WATCH: Seahawks Make Signing of Embattled CB Terrion Arnold Official
Two weeks after reportedly agreeing to terms with the former Alabama star on a contract, the Seattle Seahawks have finally inked third-year cornerback Terrion Arnold, though it could be quite some time before he actually sees the field with his new team.
Emerald City Spectrum reporter Corbin Smith dives into the latest on the Arnold saga as the former first round pick will land on the Commissioner's Exempt List immediately upon signing, discusses when he may potentially be available to practice or play for Seattle down the line as he deals with legal proceedings in Florida due to eight felony charges, and breaks down difficult cornerback decisions looming at cutdown day even without Arnold being eligible right now.
Following Xaivian Lee News, Skylar Wicks Decommits From Gonzaga
For about 20 hours, the Gonzaga Bulldogs had all 15 roster spots filled for the 2026-27 season after receiving a commitment from Xaivian Lee. But the Zags have to secure at least one more player before their regular-season opener against Purdue on Nov. 2.
Skylar Wicks, who committed to GU in June, is decommitting from the program and reopening his recruitment, per 247Sports’ Dushawn London. The 26-year-old spent last season at Saint Francis and was slated to make Spokane his sixth different stop in the last seven years. However, Lee joining the Bulldogs’ backcourt would’ve directly impacted his minutes, and the 6-6 guard has apparently decided to play his last collegiate season elsewhere.
This isn’t a total surprise, and during one of the most chaotic offseasons in program history, Gonzaga is familiar with needing to act accordingly in addressing its personnel.
Joveljić Picks Up Brace in Debut, Sounders Manage Thrilling Draw With Solid Chicago
It was the kind of debut every Seattle Sounders fan dreamed of for their new striker, Dejan Joveljić.
Facing a Chicago Fire squad that signed European legend Robert Lewandowski recently, Joveljić scored a brace in a 90-minute game to combat two Chicago goals and secure a 2-2 draw. For a Sounders team that is just two games removed from an eight-game MLS losing streak, the 7-9-5 squad splitting points with an 11-4-6 and in-form Chicago squad was a solid result. For one, Joveljić’s big game marked Seattle’s first time scoring two goals in a game since May 13.
Still, a missed late chance from Albert Rusnák that would've put Seattle on top 3-1 was one of a few moments that left Seattle skipper Brian Schmetzer wanting more out of the performance.
"This draw feels like a loss. Because of the way we played, the potential that was there… we need to obviously close that game out," Schmetzer said. "It hurts, but that locker room feels like they have something."
The locker room certainly has a striker it can count on.
Joveljić scored in close in the 12th minute before giving Seattle the lead back on a showstopping shot to the top-left corner in the 48th. It was, almost without a doubt, the best strike by a Sounder all season.
Storm Remain Steadfast in Approach For Final 5 Games
On the surface, the Seattle Storm don’t have much left to play for this season. They have only won eight games and have long been eliminated from playoff contention. But that’s not how the team is approaching its final five games.
“We know that we can either end the season and look at ourselves like, ‘Wow, we didn't get better at nothing,’ or we can end the season and be like, ‘Look at this growth that we had, look at the things that we overcame,’” Storm rookie guard Flau’jae Johnson said after the team’s 90-78 win over the Toronto Tempo on Aug. 26.
“We got that ‘it’s still 0-0’ mentality, and we’re going to continue to get better.”
Final Projection: Who Makes Seahawks 53-Man Roster as Super Bowl Rematch Looms?
Finishing off the preseason with a 9-9 tie against the Kansas City Chiefs, the Seattle Seahawks can now shift their attention towards beginning their Super Bowl title defense with just 11 days until opening the regular season with a much-anticipated rematch against the New England Patriots at Lumen Field.
Before the team lowers their latest championship banner on September 9, however, the Seahawks have to whittle their roster down to 53 players before Sunday’s 3 PM PT deadline. This means general manager John Schneider and the front office will have to orchestrate moves to remove 37 players from the roster through cuts, trades, or injured reserve designations over the next 24 hours and change.
Per NFL rules, players with less than four accrued NFL seasons will be subject to waivers if released, allowing all 31 teams an opportunity to claim them. If the player goes unclaimed, they will be free to sign with the Seahawks practice squad or sign with another active roster/practice squad as unrestricted free agents. For players with four or more accrued seasons, however, “vested veterans” are not subject to waivers until after the trade deadline, allowing them to immediately become free agents.
The Seahawks have used that discrepancy to their advantage in recent seasons, including signing receiver Cody White and cornerback Shaquill Griffin immediately to their practice squad last year with neither player subject to waivers. It’s possible Schneider could look to use the same strategy with a couple of players this year as a means to keep players who would otherwise be subject to waivers and potentially get plucked up by another team.
Looking towards Sunday’s deadline, who will ultimately make the Seahawks final 53-man roster?
Huskies Depth Chart: A Look At The Expected 2026 Starters, Backups
Eight days from now, 22 players will become official offensive or defensive starters for the Washington Huskies football team.
The Washington football program might release an official depth chart. If there is one, it will likely contain some inaccuracies and be partially incomplete. We’ll see the word “Or” multiple times for a real position battle, but more likely to make the opposition prepare for multiple players at certain spots. Let’s cut through the mystery and figure out who the starters and key backups are for the Huskies this season, and in particular for the Sept. 6 Apple Cup against Washington State.
Hancock, Mariners Get Sunk by Flock of Blue Jays Big Flies, Own Rudderless Offense
If the Mariners drive this busted up tractor all the way to the postseason, Fernando Alonso himself should bestow their accolade.
Before the All-Star Break, the Mariners could have perhaps been considered a slightly above mediocre team that was underperforming to the level of a slightly below mediocre team. They had scored 392 runs and allowed 376 runs, not to the level of their supposed World Series contention but better than what has since followed.
With the conclusion of Seattle’s 8-1 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday, the M’s have now been outscored 215-135; with the second fewest runs in the majors ahead of only the Angels and the third most runs allowed behind only the A’s and Rockies. Their -80 run differential since the All-Star break is up there with said Athletics among the worst in the game, and if their .299 Pythagorean winning percentage would be a 48-114 record if it were applied evenly to a full season.
Their actual 16-22 second half record (instead of their Pythagorean 11-27) would be a 68-94 season extrapolated out. Not that such a performance is anywhere close to what they needed, but ever so barely, their overperformance - it could be euphemized to optimal run distribution - has kept them in the hunt for an AL West title. Even at a queasy 64-71, they are four games back of the Astros in the AL West.
If their play against their onetime ALCS rival is any indication, that last lick of resurgent energy could be all but spent. They are long since out of games to punt away, with a butcher’s bill dozens of contests long that shows no signs of letting up before the M’s can have a snowball’s chance of paying it off.
Incredibly, those metaphors were far less tortured than the team’s efforts on Friday night.
Emerson Hancock gave up two homers and five runs as his sweeper took a dip, with an injury scare to boot.
Rapid Reaction: Jalen Milroe Impresses Despite Seahawks Settling for 9-9 Preseason Tie vs. Chiefs
Ushering in the regular season with a draw, Jalen Milroe threw his first touchdown pass of the preseason as the Seattle Seahawks tied the Kansas City Chiefs by the score of 9-9 at Arrowhead Stadium.
Enjoying the best performance of his young career, Milroe completed 16 out of 26 passes for 223 yards and connected with Nick Vannett on a four-yard touchdown while adding 20 rushing yards. Cornerback Trevon Diggs kicked off his time as a Seahawk with a bang, intercepting a pass on the second series of the game, while defensive linemen Jared Ivey and Bubba Thomas each finished with two tackles for loss apiece to lead the defense.
Finishing the preseason with a tie after two losses to Dallas and Tennessee earlier in exhibition season, here are five quick takeaways from Seattle’s final dress rehearsal in Kansas City:
1. More decisive and in rhythm, Milroe takes the positive step forward Seattle hoped to see with a full game of action.
Desiring a more extended opportunity to evaluate the young signal caller and let him establish a rhythm, the Seahawks opted to start Milroe with the plan to play for him the entirety of the preseason finale after an uneven first two games rotating in behind Drew Lock. Making strides less than a week after getting intercepted twice against the Titans, he came out firing with confidence on Friday night, launching a 40-yard completion on a post route to Cody White and connecting with tight end Elijah Arroyo for a 24-yard completion over the middle on the team’s opening series to set up a Jason Myers field goal.
WATCH: Gonzaga Lands Xaivian Lee, Gets Starting Point Guard in Transfer Portal
Getting a definitive answer at point guard, the Gonzaga Bulldogs received a commitment from fifth-year transfer Xaivian Lee this week. Emerald City Spectrum reporter Howard Woodard discusses how Lee's arrival in Spokane impacts the Zags for the 2026-27 season.
Jalen Milroe Under Microscope as Seahawks Play Final Dress Rehearsal in Kansas City
As he did in the preseason finale during his rookie season, Jalen Milroe will play all four quarters under center for the Seattle Seahawks when they travel to face the Kansas City Chiefs in Friday's exhibition finale.
Emerald City Spectrum reporter Corbin Smith analyzes what he has seen thus far from Milroe through two preseason games, breaks down what he hopes to see him improve upon with a full game of action in Kansas City, including more decisiveness from the pocket and willingness to let it rip as a passer, and examines three position battles with the most on the line from a 53-man roster standpoint heading into the last audition.
Cougars Women's Soccer Pulls Away in Closing Minutes, Steals 2-0 Win vs. UC Irvine
After 45 minutes, Washington State head coach Chris Citowicki slowly got up from his red fold up chair. He shook his head and inched forward. Hanging his head, he grabbed a white erase board and conversed with his coaching staff.
Citowicki might have been going over formations or plays, but the message between the coaches at halftime stuck with his team and was the deciding factor in the Cougars 2-0 victory over UC Irvine Thursday night at Lower Soccer Field.
The score remained 0-0 through 82 minutes. Both teams had good looks but solid goalkeeping from both sides kept the score at nothing a piece. Citowicki liked the looks his team got, and honing in on a specific look finally broke the stalemate in the 83rd minute.
“All our best chances are the crosses from these areas [sideline] because they were over shifting the backline. Now, we had numbers up in the middle of the box, so it was just like wait until we get another one of those and then execute,” Citowicki said. “We knew where the ball had to be and got people there and look at that, the ball goes in.”
Cal Raleigh to the Rescue? Mariners Not Dead Yet as September Approaches
This certainly has not been the season the Seattle Mariners, nor their fans, had envisioned. As August draws to a close, the Mariners are six games below .500, eight games worse where they were this time last season. Several fingers can be pointed in several directions to find blame for this sluggish season that has failed to live up to expectations.
Certainly, a finger can be pointed squarely at last year’s AL MVP runner-up Cal Raleigh. He even admitted it himself, when he told Seattle Times’ Ryan Divish, “I’m awful” earlier this month. After setting the world on fire last year with 60 homers and a .948 OPS, he is currently on pace for just 22 home runs and a lowly .625 OPS. His batting average is down roughly 80 points. It’s been a dark year for Big Dumper.
And yet, hope remains. Thanks to the mediocre nature of the rest of the American League around the Mariners, they are only two and a half games out of the AL West and four games back of an AL Wild Card spot. And now, Raleigh is showing signs of his former self just in time.
Rainiers Roundup: Arroyo, Montes Still Need Tune-Ups, Criswell Rehabs with M’s Triple-A Affiliate
Minor league baseball isn’t the Show and it isn’t college.
With the MLB openly proposing to nix high school eligibility and offload domestic development to NCAA, it’s useful to remember the purpose of the farm leagues. Of course, for the communities these teams inhabit, they provide public events and encourage commerce. On the baseball side of things, their primary purpose is to develop prospects into players.
For the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers, who are well out of the Pacific Coast League’s playoff picture deep into the season (having already been a middling team in the first half and sitting nine games out of first for the second half playoff spot - the PCL runs on a similar playoff format to Mexican soccer), the objectives are still the same, more or less, as they would have been were they one game back: develop their top prospects into superstars and keep everyone, regardless of prospect pedigree, ready to go in case the big league club needs them.
“At this level, guys are playing for a lot more than just finishing first,” said Rainiers manager John Russell. “Guys are still wanting to stay ready in case they get an opportunity to go to Seattle or maybe another major league club.”
Organizational depth is the term used in the business for players like Patrick Wisdom, Connor Joe, and Stuart Fairchild. Other players, such as Brock Rodden and Charlie Beilenson, are lower or middle-ranked prospects in the organization who might get a bit of runway if circumstances allow.
The line between these two categories is blurry, as Ryan Bliss can attest. The pipeline from outside prospect to organizational depth typically runs one way in accordance with the will of undefeated Father Time. But the chance to prove oneself at the major league level is motivation enough for plenty of the guys down in Tacoma. If not that, then a sense of duty to his teammates or a hunger to keep playing the game as long as they can. Or all of it.
2026 MLR Draft: Seawolves Take Scrumhalf, Winger, Lock in Five-Team Affair
Unlike the chaotic mess of the 2025 off-season, when the league lost team after team unexpectedly, the one departure for the league this year - Anthem Rugby Carolina - was rather more expected. The side had been a three-year investment between World Rugby, the USA Eagles, and MLR, and once its third year ran out, the team simply wasn’t continued. It’s unclear if there are going to be five teams in 2027 or a much less awkward six (there are reportedly interested parties, but no concrete timetable I am aware of), but given that the US is hosting the Men’s Rugby World Cup in 2031 and the Women’s Rugby World Cup in 2033, the league is likely to continue on in some form until at least the former date.
The Seattle Seawolves will be competing next year, however that is structured, and so will the New England Free Jacks, Chicago Hounds, California Legion, and Old Glory DC. All five of these teams drafted outgoing college players in the 2026 MLR draft on Thursday, with a draft order based first on how deep the team made it in the 2026 playoffs (teams that bounced in the semifinals drafting before teams that made the MLR final) and secondly based on 2026 regular season record.
Because Anthem, who finished last, was out - and because New England had forfeited their first round pick of 2026 to Anthem in Oct. 2025 - the Seawolves drafted second in the first round behind only Old Glory. Seattle drafted third in the other two rounds, giving them slate consisting of the no. 2, no. 7, and no. 12 overall picks.
Pick 1.2: Solomon Williams - Scrumhalf - University of California, Berkeley - 5-8, 180 pounds.
The Seawolves are no strangers to recent draftees from the Golden Bears, with their 2025 second round pick going to tighthead prop Charlie Walsh from that university.
Solomon Williams, who some projected to go first overall but who fell to second as the Flags drafted flanker Logan Ballinger, has quite the pedrigree of stellar play in college. He is incredibly fond of taps and fast, heads-up play while also having accuracy with his boot and with his passes and possessing a level of explosiveness that can stun unsuspecting opponents. When it comes to his underlying physical abilities, he is incredibly quick: this means fast breaks through lines in the center of the pitch, evading would-be tacklers, and split-second offloads and chips to his teammates.
Big Ten Picks: Can the Huskies Help Conference Overtake SEC in College Football Playoff Field?
What’s the difference between nine and 10 wins?
The simple answer is “one.”
If you’re talking about regular-season wins for a Big Ten team, however, the real answer is:
Everything.
Ten, and you’re almost certainly in the College Football Playoff. Nine means you’re out.
Ten puts a team in the heavyweight division. It’s one extra mile per hour for an airplane to break the sound barrier. It’s not the summit of Mount Everest, but it's The Balcony, a stop way up there that means you’re getting close to reaching the world’s highest mountaintop.
Can the Huskies ascend to The Balcony of the college football world this season, or will they stumble at the base camp?
Jalen Milroe Set to Play Seahawks Entire Preseason Finale, Trevon Diggs to ‘Get a Look’ vs. Chiefs
Preparing to hit the road for their final dress rehearsal for the 2026 season in Kansas City, the Seattle Seahawks will hand the keys to the offense to Jalen Milroe for all four quarters, while a veteran newcomer should get his first opportunity to show what he can do in the secondary.
Speaking with reporters following Thursday’s walkthrough practice, Macdonald confirmed that while backup Drew Lock “will be ready” to go if needed, the Seahawks plan for Milroe to play the entire game against the Chiefs on Friday. Now with a handful of practices under his belt since signing with the team on August 19, cornerback Trevon Diggs also is expected to suit up and see some snaps as he aims to land a spot on the 53-man roster.
In his second season after being drafted in the third round by Seattle out Alabama, Milroe has endured a mostly rocky preseason to this point. Checking in for Lock to start the second half in Nashville last Sunday, he completed six out of 11 passes for 54 yards and threw two costly interceptions, telegraphing a throw that was picked by linebacker Anthony Hill in the third quarter and misfiring behind rookie receiver Emmanuel Henderson Jr. late in the fourth quarter. He also took a pair of sacks, including on a decisive fourth down to close out the game.
There have been a few highlights sprinkled in there for Milroe, however, who has showcased his physical and athletic talents as a runner in both preseason games while connecting on a few longer passes. Macdonald hopes that being able to stay in the game from start to finish without having to come in cold midway through on Friday will allow the young signal caller to get into a better rhythm and play with improved decisiveness and consistency as a result.
Seahawks Continue Locking Up Cornerstones, Extend Leonard Williams on Three-Year, $90 Million Deal
For the second time in as many weeks, the Seattle Seahawks have opened up the checkbook to secure one of their biggest stars on a lucrative long-term extension, this time shifting their focus back to the trenches on defense.
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, after handing cornerback Devon Witherspoon a record-setting extension on August 17, the Seahawks have agreed to terms with All-Pro defensive tackle Leonard Williams on a three-year, $90 million contract. The deal reportedly features $56 million in guarantees and includes $30 million per year in new money, tying him with Buccaneers defensive tackle Vita Vea for the fifth-most in the league in APY at the position.
In late July, Williams indicated that the Seahawks had opened up talks with his representatives, but he wasn’t putting too much thought into the situation at the time with his attention on getting ready for the upcoming season regardless of his contract situation.
“There's been few conversations, but nothing set in stone,” Williams told reporters. “We're all focused on the season starting right now, and we know that that's towards the end of the season. We have time to figure that out when the time comes.”
No Ego, All Legacy: Jody Allen Bids Farewell to the Seahawks
We see it all the time in sports, especially in the NFL. Owners are, usually by nature, egocentric billionaires who want the credit, glory, and control. Jerry Jones in Dallas is the posterchild for the meddling, egomaniac owner. It hasn’t won him a Super Bowl in three decades. Jimmy Haslam in Cleveland certainly has a track record of similar behavior.
Meddling owners consistently get in the way of their “football people” and make decisions they frankly, are unqualified to make. We see it in other sports too. A handful of owners in Major League Baseball are too cheap and obsessed with profits to care enough to open their wallets to bring top tier talent to their teams.
Are you looking for the opposite of all of that? Look no further than Seattle’s own Jody Allen.
Xaivian Lee Commits to Gonzaga, Projects to Be Starting Point Guard
At long last, with just over two months until their first regular season game, the Gonzaga Bulldogs have received a full roster’s worth of commitments for the 2026-27 season.
On Wednesday night, Florida transfer Xaivian Lee announced his commitment to the Zags and is slated to be the team’s starting point guard for his fifth collegiate season. The 6-3 Canadian is currently eligible after joining a California lawsuit – which also included another GU point guard target, Donovan Dent – and being granted a temporary restraining order against the NCAA.
Like another fifth-year Bulldogs backcourt commit, Javon Bennett, Lee could become ineligible for a period if the NCAA stays the California case. But for now, he is headed to Spokane.
Instant Takeaways: Storm Capture 2nd Win in 5 Games vs. Tempo
Flau’jae Johnson, Dominique Malonga and Jade Melbourne combined for 54 points, and the Seattle Storm finally clinched a close game with a 90-78 victory over the Toronto Tempo on Wednesday, Aug. 26, at Climate Pledge Arena.
Seattle (8-31) snapped a three-game losing streak, won its second game in the last five, and still has a chance to reach double-digit wins by the end of the season. Toronto (11-27) has now lost 14 of its last 15 games and dropped its first against the Storm all season.
Melbourne turned in a solid game from the point guard spot with 16 points, six rebounds, seven assists and one steal. Johnson had a team-high 20 points, and Malonga added 18 points, seven rebounds and three steals.
Explore our latest Seattle sports content by clicking on your favorite team(s) below!
