The Seattle Seahawks’ preseason opener against the Dallas Cowboys was the kind of night that leaves you with more questions about depth than anything else. Seattle fell 17-7, never scored after its opening drive, and spent most of the game looking a step slow. That won’t shake up the season outlook much with most of these players unlikely to start for Mike Macdonald’s team, but it did expose how thin things can get when the backups are forced to carry the load.
There were a few bright spots, though, and a few players who made life harder on themselves.
Brady Russell helped his case in a big way. He’s already in line to be the lead fullback, and with Robbie Ouzts out for the season with a neck injury, he may be the only one on the roster.
Russell added value beyond the depth chart, too. After Seattle’s opening touchdown, he came flying down on the kickoff and planted the returner, the kind of jolt that gets teammates and fans moving.
His versatility matters as well, since he can line up at tight end and give offensive coordinator Brian Fleury some flexibility in how he uses him.
Tyrice Knight also stood out. He lost the starting inside linebacker job to Drake Thomas last season, but he kept showing up with meaningful plays once the games started.
Against Dallas, with the starters sitting, he was the best defensive player Seattle had. Knight piled up 10 tackles and was strong in coverage, exactly the sort of performance you want from a player facing backups.
Montorie Foster Jr. had one of the more productive nights on the roster. He dropped a good throw from Jalen Milroe in the fourth quarter, but he answered right back with a sideline grab for a first down.
That wasn’t even his biggest moment. Foster also caught a touchdown from Drew Lock on the opening drive, and by the end of the night he led Seattle in receptions and receiving yards.
He may still be a long shot for the final roster, but he likely did enough to put himself in the practice squad conversation.
Jalan Gaines also flashed. Seattle’s pass rush was quiet for most of the game, but Gaines gave them one of the few disruptive stretches.
The undrafted 2025 signee, who spent the season on a futures contract, made his presence felt in the second half with a tackle for loss and then a quarterback press on the next snap. It was one of the rare times Dallas’ rhythm got knocked off track.
The other side of the ledger was rougher.
Andre Fuller had a tough night in coverage, and the speed issue that helped push him to the final round of the 2026 NFL Draft showed up again. He was consistently trailing receivers, even against Dallas backups.
In a game like this, that stands out fast. Unless something changes, he could be on the outside looking in when roster cuts arrive on August 30.
Michael Dansby also had a moment he’ll want back immediately. Dallas rookie Camden Brown Mossed him in the end zone, and Dansby looked short on both physicality and quickness on the play.
Seventh-round picks have to make noise in some way, and Dansby hasn’t done that yet. A play like that won’t help his case.
The rookie class as a whole didn’t help much either. Jadarian Price and Julian Neal were out with injuries.
Beau Stephens picked up a penalty and didn’t look close to challenging Anthony Bradford for the starting right guard job. The cornerbacks in that group didn’t make much of an impression, either, and both could wind up on the chopping block.
As it stands, the 2026 class could end up as Seattle’s worst draft group since 2021.
Even with the bad overall showing, Jalen Milroe offered at least one encouraging note. He was close to being grouped with the winners, but his second half didn’t match his first, and the offensive line didn’t do him any favors. Still, compared with where he was a year ago, Milroe looked noticeably better this preseason.
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Seahawks Preseason Opener Raised A Troubling Question About This Offense
Seattles preseason opener against Dallas offered an early look at Brian Fleurys first game calling the offense, but the bigger takeaway was how uneven the unit looked in a 17-7 loss. With a new coordinator in place and Christian Parker making his debut on the Cowboys defensive side, the Seahawks spent much of the night sorting through a choppy offensive performance while the defense tried to keep things within reach.
There were still a few bright spots in the building. Tyrice Knight was active throughout the night and Rashad Rochelle sparked the crowd with a long punt return that gave Seattle a much better field position late in the third quarter. Even so, the game raised a familiar preseason concern for Seattle: whether this offense can find enough rhythm soon enough to make the new system feel like a step forward rather than a reset. [Read more 🡒]
Mike Macdonald Sends Early Warning After Seahawks Sloppy Opener
The Seahawks first home game since winning Super Bowl LX turned into an early gut check, with a 17-7 loss to the Cowboys exposing how much work still sits ahead for Mike Macdonalds team. Macdonald did not hide his disappointment afterward, saying the opener showed the kind of sloppiness Seattle cannot afford if it wants to keep building on last seasons success.
What stood out most was the coachs focus on the basics, not a single busted play or one side of the ball. He said the Seahawks need cleaner communication, better alignment and sharper execution on both offense and defense, a reminder that even after a championship run there is no shortcut to looking like a complete team again. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Suddenly Have A Backup QB Problem Fans Can See
The Seahawks first preseason game against the Cowboys offered plenty to sort through, but the most jarring takeaway came from the quarterback room. Tyrice Knight was one of the brighter spots on a rough night, yet the offense as a whole struggled to find rhythm, and the evaluation of the backups quickly turned into a broader conversation about how much trust the team can place behind the starter.
Jalen Milroe drew the sharpest criticism for slow processing and shaky decisions, and that matters because Seattle is trying to build confidence in the depth chart, not raise more questions about it. When the play under center looks uneven and the other options on the roster dont separate themselves, preseason becomes less about reps and more about whether the Seahawks have a real answer waiting if they need one. [Read more 🡒]