The Seattle Seahawks are already through their rookie training camp work, and the full camp sessions are right around the corner as they get set for the 2026 NFL season. On paper, this is a roster with real muscle: stars at the top, useful depth underneath, and plenty of players who could start elsewhere. Not every unit is built the same, though, and some groups will carry far more weight than others once the season starts.
Up front on defense, Seattle may have its strongest position group of all. Leonard Williams was voted the No. 1 defensive tackle heading into the season by ESPN, and Byron Murphy earned honorable mention status while continuing to look underrated.
The two combined for seven sacks apiece and 16 tackles for loss. Behind them, second-year lineman Rylie Mills is being eyed as a breakout candidate after a solid Super Bowl LX performance.
The pass-catching group starts with Jaxon Smith-Njigba, the league’s offensive player of the year. Repeating 119 catches, 1,793 yards and 10 touchdowns will be a tough ask, which is why Seattle is so interested in what Rashad Shaheed can do as he builds chemistry with Sam Darnold. The Seahawks are also hoping for more from Cooper Kupp, Jake Bobo and a healthier Tory Horton to give the passing game another layer.
Seattle’s edge and linebacker group brings both production and stability. Uchenna Nwosu and DeMarcus Lawrence put up 35 quarterback hits, 13 sacks and 18 tackles for loss last season.
Ernest Jones has become a key defender, while Drake Thomas offers starting-level ability. Derick Hall and Tyrice Knight add dependable depth and could push for bigger roles.
The secondary has taken some offseason hits, with Coby Bryant and Riq Woolen gone. That opens the door for rookies Bud Clark and Julian Neal to make their case.
Still, there’s plenty of talent left in the group. Devon Witherspoon, a three-time Pro-Bowl cornerback, and second-year nickel Nick Emmanwori are young stars, and Seattle remains confident in Julian Love, Ty Okada and Josh Jobe.
The offensive line returns intact, starters and reserves alike, after taking a step forward last season as an efficient unit. Even so, there’s room to clean things up. Grey Zabel can be more dependable in his second year, and the biggest pressure point is on the right side of the interior, where Anthony Bradford needs stronger starts in his new offense.
Special teams is one area where there’s not much drama. Jason Myers, Michael Dickson and Chris Stoll give the Seahawks Pro-Bowl caliber talent at kicker, punter and long snapper. Camp will be about sorting out the rest of the punt, kickoff and return jobs.
Sam Darnold is coming off a season that showed he could handle the franchise-quarterback label, and now the challenge gets bigger: leading a defending Super Bowl-winning team. He could become the ninth quarterback in NFL history to win back-to-back Super Bowls. Behind him, Drew Lock and Jalen Milroe give Seattle two different backup options, and both are in the mix for the No. 2 job during camp.
Tight end is more about upside than proven production. A.J.
Barner is the most complete player in the group and could wind up having the biggest impact in Brian Fleury’s new offense. Elijah Arroyo could also take a step if he can stay healthy.
Eric Saubert, Thomas Bryant and Nick Kallerup will be fighting for depth-chart spots.
The biggest offseason loss came at running back. Kenneth Walker III, the Super Bowl LX MVP, left in free agency, and Zach Charbonnet is expected to miss half or more of the upcoming season.
Seattle tried to soften that blow by adding Jadarian Price with the 32nd pick in the 2026 NFL Draft and bringing in Emanuel Wilson through free agency. George Holani is also getting extra reps until Charbonnet is back.
In Other News...
Jadarian Price Could Force Seahawks Into Another Huge RB Decision
John Schneiders track record at running back has usually been about patience and value, not splashy investment, which is why the Seahawks current situation is worth watching. Seattle has bodies in the backfield, but after Kenneth Walker III moved on in free agency, it no longer has the kind of explosive runner who can tilt a game with one touch. That leaves the spotlight on Jadarian Price, the rare early pick at the position in Schneiders tenure, and on how quickly the Seahawks can sort out whether they have found a long-term answer.
If Price settles in, Seattle can keep building around him and avoid another major swing. If he does not, the path gets complicated fast, with the front office potentially weighing another premium draft pick at a position it usually treats cautiously, or looking ahead to a market that could include veteran help and a new crop of college runners. Names like Kewan Lacy and Ahmad Hardy already fit the kind of conversation Seattle may be forced to have again sooner than expected. [Read more 🡒]
Zach Charbonnet May Be Running Out Of Time In Seattle
Zach Charbonnets path back to the Seahawks has already been complicated by the ACL injury he suffered in last seasons divisional playoff game against the 49ers, and his absence has only sharpened the questions around where he fits next. He was coming off a productive season that may have marked his high-water point in Seattle, but the running back picture has moved on while he has been sidelined.
For Charbonnet, the challenge now is not just getting healthy, but doing enough once he is back on the field to remind Seattle what he can still offer. The Seahawks have a different look in place at the position, and with his future role unsettled, every remaining opportunity to show he can still be a factor carries real weight for both sides. [Read more 🡒]