The Seattle Seahawks are a couple weeks into training camp, and the rookie class is already starting to sort itself out. Some first-year players are climbing fast. Others are dealing with injuries or simply running out of runway for meaningful reps.
That matters for a team trying to open the 2026 NFL season on Wednesday, September 9 against the New England Patriots. Mike Macdonald’s roster has talent, even after the losses in free agency, and the Seahawks are expected to contend for their second straight Super Bowl. But if that’s going to happen, the rookies have to help patch the holes left behind by departing veterans.
Jadarian Price is the biggest name in that group, and he’s looking the part. The first-round running back from Notre Dame has shown he can make defenders miss with his cuts in traffic, and he’s also flashed as a receiver.
He even did it on the first episode of Hard Knocks. If he caught one pass, he likely caught dozens more.
That kind of versatility may already have done the trick for Price. Between his work in the passing game and his understanding of pass protection, he seems to have given Mike Macdonald and new offensive coordinator Brian Fleury plenty to like. The rookie looks positioned to settle in as a starter, and the Seahawks will need him to make fans forget Kenneth Walker III, who signed with the Kansas City Chiefs in free agency, as quickly as possible.
Bud Clark is another rookie drawing attention, and the coaching staff appears to trust him with a lot. Macdonald said recently that the team is asking a lot from Clark, and the hope is that the mental “fog” clears soon. Even that level of responsibility says something about where the TCU safety stands with the staff.
Clark may not have the same elite physical tools as Nick Emmanwori, the bigger defender who has even lined up at edge rusher, but he could be called on to handle some of Emmanwori’s work if Emmanwori misses the first game or so while recovering from ankle surgery. Verdict: Stock appears to be rising with a chance of getting Week 1 reps.
Julian Neal’s situation looks a little different. The cornerback had a strong offseason and fits the bigger-bodied mold Seattle needed while trying to replace Riq Woolen, who signed with the Philadelphia Eagles. The expectation was never necessarily that Neal would open the season playing heavy snaps, but the idea was that he could grow into a bigger role later on.
The problem is that a leg injury has kept him out of several practices, and that’s a real setback for any rookie. Reps are everything at this stage, and missed time only slows the learning curve. Right now, it’s hard to see Neal getting many defensive snaps early in the season.
Beau Stephens has also heard praise, but the path to the field still looks crowded. Abraham Lucas said after a recent practice that Stephens has a positive “attitude about him” and that “he is getting a lot better.” That’s encouraging for a fifth-round pick, but it may not be enough to crack the lineup at right guard.
Anthony Bradford has continued to take the overwhelming majority of starting reps, just as he has for most of the last three seasons. That may not thrill Seahawks fans, especially given Bradford’s uneven play, but offensive line continuity matters, and that seems to be keeping Stephens on the outside looking in.
In Other News...
Grey Zabel Is Giving Seahawks Fans A Bigger O-Line Question
Grey Zabel has quickly become one of the more encouraging developments for Seattles offensive line after John Schneider used a first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft on the North Dakota State product. Zabel came into the league after playing tackle in college, then moved inside to guard or center, and the early returns have helped stabilize a unit Seattle has been trying to upgrade for years. Around the league, evaluators have generally treated him as an above-average young guard, with NFL.com among the outlets taking a positive view of what he can become.
The bigger question now is less about whether Zabel belongs and more about where his ceiling really sits. Some observers like the way he has already translated from college tackle to the interior, while others see room for more growth before he fully defines the Seahawks front. For a team still searching for long-term answers up front, Zabels progress is useful on its own, but it also puts a spotlight on just how much more help Seattle may need around him. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Face An Immediate 2026 Test Fans Will Be Watching
The 2026 NFL season will open on Wednesday, Sept. 9, and it comes with a familiar spotlight for New England right away, as the defending Super Bowl champion Seahawks welcome the Patriots for a rematch of the title game. The league is setting up an unusually early start because of the Thursday game in Australia the next day, and Week 1 will stretch across four days with a full slate of 16 games.
For Seattle, the opener is as much about ceremony as it is about the challenge of beginning a title defense against the team it just beat on the biggest stage. For the Patriots, it is an immediate chance to see where they stand against the leagues standard-bearer, with the rest of the opening week also carrying extra intrigue as the Rams and 49ers head to Melbourne for the NFLs international showcase. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Fans Have One Big Reason Not To Fear Aaron Donald
Aaron Donalds name still carries enough weight to change the conversation for any team in the NFC West, and the reported workout with the Rams is another reminder of why. If he does come back for the 2026 season, Los Angeles would be adding a defensive centerpiece to a group that already has big ambitions, with the possibility of pairing him with Myles Garrett and putting even more pressure on opposing offenses.
For Seattle, though, the bigger takeaway is the broader timeline. The Rams have leaned toward star-driven roster building, while the Seahawks have been shaping their future around a different mix of age, development and front office philosophy. Donalds return would certainly matter in the division, but it does not change the fact that Seattles long-term outlook is still built on a more stable foundation than the one that has defined Los Angeles in recent years. [Read more 🡒]