Huskies to Host Slew of Recruits at Weekend Junior Day Event
Signing day for the high school Class of 2027 remains nine months away, but “Dawghouse Weekend” at the University of Washington on March 7-8 will shape much of Jedd Fisch’s next set of Huskies.
The Junior Day event is expected to be attended by approximately 30 recruits, who will spend the weekend learning all they can about the university, the football program and its coaches. Fisch and his staff put together the highest-ranked class in modern UW football history (13th) for 2026, and several of the blue-chip athletes from that class attended the 2025 event.
Analysis: Breaking Down Where Newly Acquired Bobby McMann Fits with Kraken
Buzzer beaters are certainly more common in basketball than hockey. However, for Seattle Kraken general manager Jason Botterill, he sank one before the proverbial buzzer of the NHL trade deadline, which was at 12 PM PT on Friday.
The shot that sank through the net came after a very quiet deadline day on the trade front in Seattle otherwise, though news broke that the franchise had extended captain Jordan Eberle on Friday morning.
Pulling the trigger shortly before the deadline came and went, Botterill and company swung a deal for Bobby McMann of the Toronto Maple Leafs, who was acquired by Seattle for a 2027 second-rounder and 2026 fourth-round draft pick. They acquired him without parting with any of their three picks in the top 46 of the 2026 NHL Draft.
Could Seahawks Court Soon-To-Be Free Agent Rashan Gary?
Days before the excitement of free agency starts with the ushering of a new league year and teams throwing around Monopoly money, there’s a somber reality for many NFL players who find themselves on the other side of the business coin.
In order for teams to be able to make those signings of fancy new toys off the free agent scrap heap, they need cap space. To make it happen, it becomes pink slip season in early March as many veterans receive their walking papers, jettisoned as a necessary means to flip financial assets elsewhere.
Amid that madness, sometimes, players can jump the gun looking to get a head start in pursuit of their next employment opportunity. And it appears that was the case for Packers defensive end Rashan Gary, who announced his departure from the team on Instagram on Friday morning before quickly deleting the post with numerous reporters indicating that his account had been hacked and that he had not been released by Green Bay at this time.
Free Agent Primer: Do Seahawks Plan to Re-Up Boye Mafe as Part of Pass Rush Rotation?
With a new league year slated to kick off on March 11, the Seahawks have nine unrestricted free agents scheduled to test the market along with seven restricted free agents and two exclusive rights free agents. Compared to prior seasons, general manager John Schneider has more financial flexibility at his disposal with OverTheCap.com listing the franchise as sixth in available effective cap space ($62 million), but with several big name stars in line for extensions such as All-Pro receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, the team won’t be able to keep everyone after running the table to hoist the Lombardi Trophy.
Over the next several weeks, using statistics courtesy of Pro Football Focus and TruMedia, I will break down each and every one of the Seahawks' unrestricted free agents by revisiting their 2025 seasons, assessing why they should or should not be re-signed, breaking down an ideal contract, and making an early prediction on whether or not the player will return in 2026.
A quality rotational piece for Seattle’s offensive line during four seasons with the franchise, will the front office further invest in Boye Mafe with eyes towards a more productive future? Or will they allow another team to make that financial commitment?
Seahawks Reward Drake Thomas With New Two-Year Deal
Making their first signing to retain one of their own free agents before the start of the new league year next week, Drake Thomas looks to be part of the Seattle Seahawks long-term plans.
Per a team source, the Seahawks have agreed to terms with Thomas on a new two-year deal, locking up the restricted free agent through the 2027 season. The contract, which was negotiated by agent Jay Courie of MGC Sports, features $8 million in base salary with incentives that could push the value to $9 million. The average of $4 million per year comes in at less than a second-round restricted free agent tender, which would have cost the team north of $5 million for 2026.
Kraken Choosing to Sit Idle at NHL Trade Deadline Would Be Massive Blunder
The Seattle Kraken are clinging to a playoff spot. At 29-23-9 (67 points), Seattle owns the last Wild Card spot in the Western Conference. The San Jose Sharks sit at 64 points as their closest competitor behind them in the Wild Card.
The Pacific Division is also not a foregone conclusion. Seattle is just one point behind the third place Edmonton Oilers for that final playoff spot among division leaders.
Seattle’s playoff odds currently sit at 62.7%. Needless to say, the Kraken are smack in contention. There is no reason to think this team can compete for a playoff spot down the stretch. They need to make the necessary moves to get it done.
Analysis: 3 Free Agent Running Backs Seahawks Could Target to Replace Ken Walker III
It seems increasingly unlikely that Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III will be returning to Seattle. Reports came out Tuesday that the Seahawks will not use the franchise tag on Walker, making him set to be a free agent when the new league year begins later next week and free to sign with any team.
As our own Corbin Smith reported, there are a few running backs in free agency who already appear to be drawing interest from the Seahawks.
Let’s explore three options for the Seahawks to possibly sign in free agency. Keep in mind, Zach Charbonnet is due back sometime next season, but it seems very unlikely he will be back before the second half of the season as he recovers from a torn ACL suffered in January. The Seahawks need several backs to carry the load before he returns.
Lauren Whittaker Wins Two WCC Awards, Gonzaga WBB's Turner and Haile Also Honored
For just the second time in league history, a player has won both the WCC Player and Freshman of the Year awards. After an outstanding season, Gonzaga women’s basketball forward Lauren Whittaker collected the accolades in her first year coming off a torn ACL. Coincidentally, the New Zealand native was named to the conference’s first team as well as the all-freshman squad.
Joining her on the All-WCC First Team was sophomore guard Allie Turner, who won the West Coast’s Freshman of the Year last year and stacked another strong season for the Bulldogs. And also standing out in her first season of collegiate basketball with the Zags was forward Jaiden Haile, who picked up hardware as the league’s Sixth Woman of the Year and was selected to the conference’s all-freshman team as well.
What did each of these players do individually that contributed to GU finishing second in the WCC?
WCC Bracket Announced: Cougars Will Play Friday vs. Pepperdine or Portland
The West Coast Conference men’s basketball tournament bracket has been released with the Washington State Cougars holding the No. 8 seed and awaiting a second-round game against either the Portland Pilots or the Pepperdine Waves.
Pepperdine has beaten Portland twice in the regular season and will aim to complete the season sweep for a shot at a second round rematch against Washington State. As the old saying goes, it’s hard to beat a team three times in a row, which will be tested both in the opening round game as well as the second round game if the Cougars face the Pilots.
Regardless, the Cougars will play Friday night against a team they have already beaten with a chance to extend their season.
Analysis: 5 Ways Seahawks Can Bolster Pass Rush as John Schneider Explores Options
Approaching the start of free agency on March 11, the Seattle Seahawks have work to do as they begin their title defense coming off a Super Bowl LX victory with plenty of decisions to make regarding their roster both short and long-term.
When the legal tampering period opens next Monday, Seattle will have 10 unrestricted free agents set to hit the market, including former second-round pick Boye Mafe. Coming off a down season with only two sacks and four quarterback hits, it remains to been what the market will look like for the 27-year-old pass rusher and if the Seahawks will make a push to re-sign him. In addition, there’s been plenty of speculation about the future of veteran Demarcus Lawrence with rumors of him mulling retirement after hoisting the Lombardi Trophy.
Even if Lawrence returns for a 13th season with two years left on his contract, no position may be in flux more for the Seahawks than the EDGE position. Beyond Mafe being a free agent, Uchenna Nwosu and Derrick Hall only have one year remaining on their respective deals, meaning that the team has just one proven defender in the group under contract beyond 2027.
2026 NFL Combine: 6 Potential Seahawks Targets Who Impressed on Day 3 of Workouts
Ushering in the next stage of the NFL offseason for the Seattle Seahawks and all 32 teams, the annual NFL Scouting Combine kicked into full throttle with running backs and receivers participating in on-field athletic testing and drill work on Saturday.
Which players who could be on Seattle’s radar heading into the 2026 NFL Draft improved their stock the most? Here are six prospects who starred on Day 3 at Lucas Oil Stadium:
Mike Washington Jr., RB, Arkansas
Fitting the bill of a late bloomer, at least by college standards, Washington toiled for three seasons in Buffalo as a backup, though he did rush for seven touchdowns as a sophomore in 2022. He jump-started his career by transferring to New Mexico State, where he became the focal point of the Aggies’ run game with 725 rushing yards and eight touchdowns, making him a coveted transfer portal recruit as a grad transfer in the spring of 2025. Making the massive jump to the SEC, the back enjoyed the finest year of his collegiate career for the Razorbacks, eclipsing the 1,000-yard mark with eight rushing touchdowns while averaging 6.2 yards per carry to garner Second-Team All-SEC honors.
Graham Ike Wins Player of the Year, Gonzaga Freshmen Honored in WCC Postseason Awards
Three different Zags received recognition in the WCC’s annual postseason awards, with forward Graham Ike taking home the WCC Player of the Year while guards Davis Fogle and Mario Saint-Supéry were each named to the conference’s All-Freshman Team.
Ike was also selected to the All-WCC First Team, but he was the lone Bulldog to be on the West Coast’s First or Second Team, or even an Honorable Mention.
Breaking down the hardware campaigns for Gonzaga’s three campaigns, how did each of them contribute to the team’s strong season?
Seahawks’ Odds of Re-signing Ken Walker III Dwindle Following Breece Hall Franchise Tag
The legal tampering period leading up to the start of a new NFL league year remains six days away, but the chances of Ken Walker III returning to the Seattle Seahawks took a significant hit on Tuesday thanks to an expected move made by the New York Jets with their own star running back.
According to Connor Hughes of SNYTV, the Jets have placed the franchise tag on running back Breece Hall, eliminating the possibility of the former second round pick hitting the market when free agency opens on March 11. Under the terms of the fully-guaranteed tender, he would earn $14.23 million in 2026, which would be the fifth-highest cap number among backs next season.
Continuing to negotiate during last week’s NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis, New York tried to hammer out a long-term deal with Hall to avoid having to use the exclusive tag, but the two sides weren’t able to reach an agreement. The organization considered using the transition tag, which would have been a bit cheaper at $11.32 million, but other teams were expected to make a run at him offering more money with the risk of losing the standout runner without compensation in return, leading to the choice to franchise tag him instead.
Seawolves Announce Full 2026 Roster; How Does Depth Chart Look Going Into Season?
The Seattle Seawolves announced their full roster on Monday, March 2, with a total of 31 players set to compete in 10 matches across the 2026 Major League Rugby season. Of these 31 players, 12 are returners from the 2025 roster while 19 are newcomers from elsewhere in the rugby-playing world, both from other MLR teams and clubs around the world.
Some of these players figured out a deal with Seattle soon after the offseason started, while others were reportedly more last-minute. But with the number of sides and games reduced from 2025, so too is the number of players reduced, down from 38 to begin the 2025 season and 39 once the mid-season signing of Nick Boyer is taken into account. This new sizing is consistent with other rosters around the MLR this year, and these players have the benefit of greater protections thanks to the MLR’s first collective bargaining agreement being signed earlier this offseason between the MLR Player’s Association and the MLR.
With all that in mind, who are all the players that will don green and blue in Starfire Sports this season, and how might the Seawolves be looking at utilizing them?
The Montlake Report: Several Washington Huskies Impress at NFL Scouting Combine
Taking their next steps towards being NFL players, Denzel Boston and several Washington Huskies teammates put their best foot forward auditioning at the annual combine in Indianapolis.
Emerald City Spectrum reporter Aaron Coe dives into the performances from Boston, Ephesians Prysock, and other ex-Huskies who looked to bolster their draft stock this past week, discusses Detlef Schrempf's jersey retirement ceremony, and analyzes the continued struggles for the Huskies' men's basketball team heading towards the Big Ten tournament.
Free Agent Primer: Does Coby Bryant Fit Into Seahawks’ Long-Term Secondary Plans?
With a new league year slated to kick off on March 11, the Seahawks have nine unrestricted free agents scheduled to test the market along with seven restricted free agents and two exclusive rights free agents. Compared to prior seasons, general manager John Schneider has more financial flexibility at his disposal with OverTheCap.com listing the franchise as sixth in available effective cap space ($62 million), but with several big name stars in line for extensions such as All-Pro receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, the team won’t be able to keep everyone after running the table to hoist the Lombardi Trophy.
Over the next several weeks, using statistics courtesy of Pro Football Focus and TruMedia, I will break down each and every one of the Seahawks' unrestricted free agents by revisiting their 2025 seasons, assessing why they should or should not be re-signed, breaking down an ideal contract, and making an early prediction on whether or not the player will return in 2026.
Transforming from a slot cornerback into a standout free safety in Mike Macdonald’s defense over the previous two seasons, do the Seahawks plan to go all out trying to retain Coby Bryant? Or will the former fourth-round pick’s success lead to offers elsewhere that the defending champions cannot match?
Brayden Maldonado’s Heroics in Return Lead Redhawks to 71-66 Win Over Lions
In his first game back in the lineup, Brayden Maldonado did not miss a beat, having his best game of the season and helping the Seattle Redhawks get over a second-half hump that has plagued them all season for the 71-66 over LMU Saturday night at the Gersten Pavilion.
Maldonado returned to the lineup after missing the previous three games with an injury and finished with a season-high 33 points. He put the Redhawks on his shoulders offensively, impacting the game in a variety of ways.
Coming off screens, the Lions opted not to send multiple defenders at him, and the guard found his way into the paint driving to the hoop frequently. He attempted 12 free throws and converted on nine of them. He also matched a season-high in three pointers made with six. He made multiple tough shots coming off screens and gave LMU defenders trouble all night.
After Consecutive Run-Rules, Gonzaga Baseball Salvages Series vs. No. 13 Oklahoma
Initially outclassed in its first series of the season against a ranked opponent, Gonzaga baseball (3-7) left its series against No. 13 Oklahoma (10-2) on a high note.
It’s difficult to swing a series loss positively, but even while being run-ruled by the Sooners in each of the first two games of the series, the Bulldogs showed signs of life by the end of the weekend. The set culminated in a 7-1 victory where GU’s pitching staff truly stifled OU’s offense, with a southpaw spinning a quality start and a freshman right-hander continuing to dominate.
What steps did the Zags take at Kimrey Family Stadium?
Cougars Capsized by Waves, Lose 88-79 in Malibu
Closing out what has been a frustrating and disappointing regular season, the Washington State Cougars couldn’t overcome a poor start and dropped their finale in an 88–79 loss to Pepperdine in Malibu.
Despite the final score appearing somewhat competitive, the game was far more lopsided than the final score suggests, as Washington State used a garbage time run to make the end tally seem closer than it really was. The Cougars trailed by as many as 20 points with 8:30 remaining in the second half and were still down 16, 74–58, with just five minutes to play before a late run narrowed the gap.
With the loss, Washington State falls to 12–19 overall and 7–11 in West Coast Conference play, finishing eighth in the conference standings. In a year full of bad losses, this latest setback may be arguably the team’s most disappointing of the season, coming against a Pepperdine squad that entered the matchup in last place in the WCC. Even more concerning is the Cougars’ continued inability to win away from home. Washington State finished the regular season with just one Division I road victory outside the state of Washington.
Gonzaga WBB Falls 92-91 to Portland in Tight, Overtime Affair
The final score certainly doesn’t do an accurate job of depicting how this game unfolded. A physical contest between Gonzaga women’s basketball (22-9, 14-4) and Portland (17-13, 11-7), filled with fouls and turnovers, led to the Pilots edging out a 92-91 overtime victory at home, denying the Bulldogs a share of the WCC regular-season title.
Much like UP has done all season, it pressed, trapped, and was as opportunistic as possible on the Zags to limit attempts from beyond the arc and also keep them from the restricted area. Entering play Saturday as the second-best three-point shooting team in the country, GU only connected on a season-low two tries from deep, even while playing five periods. On the other side, Portland hit 13 threes of its own – several of the clutch variety – and forced 28 turnovers to gut out a narrow win.
That final turnover tally would be the highest Gonzaga has committed all season, and they happened in all shapes and sizes on Saturday. Inbounding the ball was an issue early as guards weren’t given much space, leading to forced and errant passes. When the ball did get brought up the floor, traps were sent that rushed swing passes, and the Pilots jumped into passing lanes. Eventually, the Zags' frustration grew, yielding self-inflicted wounds such as turnovers and offensive fouls that extended scoring droughts, such as a six-minute stretch during an eight-turnover second period.
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