Latest news with #JalenMilroe
USA Today
5 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Jalen Milroe's arm strength on full display at Seahawks OTA's
Jalen Milroe's arm strength on full display at Seahawks OTA's Quarterback-watch is the No. 1 item on the menu this summer for the Seattle Seahawks. Not only are the Seahawks going with a new starter in Sam Darnold, they also added an intriguing new rookie into the mix with Alabama's Jalen Milroe. The consensus on Milroe is he is more of a project than a prospect. As in, this is going to be a long-term development investment in the former Crimson Tide standout. Milroe has all the physical tools a team would want, but he is going to take time to develop to being an NFL-caliber signal caller. Yet it is important to remember how dynamic of an athlete he is. Media access at Seahawks OTA has been limited this summer, but on Wednesday, Michael-Shawn Dugar of The Athletic caught a quick video of Milroe unleashing a deep ball. It's a tantalizing look at what Milroe can bring to the table. Yes, OTA's are a highly controlled environment and it's just one throw. Still, it's June and we're all football-starved, so seeing the potential future quarterback of the Seahawks showing off some arm strength is more than enough to get the 12th Man a little excited. Mike Macdonald has already affirmed Sam Darnold is the starter, and I would be surprised if anything (short of injury) would knock him from said perch.
New York Times
5 days ago
- Business
- New York Times
Why the Seahawks don't have a QB competition, as Jalen Milroe learns behind Sam Darnold
RENTON, Wash. — There are obvious similarities between the Seattle Seahawks' quarterback situation in 2012 and the current setup with Sam Darnold and rookie Jalen Milroe. Darnold is the high-priced, free-agent signee, just as Matt Flynn was in 2012. Milroe was drafted in the third round to be a backup, just as Russell Wilson was that same offseason. Wilson took Flynn's job that preseason and never looked back. Advertisement There are obvious differences as well. Flynn's contract, even adjusted for the rising salary cap (his three-year, $26 million deal would equate to $60 million on the 2025 cap), wasn't nearly as lucrative as Darnold's three-year, $100.5 million deal. Darnold is also a better player and far more proven commodity than Flynn was. Wilson was also a more refined passer than Milroe, who is entering the league with questions about his ability to do the basics the position requires: throw accurately, on time and go through progressions. The main blemish on Wilson's scouting report at the time was his height. But the most important difference between the two situations is how the head coaches are going about it. Former coach Pete Carroll allowed for a quarterback competition. Second-year coach Mike Macdonald is not doing so — Darnold is the starter, and Milroe is one of two backups, along with Drew Lock (who would be Tarvaris Jackson, if we're sticking with the 2012 comparison). During a KIRO-AM radio interview Tuesday, Macdonald was asked if there was a chance for Darnold to be unseated for a reason other than injury. The question came in the context of Darnold throwing multiple interceptions in Monday's practice, the first open to the media this offseason. 'You guys are crazy,' Macdonald said. 'I respect you've got to ask it, but this is a crazy question. It's not going to happen. Sam's our starting quarterback. We love him. He's doing a tremendous job.' "Sam's our starting quarterback."#Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald to @BrockHuard & @TheMikeSalk on @SeattleSports. FULL VIDEO 📺: — Seattle Sports (@SeattleSports) June 3, 2025 Darnold has taken most of the snaps in the two organized team activities open to the media this week (Wednesday's practice was the fifth of the spring). Lock is operating as QB2, and then Milroe has taken the remaining reps with the third-string unit. Macdonald has said Milroe will have the opportunity to earn regular snaps, and if he comes into a game, the Seahawks will accentuate his strengths as a dual-threat player who can stress the defense as a runner. But we might not see that until training camp. Advertisement On Wednesday, Darnold said spending time with Lock and Milroe in the quarterback room has 'been great.' 'It's just amazing to be able to share that room and have some great guys that are not only eager to learn but also guys that are great dudes that can also hang out,' he said. Macdonald called Darnold to give him a heads-up before selecting Milroe with the 92nd pick in April. 'It was cool' for Macdonald to reach out, Darnold said. 'At the end of the day,' he added. 'Communication is key.' Asked about the selection of Milroe, Darnold said: 'I love J. I see why they took him. Just a great dude who can sling the rock. And he's a great athlete as well.' In his first news conference since Milroe was drafted, offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak said Wednesday that the former Alabama quarterback's work ethic is what initially stands out. 'The guy is a worker,' Kubiak said. 'You see him in there at 4:30 in the morning on the field going through his plays. Nobody asked him to do that, but he's putting in extra time. I've seen him grow a lot from rookie minicamp to now, so I've been impressed with the kid.' Kubiak also called the rookie a 'heck of an athlete.' 'The guy is putting a lot of time in learning a brand new way of communicating an offense,' he said. 'His ability to make plays with his feet. He's got excellent arm strength, great athleticism, and he's in the process of having his mind catch up to his feet. And the whole offense is doing that, learning a new system. But he's doing a heck of a job at it thus far.' When asked how he'll determine when to insert the specialty package for a second quarterback, Kubiak said: 'They've got to go earn it in practice. When they show it, that's when it's time.' Having a clear QB1 should help the other players on offense as they try to build chemistry and grow together in this new scheme. The foundation of the offense will be the outside-zone running scheme, but to maximize efficiency when it's time to pass, small details can make a big difference. Those are sorts of things Darnold is working on with his collection of new pass catchers. Advertisement 'With any receiver, it's getting to know the body language and how they're running routes and then being able to talk to them, on and off the field,' Darnold said when asked about getting to know Cooper Kupp specifically. 'Being able to know what he's thinking in a route versus a certain coverage. Trying to get behind a linebacker, maybe he's going to throttle it down. Little details like that. 'It's been great not only talking to Coop about that stuff, but all the guys.' In the first team period on the goal line during Monday's practice, Darnold ripped a touchdown over the middle to Kupp. In a seven-on-seven red zone period, he was picked off by safety Julian Love while trying to squeeze a pass to Kupp in the end zone. Then Darnold and Kupp connected for a touchdown a few plays later. There are going to be ups and downs like that in virtually every practice between now and the season opener because of the talent in Seattle's secondary. That's why the starting QB needs to make time to establish a rapport with his top targets. Darnold and Kubiak were together in San Francisco during the 2023 season. Seattle's current scheme is rooted in similar principles but with other unique elements tailored to what players on the roster do best. Darnold's familiarity is important as everyone tries to get up to speed quickly. 'He's studying, he's teaching the young guys, helping get the system taught, as well as guys like Cooper Kupp,' Kubiak said. 'Really impressed with Sam thus far.' Said Darnold: 'I told the guys, 'Any questions that you've got, come up to me and ask me anything.' That's the biggest thing, continuing to talk back and forth with the guys about certain routes and the details.' The play of the offensive line will determine what type of year Darnold and his pass catchers will have. Three of the five spots are settled. Tackle Charles Cross and first-round rookie guard Grey Zabel will hold down the left side. The right tackle spot belongs to Abe Lucas, finally healthy after consecutive seasons dealing with a knee injury. Olu Oluwatimi and Jalen Sundell are competing to be the starting center. Advertisement As for right guard? 'It's wide open, brother,' Kubiak said. Christian Haynes and Anthony Bradford appear to be the two primary guys battling for that spot, but it wouldn't be surprising to see Sataoa Laumea enter the mix at some point. Lucas said the offensive line can be as good as it wants because the team has the right players, coaches and identity, which he believes is different from last season. 'Everybody wants to run the ball,' Lucas said when describing the change in identity, calling it a 'non-negotiable' in Kubiak's scheme. 'We put a fullback in the backfield. We're changing it up. We're doing this differently. It's like an old-school mentality with a new-school principal. Looking forward to getting after that.' (Photo of Sam Darnold: John Froschauer / Associated Press)
Newsweek
28-05-2025
- Sport
- Newsweek
Seahawks Rookie QB Jalen Milroe Receives Shocking 2025 Prediction
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The Seattle Seahawks have a brand new quarterback room entering the 2025 NFL offseason. After trading Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders, the front office worked quickly to begin free agency and signed former Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold to a major three-year, $10.5 million contract. While the Seahawks signed Darnold to be their clear-cut starting quarterback, they did not stop there. Seattle also used the No. 92 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft on former Alabama standout quarterback Jalen Milroe. Milroe provides Seattle a long-term outlook at the quarterback position following Darnold's three-year deal. He could also push the veteran signal caller for playing time earlier than that. Jalen Milroe #4 of the Alabama Crimson Tide celebrates after passing for a touchdown during the second quarter against the Georgia Bulldogs in the SEC Championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 02, 2023 in Atlanta,... Jalen Milroe #4 of the Alabama Crimson Tide celebrates after passing for a touchdown during the second quarter against the Georgia Bulldogs in the SEC Championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 02, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. More Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images During the 2024 college football season with the Crimson Tide, Milroe struggled a bit passing the ball. He completed 64.3 percent of his pass attempts for 2,844 yards, 16 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. Those numbers were down from the 2,834 yards, 23 touchdowns, and six interceptions from 2023. Read more: Steelers Legend Terry Bradshaw Doesn't Hold Back About Aaron Rodgers On the ground, Milroe tore up opposing defenses last season. He ran for 726 yards and 20 touchdowns. Ahead of his rookie season, Milroe has received a shocking prediction. He is expected to see the field with the Seahawks right off the bat in some form. Michael-Shawn Dugar of The Athletic has made it clear that Seattle plans to play Milroe in 2025. "Head coach Mike Macdonald called Sam Darnold before selecting Jalen Milroe with the 92nd pick in the draft. Darnold, signed to a three-year, $100.5 million contract in March, is still Seattle's starting quarterback," Dugar wrote. "Milroe wasn't drafted just to sit and watch as a rookie, though. The plan is for Milroe to earn a chance to play in Year 1. Macdonald has said Milroe will not be used in the same fashion as Taysom Hill, who was more of a tight end who did a little bit of everything (as Seattle saw firsthand in 2022). Milroe is a quarterback, Macdonald said, and will be used accordingly." Read more: Bills Receive Bombshell 2025 Prediction From NFL Analyst What kind of player could Milroe develop into at the NFL level? Bleacher Report scouting analyst Dame Parson compared him to shades of Jalen Hurts. While it is clear that Darnold is going to be the starter in 2025, the Seahawks love what they have in Milroe. His skill set will bring a different dynamic to the offense, which it sounds like Seattle plans to utilize this season. Milroe and the Seahawks will kick off the 2025 NFL season on Sept. 7 with a matchup at home against the NFC West division rival San Francisco 49ers. For more Seattle Seahawks and NFL news, head over to Newsweek Sports.
New York Times
28-05-2025
- Business
- New York Times
The Jalen Milroe package, Cooper Kupp's fit and other questions as Seahawks begin OTAs
The Seattle Seahawks began the next phase of their offseason program on Tuesday at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center. They're scheduled to hold nine voluntary practices ahead of their three-day mandatory minicamp, which begins June 17. Three of the nine voluntary practices are open to the media next week (minicamp is open to the media as well). Advertisement Ahead of those open sessions, let's dive into four questions the Seahawks likely need to answer before the regular season opener against the San Francisco 49ers. Head coach Mike Macdonald called Sam Darnold before selecting Jalen Milroe with the 92nd pick in the draft. Darnold, signed to a three-year, $100.5 million contract in March, is still Seattle's starting quarterback. Milroe wasn't drafted just to sit and watch as a rookie, though. The plan is for Milroe to earn a chance to play in Year 1. Macdonald has said Milroe will not be used in the same fashion as Taysom Hill, who was more of a tight end who did a little bit of everything (as Seattle saw firsthand in 2022). Milroe is a quarterback, Macdonald said, and will be used accordingly. Milroe's role may become clearer as the Seahawks mix the rookies in with the veterans during organized team activities. A two-quarterback system with a specific package for the backup isn't uncommon, but it will take time to implement and fine-tune. San Francisco had what may prove to be a comparable setup in 2021 when Jimmy Garoppolo was QB1 and the team had a package for rookie Trey Lance. When both quarterbacks were healthy, Lance played a handful of snaps, mostly in red zone and short-yardage situations. Will Milroe's workload look the same? The 49ers had an already established offensive system with Garoppolo at the time, whereas Darnold and offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak are building something fresh on a new team with a host of new faces at quarterback, wide receiver, offensive line and on the coaching staff. Rookies learning the blueprint. — Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) May 23, 2025 Seattle's starter at right guard last season was 2023 fourth-round pick Anthony Bradford, who beat out 2024 third-round pick Christian Haynes. Their offseason competition turned into an in-season battle that the staff pulled the plug on midway through the year. When Bradford suffered an injury in Week 11, Seattle turned to 2024 sixth-round pick Sataoa Laumea for the rest of the year. Bradford, Haynes and Laumea are still on the roster, and Seattle just used a sixth-round pick on Bryce Cabeldue, who lined up at right guard during rookie minicamp (first-round pick Grey Zabel will start at left guard). Advertisement Kubiak and offensive line coach John Benton have plenty of options. Bradford had a difficult sophomore season in which he allowed seven sacks, committed a team-high nine penalties and surrendered a pressure rate of 7.8 percent, sixth highest among qualifying guards, according to TruMedia (minimum 200 pass-blocking snaps). But if Seattle's new coaching staff is as good as advertised, perhaps they can develop the 24-year-old Bradford, who is on his third offensive coordinator (and O-line coach) in as many seasons. Laumea had some good moments in his six starts but also allowed the highest pressure rate among qualifying guards at 11 percent (all stats provided by TruMedia unless stated otherwise). Haynes was better statistically, albeit in a smaller sample. But the previous offensive staff cited play strength and technique as the reasons Haynes never cracked the starting lineup and was later pushed out of the lineup altogether in favor of Laumea. Haynes and Laumea should look better and more consistent after a year of experience. Playing for an experienced staff should help, too. It's unclear where Bryce Cabeldue will fit in, but he may have a chance to climb the depth chart if he looks good in the preseason games and joint practices. Unlike last year when the right guard battle bled into the regular season, I'd imagine Macdonald and Kubiak will have the position settled before Week 1. The job seems wide open for now, with no true frontrunner. Center Olu Oluwatimi, a fifth-round pick in 2023, made one start as a rookie and eight last year after Connor Williams' mid-season retirement. Last season, Oluwatimi didn't surrender any sacks and allowed a league-average pressure rate (he also didn't have recurring issues snapping the ball like Williams did). The starting job should be Oluwatimi's to lose, barring an excellent offseason from Jalen Sundell, who is entering his second season after making the team as an undrafted rookie. He played 54 offensive snaps, 46 of which came as an injury replacement in Week 15. Those snaps were enough for general manager John Schneider to sing Sundell's praises all offseason and give him a chance to unseat Oluwatimi in camp. Schneider said you can watch Kubiak's offense in New Orleans last year and envision how the Seahawks will operate at wide receiver. Advertisement '(Marquez Valdes-Scantling) is the take-the-top-off guy,' Schneider said in March. '(Jaxon Smith-Njigba) can take the top off. Cooper (Kupp) is a deceptively fast dude, working the middle of the field, setting people up.' Before injuries decimated the offense, the Saints leaned mostly on two-receiver sets, either with a fullback (21 personnel) or a pair of tight ends (12 personnel). Copying that formula could mean using Kupp like Chris Olave as the guy working underneath in the middle of the field and Smith-Njigba as Rashid Shaheed, a big-play threat who had touchdowns of 43, 59 and 70 yards before suffering a season-ending knee injury. Valdes-Scantling is probably better suited for the take-the-top-off role, but Seattle shouldn't make a habit of having him on the field more than Smith-Njigba or Kupp. Translation: Seattle's two best receivers in a two-receiver offense have overlapping skill sets. Upon being introduced as a Seahawk in March, Kupp was asked about the overlap and said, 'It'll be interesting to see' how the staff builds the offense and emphasizes what they do best. Schneider said that the use of tight splits will make Kupp and Smith-Njigba hard to defend. Another workaround would be to align Smith-Njigba more out wide as opposed to the slot, where he spent 77.4 percent of snaps last season. Smith-Njigba led all receivers in yards (956) and catches (79) from the slot in his breakout 2024 season, so decreasing his usage there may not be the cleanest solution. Which is why, as Kupp said, it'll be interesting to see how Kubiak works that out to make sure Darnold's top targets are being used to the best of their abilities. The first look. 📸 » — Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) April 23, 2025 The Seahawks rank eighth in available cap space at $31.2 million, according to Over the Cap, so if the team sends anyone out between now and the start of the regular season, finances may not be the primary reason. But due to some of the positions targeted in the draft, they may have logjams to address by the end of the preseason. At tight end, for example, Seattle has veteran Noah Fant — and his 2025 cap hit of $13.4 million, which ranks eighth among tight ends — along with 2024 fourth-round pick AJ Barner, free agent signee Eric Saubert, second-round rookie Elijah Arroyo, Nick Kallerup and Marshall Lang (the latter two are undrafted rookies). Seattle has carried four tight ends on the active roster each of the past two seasons, but that was before rostering a fullback. Seattle currently has two of those: Brady Russell, a converted tight end, and fifth-round pick Robbie Ouzts. There's a way to keep everyone (or just keep all the tight ends, start Ouzts and stash Russell on the practice squad) but there's also world where someone like Fant, who's in the final year of his deal, becomes more attractive to another team, depending on how Seattle's young players look this summer. Advertisement The same scenario applies at wide receiver and running back. Seattle had three running backs on the active roster last year: Ken Walker III, Zach Charbonnet and Kenny McIntosh. The team can raise that number to four to account for seventh-round pick Damien Martinez or move one of the veterans (Seattle typically keeps at least one running back on the practice squad; last year it was George Holani, who is still on the roster). Seattle is rostering the following wide receivers: Kupp, Smith-Njigba, Valdes-Scantling, Jake Bobo, Cody White, Dareke Young, Ricky White III (seventh-round rookie), Tory Horton (fifth-round rookie), Steven Sims, John Rhys Plumlee, Tyrone Broden (undrafted rookie) and Montorie Foster Jr. (undrafted rookie). Kupp and Smith-Njigba are the only veterans under contract beyond this season. Even when accounting for the two or three receivers Seattle tends to keep on its practice squad, there's still a chance for the Seahawks to be sellers by the end of the summer if the rookies show promise (Valdes-Scantling and Bobo would be the only attractive options, I'd imagine). Last summer may be instructive in that regard. Darrell Taylor was on an expiring deal and the odd man out at outside linebacker, so he was shipped to Chicago in exchange for a sixth-round pick. Seattle had surplus talent at cornerback and lacked depth at inside linebacker, so Michael Jackson was sent to the Panthers in exchange for linebacker Michael Barrett. Barrett didn't end up sticking around, but the swap was an example of using a logjam to try and address a roster hole. This offseason may feature similar roster shuffling, perhaps to find depth at corner or inside linebacker. (Top photo of Jalen Milroe: Douglas P. DeFelice / Getty Images)
USA Today
25-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
First look at Jalen Milroe in a Seahawks uniform
First look at Jalen Milroe in a Seahawks uniform The Seattle Seahawks made an uncommon move in the 2025 NFL draft when they selected quarterback Jalen Milroe in the third round. Milroe joined Russell Wilson and Alex McGough as the only quarterbacks taken by Seattle in the John Schneider era, and the highest they've picked a quarterback since Wilson in 2012. The dynamic athleticism of Milroe makes him an incredibly tantalizing prospect, but one that will need some time to develop in order to become a full-time franchise caliber signal caller. Still, what Milroe offers is enough to excite even the most pessimistic 12th Man out there. On Sunday, the NFL Player's Association shared a video of Milroe all suited up for the first time in his Seahawks home uniform. This was from the annual rookie premiere, and I must say, navy and neon looks good on the former Crimson Tide standout.
