WATCH: Behind Untested Jadarian Price, Is Seahawks Run Game Regular Season Ready?
Losing the Super Bowl MVP Ken Walker III in free agency, the state of the run game may be the Seahawks' biggest question mark as they prepare to defend their Super Bowl title.
Emerald City Spectrum reporter Corbin Smith revisits Seattle's crazy rushing splits from the first to second half last season and examines how concerned fans should be about the team having similar issues early in the 2026 season with a new stable of backs led by rookie Jadarian Price and a new offensive coordinator in Brian Fleury calling plays.
Camp Takeaways: Locker Room, Connections Key in Seahawks Decision to Sign Terrion Arnold
With ongoing legal issues at play stemming from a February incident in Florida, including eight felony charges for robbery and kidnapping, the Seattle Seahawks don’t know when - or if - Terrion Arnold will be allowed to return to the field.
But one day after reports surfaced that Seattle planned to sign Arnold, moments after wrapping up a quick walkthrough heading into Saturday’s preseason opener against Dallas, coach Mike Macdonald confirmed that the team and player have a deal in place, acknowledging that a myriad of factors led to franchise being comfortable on taking a chance on the former first round pick out of Alabama.
“I think it was an opportunity to bring on a player that we felt strongly about during the draft process,” Macdonald said. “We also understand that it's a serious situation with a legal matter. There’s a process behind it so we respect that. That’s how we’ll operate too, just letting that process play out and let the league decide if and when his return to play is. We understand that that's at play but there's an opportunity to bring him in and give him an opportunity to earn a position here.”
As Macdonald indicated earlier in the week, the third-year coach has the utmost confidence in the culture that has been built in Seattle, while several people inside and outside of the building also vouched for Arnold as part of the process.
Among those, general manager John Schneider has great respect for former Alabama coach Nick Saban, who wrote a letter in support of Arnold to the judge in Tampa at the beginning of the player’s legal case. Defensive backs coach Karl Scott, who coached under Saban for three seasons, helped recruit Arnold to Tuscaloosa before departing to accept a position with the Minnesota Vikings, while quarterback Jalen Milroe maintains a close relationship with his soon-to-be current teammate from their time together with the Crimson Tide.
Camp Takeaways: Devon Witherspoon Focused on Football, Seahawks’ Defense Steals Show in Practice 15
Still without a new contract three weeks into training camp, Seattle Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon isn’t sweating his long-term status with the franchise as he continues to take care of business between the lines.
Since camp opened, Witherspoon has been a full participant for Seattle, active in every practice while only having a couple of veteran rest days where he didn’t see much action during team drills. Unlike some players who would have chosen to hold out or “hold in” while still being in attendance, the All-Pro corner told reporters after Tuesday’s 15th practice that even without a new contract in tow just yet, he doesn’t believe in skipping out on practice time.
“I’m not worried about that right now,” Witherspoon said of his contract situation. “I’m focused on making plays and trying to get better day by day. We’ve got other stuff to focus on, with the goal of trying to win games, so that’s my focus right now.”
Entering his fourth NFL season, Witherspoon currently has two years left on his rookie deal after Seattle exercised his fifth-year option back in March. Under the terms of the remaining years on the contract, he carries a $10.3 million cap hit for the upcoming 2026 season and that hit balloons to $21 million next season with the option.
Analysis: Observations From Seahawks’ 2026 Football Fan Fest
Taking the next step towards their upcoming regular season opener against the New England Patriots, the Seattle Seahawks welcomed fans back to Lumen Field for their annual Football Fan Fest practice on Saturday.
As they have done each of the previous two years with coach Mike Macdonald at the helm, Seattle held a full-fledged padded practice rather than a glorified scrimmage, mixing in plenty of individual drills, competitive 1-on-1 reps, and special teams time before implementing situational 11-on-11 team sessions. Crediting the 12s for showing up even with the Mariners playing next door, Macdonald felt pleased with the work his team got done in what amounted to a roughly 100-minute practice.
I really appreciate the effort that everybody took to get out. Thank you,” Macdonald said. “Having a lot of enthusiasm, just really felt the love from the 12s today. So that was really great. And then in addition to that, I think we got some really good work in. It wasn't the longest practice of all time, but we got some good stuff in, and we'll be ready to go next Saturday.”
What stood out at Seattle’s annual Fan Fest?
Camp Takeaways: Big Plays Galore as Sam Darnold, Seahawks Torch Skies in Eighth Practice
Smoke descending upon the Virginia Mason Athletic Center on Monday afternoon came from the unfortunate Spokane fires raging on the other side of the state, with expectations air quality will continue to worsen over the next few days.
But putting the true serious nature of the flames in Eastern Washington aside, with Sam Darnold and company lighting up the skies all afternoon, an observer wouldn’t have been off basis for blaming a scorching hot passing game as the culprit for the increasingly hazy conditions in the Seattle Seahawks’ eighth training camp practice.
Coming out firing on all cylinders early in Monday’s session, Darnold zipped a 20-yard bullet to Cooper Kupp on his first throw against Seattle’s No. 1 defense, soon connecting with Jaxon Smith-Njigba on a 50-yard touchdown after he came loose working against Nehemiah Pritchett with a subtle push off at the top of the route. On the next series, he ripped a 20-yard completion to Tory Horton on a post route between two tightly converging defenders and then hit Kupp on a 25-yard in-breaking route in a three-play span.
Continuing to find success over the top against the normally stingy Seahawks defense in the next situational team drill, Darnold executed a play fake from under center and promptly set his back foot before launching a bomb down the middle of the field. Flying past rookie cornerback Michael Dansby and rookie safety Bud Clark on a skinny post, speedy receiver Rashid Shaheed had the pass land in his hands in strides for six points on a 55-yard touchdown reception.
Camp Takeaways: Tempers Flare, Tight Ends Explode for Seahawks in Heated Sixth Practice
Calling themselves a brotherhood, the Seattle Seahawks have as tight knit of a locker room as any to be found in the NFL, which played a crucial role in their recent run to a Super Bowl LX title.
But as any parent who has raised children understands all too well, that doesn’t mean that brothers don’t still fight from time to time, especially on a practice field in late July during the dog days of summer.
With ramped up intensity matching the rising 80-plus degree temperatures on the practice field in Friday afternoon’s second padded practice, coach Mike Macdonald and his staff had to step in to break up multiple skirmishes with tempers flaring on both sides. Most of the discontent came at the line of scrimmage, stemming from tensions that initially started to brew during one-on-one drills when guard Bryce Cabeldue appeared to get under the skin of a few of his defensive line mates.
Sure enough, without enough time to cool down in the heat of a competitive camp practice, those festering emotions boiled over midway through Seattle’s first 11-on-11 team period. Getting the ball rolling, defensive tackle Leonard Williams sprinted 15 yards downfield to tackle AJ Barner from behind in pursuit, something the tight end did not appreciate as the two started jawing at each other post-whistle.
Staying the Course, Emanuel Wilson Looks to Make Impact in Seahawks’ Retooled Backfield
For NFL hopefuls playing college ball below the Division I ranks, the pathway to the league features no shortage of obstacles, with the most obvious issue revolving around receiving enough exposure to jump onto the radar for scouts.
In the case of Seattle Seahawks running back Emanuel Wilson, who joined the team as a free agent in March, the Roanoke, Virginia native spent time with not one, but two Division II programs at the college level, originally signing with Johnson C. Smith University before transferring to Fort Valley State in 2020. Neither institution would be mistaken as an NFL developmental mecca, though Fort Valley has had 14 players suit up for games in the league, including a former first round pick in cornerback Tyrone Poole, making it a challenge to get noticed away from the spotlight on Division I teams.
But throughout his college journey, Wilson’s coaches at both Johnson C. Smith and Fort Valley State regularly preached their belief that he had the skills to earn a shot in the NFL if he took advantage of his opportunity. By his senior season in 2022, scouts started to descend on Fort Valley to get a closer look at the battering 220-pound back, and what once looked like a pipe dream suddenly became a real possibility.
“Once I transferred, [Johnson C. Smith] coach Marquise Flowers, he always told me that I had the talent to go to the next level,” Wilson said. “And when he got the head coaching job, he wanted me to come back, but I stayed at Fort Valley. And Coach [Shawn] Gibbs, he always told me, ‘don't let somebody make you, you make your own self.’ So once the scouts started coming to the practice, I knew I had a chance.”
Camp Takeaways: Running Backs to Take on Bigger Role in Seahawks’ Passing Game Under Brian Fleury
On the way to the second Super Bowl victory in franchise history, the Seattle Seahawks put up sizzling offensive numbers, including setting a new single season record for points scored and finishing eighth in the league in passing yards.
Leading the charge, Jaxon Smith-Njigba recorded 119 catches for 1,793 yards and 10 touchdowns, joining Shaun Alexander as the second Seahawk to win Offensive Player of the Year honors. Away from the rising superstar, Sam Darnold had plenty of other capable weapons at his disposal, including Cooper Kupp, Rashid Shaheed, and standout tight end AJ Barner.
But for as much success as Seattle had attacking opponents through the air last season with former offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak calling plays, the team managed to do so without relying much on running backs as receivers. Contrasting from Kyle Shanahan’s offense in San Francisco, the Seahawks finished 31st in targets (63) and 28th in catches (53) without a single touchdown reception from running backs in 2025, only utilizing former starter Ken Walker III and Zach Charbonnet sparingly in that fashion.
With a new play caller in Brian Fleury now at the wheel replacing the departed Kubiak, however, as Bob Dylan once wrote, the times they are a-changing in the Pacific Northwest.
Training Camp Preview: Who Will Win Seahawks Looming Positional Battles?
Opening up training camp as the defending Super Bowl champion, the Seattle Seahawks will have the vast majority of their roster back for their title defense in 2026 after losing only five players in free agency, leaving few question marks in the starting lineup on offense, defense, and special teams rolling into a new year.
But while their roster didn’t undergo near as much turnover as most Super Bowl champs do and most of the starters from last year’s squad remain under contract, with a new eight-player draft class in tow and a handful of veteran additions brought onboard to bolster depth in free agency, the Seahawks still have plenty of positional battles set to play out over the next six weeks and change. This includes the search for a new starting running back along with the need for a new gunner to emerge on punt coverage to replace long-time special teams standout Dareke Young.
With camp set to kick off on July 25, which roster battles stand out as Seattle’s most intriguing? And how will each of them play out over the course of training camp and the preseason?
Ranking Seahawks: Emanuel Wilson Among Newcomers Aiming to Impress in No. 45-41
With the calendar recently flipping to July and offseason workouts wrapped up league-wide for the summer, the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks will soon descend upon the Virginia Mason Athletic Center for the start of training camp, kicking off a much-anticipated 2026 season.
To celebrate the new incoming season, I will be ranking every member of the Seahawks 90-man roster over the next several weeks leading up to report day, providing detailed profiles, exploring best and worst case scenarios, and breaking down what to expect from each player entering the 2026 campaign.
Jumping deeper into the top 50 with No. 45-41, two veteran free agent signings will be thrusted into wide open competitions at running back and cornerback, hoping to make their mark for the defending champions.
Stock Watch: Which Seahawks Have Edge in Roster Battles After Offseason Program?
Bringing another offseason program to a close, the Seattle Seahawks wrapped up mandatory minicamp with a spirited final practice session highlighted by strong defense, sending the team into summer break before returning to kick off training camp on July 25.
“I feel like it's been great,” veteran defensive tackle Leonard Williams said. “Great attendance from the leaders, from the older guys. Young guys working hard, trying to be sponges of the game, learn as much as possible. To me, I really just see our culture elevate to another level.”
Coming off an All-Pro season, Williams won’t have to worry about his starting job or roster spot being in jeopardy when Seattle returns to the practice field next month. However, several positional groups on offense and defense already have intense competitions well underway that will continue in earnest in training camp, whether for starting roles or one of the final spots on the 53.
Heading into a six-week moratorium, which competitions have emerged as ones to watch once training camp arrives? And where do things stand on the depth chart at those positions coming out of the offseason program?
Takeaways: Sam Darnold, Rashid Shaheed Connection Blossoming at Seahawks OTAs
Nearing the midway point of Phase 3 of their offseason program as the 2026 season draws closer, the Seattle Seahawks returned to the practice field for the second of three OTA practices open to media on Wednesday.
What stood out at the VMAC? Starting with an encouraging development for Seattle’s passing attack, here are five takeaways from Wednesday’s session:
1. The Sam Darnold to Rashid Shaheed connection appears to have been upgraded in their first full offseason together.
Coming over from the Saints in the latest trade deadline steal orchestrated by John Schneider, Shaheed left his imprint on the Seahawks’ Super Bowl run functioning as special teams dynamite, returning two kickoffs and a punt for touchdowns, including a kick return for six points on the opening play of a Divisional Round blowout of the 49ers. But as a pass catcher, he didn’t have near as much success as fans may have hoped, struggling to emerge as a consistent weapon complementing Offensive Player of the Year Jaxon Smith-Njigba with just 15 catches for 188 yards and no touchdowns in nine regular season games.
Pre-OTAs Projection: Which Offensive Players Will Make Seahawks’ 53-Man Roster in 2026?
Lighting up scoreboards from start to finish, the Seattle Seahawks leaned on a potent offense that ranked in the top five in the NFL last season to finish with 17 wins and capture the second Lombardi Trophy in franchise history.
As they embark on their title defense with the final phase of the offseason program starting next week, the Seahawks will have most of the band back together from last year’s Super Bowl squad. All 11 players who logged at least 700 offensive snaps will return, and with the exception of running back Ken Walker III, every starter from last season remains under contract, presenting unprecedented continuity for a defending NFL champion.
With that continuity, however, few roster spots will be available on the offensive side of the ball as competitions heat up in coming weeks leading up to the start of training camp. Even for reserves who played snaps last season, with a new crop of rookies and free agent signees on board, there won’t be any guarantee of sticking around on the 53-man roster this time around on one of the NFL’s deepest teams.
Rumbling into OTAs at the VMAC, which offensive players will survive cuts to make Seattle’s opening week roster?
Analysis: Investigating Seahawks’ Key Offensive Position Battles Entering OTAs
Set to kick off OTAs next week at the VMAC, the Seattle Seahawks will welcome back plenty of familiar faces from their Super Bowl squad. In fact, all 11 players who logged at least 700 offensive snaps in 2025 remain under contract heading into the new season, presenting rare continuity for a defending champion.
Thanks to the minimal changes, with running back being the lone exception to the rule after losing Ken Walker III to Kansas City in free agency and drafting Jadarian Price with the 32nd overall pick, Seattle will open the final phase of the offseason program without many starting jobs up for grabs on offense. All five offensive linemen who started last year will return, as will quarterback Sam Darnold and a dynamic receiving corps headlined by Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Rashid Shaheed, and Cooper Kupp.
But while few starting jobs may be on the line, the Seahawks should still have some enticing competitions on tap on the offensive side of the football when they hit the practice field next week, including a pair of fun depth contests looming at guard and receiver further bolstered by selections made in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Which battles offer the most intrigue with two months until the start of training camp?
Three-Year Outlook: Seahawks in Great Shape for Present, Future Offensively
As the calendar flips to April and the 2026 NFL Draft rapidly approaches, the Seattle Seahawks find themselves in the heat of the offseason, continuing to look into ways to improve their roster scanning the free agent market along with wrapping up draft evaluations while also exploring extensions to retain several of their top players.
While building the best roster for the upcoming season remains the top goal with eyes on defending their Super Bowl title, Seahawks general manager John Schneider also has to be cognizant of the future, making every decision in regard to free agency, extensions, and the draft with a multi-year window in mind.
Now less than a month away from the draft, how does Seattle’s offense look for both the present and the future?
Seahawks Banking on Noah Igbinoghene, Free Agent Signings to Help ‘Refill’ Post-Super Bowl Holes
Winning the Super Bowl comes with a heavy price, as other NFL teams covet signing players from the defending champions once free agency opens a few short weeks after hoisting the Lombardi Trophy, and the Seattle Seahawks were no exception to the rule this offseason.
In the early stages of free agency, also known as the legal tampering period, Super Bowl LX MVP Ken Walker III bolted for Kansas City to pair up with Patrick Mahomes in the Chiefs’ backfield on a record-setting contract for a running back. Hours later, safety Coby Bryant netted a mega deal from the Bears and outside linebacker Boye Mafe landed a $60 million deal from the Bengals. The following day, former Pro Bowl cornerback Riq Woolen took his talents to Philadelphia on a one-year deal with the Eagles.
Unfortunately, as coach Mike Macdonald acknowledged, losing talented players comes with the territory after winning the NFL’s ultimate prize. But with Schneider at the controls, he believes the Seahawks have done a fine job of keeping most of the band together and even with former starters such as Walker and Bryant departing, the team has “refilled” most of those losses in free agency.
Analysis: Is Seahawks’ Backfield Situation Post-Ken Walker III’s Exit Better Than Perceived?
As expected to happen for a defending Super Bowl champion, the Seattle Seahawks have lost several key players from their championship squad to open the free agency period this week with other teams eager to add talent in a league built around the premise of parity.
Arguably the most notable departure for Seattle, Super Bowl LX MVP Ken Walker III received a record-setting free agent deal for a running back, signing the dotted line to join the Kansas City Chiefs on a three-year deal worth up to $45 million with nearly $30 million in guaranteed salary. This loss would have stung for the Seahawks no matter what, but the potential negative impact of the four-year starter’s exit was further exacerbated by Zach Charbonnet suffering a torn ACL during the team’s playoff run and not undergoing surgery until late February, likely sidelining him until at least October, if not longer.
In the aftermath of Walker bolting, which happened mere minutes into the NFL’s tampering period on Monday, the Seahawks were linked to the likes of Tyler Allgeier, Kenneth Gainwell, and Rico Dowdle, only for those three players to quickly sign elsewhere as the free agent running back crop rapidly got picked down before the new league year officially began. Other veterans such as Rachaad White remained available, but wound up signing with other teams as well, much to the frustration of fans wondering when the team would make move to try to bolster the backfield.
Seahawks Sign Emanuel Wilson, Add Punishing Runner to Backfield Mix
Three days after watching Super Bowl MVP Ken Walker III take his talents to the Kansas City Chiefs on a record-setting deal, the Seattle Seahawks have finally added to their new-look backfield in free agency.
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the Seahawks have signed former Packers running back Emanuel Wilson to a one-year contract. Multiple reports indicate the deal will be worth up to $2.1 million with incentives.
The 26-year-old Wilson broke into the league as an undrafted free agent in 2023 after taking quite the unconventional path to the NFL. Lightly recruited out of high school, he started his college career at Johnson C. Smith University, a Division II program in Charlotte, North Carolina. After not playing in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he transferred to another Division II school in Fort Valley State, where he rushed for 1,371 yards and 17 touchdowns in 2022 before deciding to go pro.
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