Analysis: 5 Dark Horses to Watch in Seahawks’ Training Camp
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Undrafted rookie D’Eryk Jackson participates in a special teams drill during mandatory minicamp at the VMAC in Renton. Credit: Corbin Smith/Emerald City Spectrum [/caption]
Believe it or not, with the Seattle Seahawks set to open training camp on July 23 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center, the 2025 season now sits less than two weeks away from officially kicking off.
With the first camp practice just around the corner, it won’t be long until veterans and rookies alike descend upon Renton ready to put their best foot forward heading into a new campaign, regardless of whether it is an established star like Leonard Williams or a seasoned backup like Ty Okada. While coaching staffs tend to know who will be starting in Week 1 at most positions and the majority of their 53-man roster before camp opens, as center Jalen Sundell and edge rusher Jamie Sheriff proved last summer, a surprise or two always seems to come out of nowhere this time of year.
Which players could emerge as dark horses in training camp this time around? Here are five players, including a second-year blocker with starting experience and an undrafted rookie, who have the talent to buck conventional wisdom and push for either a starting job or a roster spot:
Steven Sims Jr., Receiver
Nicely fitting the journeyman label, Sims has bounced around a lot over the last several seasons, seeing game action in the regular season and playoffs mostly as a special teams standout with the Steelers, Texans, and Ravens. A dangerous return man, his biggest play came in the Divisional Round for Houston when he returned a punt for a touchdown in a loss to Baltimore two years ago. Seattle plucked him off the free agent market first and foremost to provide a proven option that could upgrade a return unit that struggled mightily most of last year. But prior to that point, he had two seasons with 20 or more catches in Washington, showing he’s capable of being more than a kick and punt return specialist when called upon, and he was a regular target for all three of the Seahawks quarterbacks during OTAs and minicamp. If that carries over to training camp and he remains a dynamic force as a return man, he has a good chance to stick around, especially playing for Klint Kubiak, who coached him as a receivers coach at Kansas in 2015.
Sataoa Laumea, Guard
It may seem weird to put a second-year offensive lineman who started the last six games of the previous season on a list of “dark horses," especially after the Seahawks started running the ball much better with his inclusion up front, but Laumea didn’t see any work at right guard with the first-team offense in OTAs or mandatory minicamp, instead working as a backup behind first-round pick Grey Zabel on the left side. That development coupled with Christian Haynes and Anthony Bradford dueling once again on the right side hints that the former Utah standout isn’t held in favorable standing by line coach John Benton and a retooled staff. Only so much stock can be put on offseason practices without pads on, however, and Laumea has the prerequisite athleticism and physicality to be able to hold his own in Klint Kubiak’s zone-heavy scheme. If Haynes or Bradford doesn’t start to grab the bull by the horns in the first week of camp, don’t be surprised if Laumea re-enters the conversation ready to jump back into the lineup and potentially solidify his standing as a viable long-term option.
Tyreke Smith, Outside Linebacker
Formerly a fifth round pick for the Seahawks, Smith’s NFL career hasn’t gone as hoped to this point, starting with his entire rookie season being lost to a hip injury. Back healthy the next summer, he didn’t make the initial roster and after dressing for one game, Arizona signed him off the practice squad and he suited up for two additional games with the NFC West rival. Going full circle, after the Cardinals cut him last August, the Seahawks eventually brought him back on their practice squad and he stayed with the team all of last year without seeing any game action. Having played in a grand total of three games in three seasons, this could be the last shot for him to stick in the Pacific Northwest, but the fact that the team chose to bring him back into the fold with a new coaching staff and retained him on a future/reserve deal suggests Macdonald and company are still intrigued. A capable edge setter with enough size to play with his hand in the dirt regularly, as long as health permits, it wouldn’t be a shock to see him emerge as a favorite for the fifth edge spot on the 53.
D’Eryk Jackson, Inside Linebacker
Coming off an injury-shortened senior season at Kentucky, Jackson not only wasn’t drafted, but he didn’t receive a contract as a priority undrafted free agent despite putting up strong numbers against SEC competition when healthy. The Seahawks invited him to audition in rookie training camp to see how he stacked up and he outplayed several other linebackers who had been signed to a contract, including Jackson Woodard, earning himself a spot on the 90-man roster a few days later. With Ernest Jones and Tyrice Knight cemented in as starters, he won’t be making a push to see the field on defense right now, but the 237-pound defender plays like a heat-seeking missile against the run and posted some of the best coverage numbers among off-ball linebackers in the entire FBS last season. With legit 4.51 speed, those skills should translate to the next level, putting a lot of pressure on incumbent backups Drake Thomas and Patrick O’Connell to fend him off on the depth chart.
Damarion Williams, Cornerback
Spending most of last season on Seattle’s practice squad, Williams has not suited up for an NFL game since 2023 and he battled injuries during that season, which typically isn’t a positive factoid for a player trying to make a 53-man roster. But the former Ravens draft pick previously played 225 defensive snaps for Macdonald in 2022, primarily playing inside out of the slot, and while he struggled in coverage allowing three touchdowns, he proved to be a sound tackler and played with the physicality demanded in Macdonald’s system. He also has played quite a bit of special teams in the league, which will give him another avenue to a roster spot. Bringing a fiery mindset with him to the field, he made several nice plays during OTAs and minicamp and with questions about slot depth behind Devon Witherspoon, there still may be a path for him to make some noise competing for more than just a practice squad spot in August.
