Nehemiah Pritchett has spent most of his Seahawks tenure trying to answer a simple question: why is he still here?
Seattle took two Auburn cornerbacks in 2024, and DJ James was gone quickly after a rough camp and preseason. Pritchett, though, stuck around despite an ugly start to his career.
As a rookie, he was targeted 20 times on 99 coverage snaps and gave up 13 catches for 205 yards and a touchdown. The ball seemed to find him every time he stepped on the field.
His second season didn’t begin much better. In Week 5 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, one of Seattle’s three losses, he played 14 coverage snaps and allowed three completions on three targets, including two touchdowns. It looked like the kind of outing that could have ended his run with the team.
Then came Week 10 against the Arizona Cardinals, and one play that may have changed everything.
With Marvin Harrison Jr. on the verge of a sure touchdown, Pritchett ripped the ball away just before Harrison landed in the end zone. It was the kind of stop that takes both athleticism and feel, and it may have done more than help Seattle in a tight win. It may have saved Pritchett’s place in the conversation.
From that point on, he wasn’t targeted when he got on the field, even though his opportunities were limited. He wasn’t suddenly a finished product, but the improvement was real enough to matter.
At 6-foot-1 and 190 pounds, Pritchett has the size Seattle wants on the outside. His tackling still needs work, but he doesn’t look afraid to mix it up with ball-carriers. If he sharpens that part of his game in training camp, his role could grow once the regular season starts.
The path is there. Seattle let Riq Woolen walk in free agency, and even after drafting Julian Neal this year and bringing back Josh Jobe, there are cornerback snaps available in 2026.
Pritchett was never brought in to be a miss. The Seahawks have kept him for a reason, even if plenty of fans have questioned it.
He’s not expected to start this season, and that’s not the point. Mike Macdonald is going to rotate players at most positions, and Pritchett should get his chance.
If he can build on what he showed against Arizona, he could do more than hang around. He could force a real roster conversation.
In Other News...
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The early tone around Seahawks camp has been more encouraging than dramatic, which is exactly what a team with a lot of moving parts needs in late summer. Rashid Shaheeds development has been one of the brighter notes, and the arrival of new offensive coordinator Brian Fleury is helping preserve some continuity while the offense settles in. On the other side of the ball, Uchenna Nwosu, Derick Hall and Dante Fowler have all put together solid offseasons, and there is a real sense that younger defenders such as Byron Murphy II and Drake Thomas are positioned to take meaningful steps.
What makes the next few weeks interesting is how much of the roster still feels like it is being sorted out in real time. The secondary has opened up competition after recent departures, and rookies Bud Clark and Julian Neal are among the players trying to carve out roles. Seattle is also keeping a close eye on injured players like Zach Charbonnet, which adds another layer to a camp that has been productive without yet answering all of its biggest questions. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Camp Is Already Revealing A Backfield Pecking Order
Training camp is already giving the Seahawks a clearer look at their backfield hierarchy, and the early competition is centered on Emmanuel Wilson, George Holani and Jadarian Price. With Seattle leaning into a running backs-by-committee approach, the first few practices have done more to sort out the top of the depth chart than to settle it, which is exactly why the battle at the position has become one of the more closely watched parts of camp.
The bigger question now is how the workload will be divided once the roster gets closer to full strength. Charbonnets return is still pending, and his presence could change the shape of the rotation just as the contenders for the RB1 and RB2 roles are trying to separate themselves. For now, the Seahawks are getting an early read on who can handle the most responsibility, even if the final answer is still waiting on another piece of the puzzle. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Cut Short Another Backfield Hope Fans Wanted To See
Kenny McIntoshs time with the Seahawks has been defined more by what never quite got off the ground than by any extended chance to prove himself. A 2023 seventh-round pick, he came into the league with some hope attached, but injuries kept interrupting the conversation, including a knee issue and an ACL tear that limited his playing time and slowed his progress.
Seattles backfield picture keeps moving without him, with Jadarian Price, George Holani, Emanuel Wilson and Zach Charbonnet in the mix when healthy. For a team that has spent the offseason sorting out depth behind its top options, McIntoshs absence is another reminder of how quickly the running back room can change, and how hard it can be for a young player to carve out a role before the next wave arrives. [Read more 🡒]