The Seattle Seahawks have had their fair share of ups and downs this season, but they’re still very much in the thick of a wide-open NFC playoff race. And while most of the attention has gone to the usual stars and headline-makers, there’s one name quietly carving out a role-and doing it with some serious grit.
That name? Nick Kallerup.
Yes, the same Nick Kallerup who started the year as the Seahawks’ fourth-string tight end and a surprise inclusion on the initial 53-man roster. He’s not grabbing headlines or fantasy points, but if you’ve been watching closely, you’ve seen the impact. Since tight end Eric Saubert went down, Kallerup has stepped into the mix-and he’s been bringing some real juice to the blocking game.
Let’s start with the basics: this guy is a blocker, through and through. In a league where tight ends are often judged by their receiving stats, Kallerup is making his case with physicality, technique, and a willingness to do the dirty work.
Against the Rams, he turned heads with a series of strong blocks-reaching up to the second level and helping seal the edge against a fast, aggressive front. Sure, he got hit with a holding penalty that proved costly, but the full body of work?
Impressive.
Then came the trip to Tennessee. In that game, Kallerup graded out as one of the top offensive players on the team, according to PFF.
Only Jaxon Smith-Njigba and running backs Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet scored higher. That’s elite company for a guy who, not long ago, was fighting for a roster spot.
His 66.5 grade wasn’t just a fluke-it reflected a player who’s consistently doing his job and doing it well.
What stands out most is how Kallerup complements the rest of Seattle’s tight end room. A.J.
Barner brings elite blocking. Elijah Arroyo adds movement skills and versatility.
Kallerup? He brings size, power, and a no-nonsense attitude in the trenches.
At 6'6", 270 pounds, he outweighs both Barner and Arroyo and is right there in the Dissly mold-massive, physical, and built to battle defensive linemen. In fact, during the Vikings game, he held his own against a defensive lineman roughly 40 pounds heavier.
That’s not just effort-that’s leverage, strength, and technique coming together.
Now, let’s be real: it wasn’t all clean against Minnesota. The entire offensive line struggled with the pressure packages dialed up by Brian Flores.
Seattle’s protection looked confused at times, and even Kallerup had moments where he looked overwhelmed. But even in a rough outing, he flashed-especially in the second half, when he settled in and started winning his matchups again.
And here’s the thing-he hasn’t even had a pass thrown his way all season. Not one.
But as broadcaster Joe Davis pointed out during the Rams game, that doesn’t matter right now. What does matter is that Kallerup is becoming one of the better blocking tight ends in the league, and he’s doing it without fanfare.
If the Seahawks want to get their run game humming down the stretch-and they’ll need to if they want to make a real playoff push-it’s going to take more than just talented backs. It’s going to take edge blocking, physicality at the point of attack, and tight ends who can handle their business in the trenches. Kallerup is showing he can be that guy.
He’s not a household name. Not yet.
But if Seattle’s ground game starts to click, don’t be surprised if Nick Kallerup is one of the reasons why. He’s earned a spot in the circle of trust-and his arrow is pointing up.