overall, a number that underscored just how often the pocket collapsed before plays could fully develop.
It was not just one spot breaking down, either. Charles Cross, Abraham Lucas, Jalen Sundell, Grey Zabel, Christian Haynes and Beau Stephens all had their share of pressures allowed, while George Holani has also had trouble in pass protection. For a team trying to build any kind of offensive rhythm, the issue is no longer isolated enough to shrug off, and it is starting to shape every conversation about how the offense can function going forward. [Read more 🡒]