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New York Times
a day ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Seahawks training camp: Defense dominates on Day 1 in pads, highlighted by pick 6
RENTON, Wash. — An early sequence in team drills showcased why the Seattle Seahawks' defense likely came off the field feeling good after the first padded practice of training camp on Monday afternoon. All three offensive units took turns trying to move the ball from their own 1-yard line. Sam Darnold's first-team unit committed false starts on two of the first three plays, then got bailed out by a questionable defensive pass interference call on cornerback Riq Woolen on its final play (tight end Eric Saubert was the target). Drew Lock's second-string squad lasted just one play because defensive tackle Mike Morris stopped running back George Holani in the end zone for a safety. Advertisement The third-string defense won its portion of the drill, too. Rookie quarterback Jalen Milroe's first pass was intercepted in the flat by rookie defensive back Nick Emmanwori, who walked into the end zone for a touchdown. 'It was a great play,' coach Mike Macdonald said of Emmanwori's interception. Rookie already making noise. 👀 Powered by @Boeing — Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) July 29, 2025 Seattle will hold another padded practice Tuesday. Here are additional notes and takeaways from Monday's practice. Macdonald was asked whether he could feel fullback Robbie Ouzts and right tackle Abe Lucas in the run game on Monday. 'I gotta watch the tape, but right now, no,' Macdonald said. 'No knock on them, but we didn't run the ball very well today. We've got to do better.' Without the benefit of watching the film, Macdonald couldn't provide specifics when asked what was lacking when they tried to run the ball. 'Defensively, I thought we played well in the run game,' Macdonald said. 'But that's how these things work. Offense is going to come back. There's going to be some things on defense we're going to be itching to fix. That's how you become a better football team.' Seattle's outside linebackers deserve some credit for the run defense. Offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak's run scheme often puts the edge rushers at the point of attack. If they set the edge, the play might stall. If they get blown off the ball by a fullback, tackle or tight end, the running back will likely have a path to a big play. DeMarcus Lawrence is a very good run defender. Boye Mafe is, too. They're a tough duo to deal with. Then you have Derick Hall, who might be the strongest guy on the defense. Lucas said that when Seattle signed Lawrence this offseason, he was 'stoked' because 'I knew that was just going to elevate my game to a whole other level.' Advertisement 'Tank's elite,' Lucas said, using Lawrence's nickname. 'He's been elite since he came into the league. I've always been a fan of his from when he came out; I remember when he came out, and I remember watching him in Dallas. I've always just been impressed with the way he operates and how physical he is. I'm excited to continue to compete against him.' The third-string offense appeared to break a few runs in the team run period earlier in practice, but overall, it looked like the defense came out with more juice and won the day up front. 'We started practice the right way today, which was good (because) we haven't done that every day on defense,' Macdonald said. 'That was nice. Offense needs to respond tomorrow because they didn't start fast enough today.' This was the first practice featuring padded one-on-one reps between the offensive and defensive lines. Players faced off for two consecutive snaps before the next pair rotated in. There's a lot of projecting required when scoring these reps, but it appeared most of the battles were split. If the offensive guy won the first snap, the defensive guy typically returned the favor on the next play and vice versa. This was the case in the first set of reps between defensive tackle Leonard Williams and first-round rookie Grey Zabel. Another good back-and-forth featured Lawrence and Lucas, with the latter recovering well in their initial rep before getting pushed in the rematch. Lucas had a pair of good reps against Hall later in the drill. Right guard Christian Haynes seemingly split a pair of reps with defensive tackle Byron Murphy II as well. One of the standouts from the sessions seemed to be center Olu Oluwatimi, who held up well in multiple reps with Murphy and veteran defensive tackle Jarran Reed. After starting at center the second half of last season, Oluwatimi is competing with Jalen Sundell and Haynes to keep that first-team spot. A fifth-round pick in 2023 who made just one start as a rookie, Oluwatimi felt confident replacing Connor Williams midway through the 2024 season because of his daily practice battles with talented linemen like Leonard Williams, Reed and Murphy. Advertisement 'Every day I tell Murph, 'Let's get in the one-on-ones,'' Oluwatimi said. 'I tell J-Reed (the same thing). I just want that work as much as possible so I can get better.' As for trying to separate himself in the fight to be the starting center, Oluwatimi said: 'Every day I lay my head on my pillow and I just tell myself, 'How much better can I be tomorrow? What is my plan for the next day?' That's all I focus on. The coach is going to make a decision, and whatever happens, we'll live with it. But every day I'm going to make that decision hard on them.' Here are a few plays that stood out during team periods: 1. The starting defensive line collapsed on Darnold for a 'sack' on third down. The secondary appeared to do a good job taking receiver Cooper Kupp away over the middle. 2. Inside linebacker Drake Thomas had what likely would have been a sack on Lock. That drive later stalled because the pocket collapsed around Lock. 3. Kupp caught a dart from Darnold for a first down off a play-action concept. 4. Running back Zach Charbonnet was on the receiving end of a well-designed screen that went for a decent gain. 5. Reed and defensive tackle Quinton Bohanna deflected a pair of Darnold passes in the final period. The defense was without cornerback Shaquill Griffin and inside linebacker Ernest Jones IV due to personal matters. Nose tackle Johnathan Hankins (back) hasn't attended practice yet, and the Seahawks still haven't placed him on the non-football injury list as Macdonald said on Thursday that they would. Macdonald said there's no update on Hankins. The 33-year-old lineman is 'doing a good job,' Macdonald said without providing any additional details. The Seahawks placed running back Kenny McIntosh on injured reserve with a torn ACL, meaning he will miss the 2025 season. McIntosh went down with a non-contact injury early in Saturday's practice. He'll soon have surgery to repair his knee, Macdonald said. Advertisement On Monday, Seattle signed D.K. Kaufman, an undrafted rookie from North Carolina State, to fill McIntosh's spot. A college safety, Kaufman will play running back for the Seahawks and likely factor into the mix as a return specialist. Kaufman, who participated in Seattle's rookie camp on a tryout basis, led the ACC with 469 kick return yards and averaged 31.3 yards per return on 15 attempts. McIntosh's injury created the need for a new returner; he returned six kickoffs and averaged 25.5 yards per return last season. The loss of McIntosh also elevates seventh-round rookie Damien Martinez, who had a strong day running the ball on Monday, according to Macdonald. 'Today was his best day he's had,' Macdonald said. 'Staying off the ground, seeing the runs. Had a feeling he would show up a little bit more in the pads. Hopefully that continues.' (Photo of Nick Emmanwori, 3, and Devon Witherspoon: Lindsey Wasson / Associated Press)
New York Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Seahawks training camp: Five takeaways so far as tensions begin to boil
RENTON, Wash. — The Seattle Seahawks held their fourth training camp practice Saturday, and early in the session, running back Kenny McIntosh went down with a leg injury during a special teams period. He was helped off the field and didn't return. It is believed McIntosh suffered a torn ACL, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Advertisement Coach Mike Macdonald was not available to the media after practice, so there's no official word on McIntosh's status. A seventh-round pick in 2023, McIntosh was RB3 behind Ken Walker III and Zach Charbonnet. Losing him for the season would likely push seventh-round rookie Damien Martinez up the depth chart. On Monday, the Seahawks will practice in pads and show more of their new-look offense. For now, here are five takeaways from the first four days of camp, ahead of Sunday's off-day. The third and fourth days of training camp were more intense than the first couple of sessions, which is to be expected based on the way coach Mike Macdonald structures practice. Friday's practice featured one-on-one drills between the offensive and defensive lines, and that's always a recipe for a high-energy session. During a team period that same day, outside linebacker Derick Hall launched offensive tackle Josh Jones into the backfield. On Saturday, Hall said putting his teammate on the ground wasn't intentional and is not something he should do in a padless practice. But as defensive tackle Jarran Reed said on Friday, something of that nature was inevitable because of all the trash talk. 'There are some things you can tell that are boiling,' Macdonald said Friday. 'That'll be fun to watch throughout the rest of camp. A little earlier this year than normal, but that's good.' Practice on Saturday was more of the same. It's interesting to watch how the offense responds to the chirping on the defensive side of the ball. In the past, one of the few training camp guarantees was that whenever the defense got fired up and chatty, DK Metcalf would bark back in the name of the offense. Geno Smith did the same once becoming the starting quarterback. There doesn't seem to be an obvious candidate to take over that role. If I had to guess, it would likely end up being someone from the tight end room. AJ Barner and Eric Saubert were among the players to work out with Sam Darnold in California earlier this month. When asked why they attended, both had similar answers: They're always looking for opportunities to get better. Barner also referred to the tight ends as 'tone-setters' on offense, the way Devon Witherspoon — who does a lot of talking — is on defense. Players with that mindset tend to wind up as vocal leaders. Advertisement 'We're bringing juice,' Barner said of the tight ends. 'We're setting the tone and playing defense, but on offense with the ball in our hands and blocking.' Speaking of tight ends, Barner and second-round rookie Elijah Arroyo were very active Saturday. Barner had an excellent contested catch for a touchdown during a goal-line period. Inside linebacker Drake Thomas (filling in for Ernest Jones IV) was all over Barner, but Darnold put it where only the tight end could reach it. In seven-on-seven action a few minutes later, Barner beat inside linebacker Tyrice Knight in the end zone for a short touchdown, again from Darnold. Two plays later, Arroyo got free near the sideline for a goal-line touchdown from Darnold. Arroyo also caught several passes for first downs later in the day, from both Darnold and Drew Lock. He has the potential to be a very tough assignment for linebackers. 'Very talented player,' Barner said of Arroyo. 'Easy mover, good kid, too. He takes the time to learn the playbook and all that. I expect great things from Elijah, and I think it's going to be a big year for him.' On Friday, Jaxon Smith-Njigba was asked to give his thoughts on the offense under new coordinator Klint Kubiak. His answer spoke to something Seattle has lacked in recent years: identity. 'I just love the mentality of our offense,' the third-year wide receiver said. 'Ground-and-pound, take some shots, mix it up. It's a very versatile offense, so I'm excited about that.' The ground-and-pound style of play is one Seahawks fans know very well. That's how Seattle operated under former offensive coordinators Darrell Bevell and Brian Schottenheimer. They had different ways of going about it — Bevell had the benefit of Russell Wilson's legs, whereas Schottenheimer often used a sixth offensive lineman — but the intent was the same: Punch the defense in the mouth. Kubiak's offense has the same mindset. Advertisement On Saturday, Leonard Williams and Hall talked about the particulars of Kubiak's wide-zone scheme that make life hard on defensive linemen. Hall said Kubiak's offense puts 'a lot' of stress on the edge players due to all the motions, shifts and alignments, particularly with the tight ends and the fullback. Williams echoed that sentiment but with more of an emphasis on the guards and tackles. 'It's pretty hard for me sometimes getting in my stance and you don't know whether the guard and tackle are going to completely run that way or this way,' Williams said. 'You have to get adjusted to that.' In other words, the scheme keeps the defense honest. 'Sometimes it's easy for me to read when the ball is coming my way,' Williams said. 'But they're doing a good job. We're even using a fullback, which is pretty rare nowadays. They're shifting him from out lined up like a wide receiver to behind the ball. It just tricks the defense a little bit.' The scheme isn't foolproof, of course. The Falcons, for instance, ran this scheme against Seattle in Week 7 last year, and their two running backs combined for 117 yards and a touchdown on just 15 attempts in the first half. Seattle adjusted and held Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier to 22 yards on 11 carries in the second half. But as Williams said Saturday, facing the scheme requires some getting used to. That's where Seattle, which is basically deploying the same offensive line that wasn't very good last year, can have the upper hand early in games. 'It's definitely hard on the defense because you're stretching the ball for so long, and everyone has to have their gap integrity the whole time,' Williams said. 'So, sometimes it's hard to stay in my gap running sideways running for 5 or 6 yards.' Darnold is playing well against a defense that should be one of the league's best this season. As he talked about Thursday, the goal for him is to consistently make the right read. Often when playing against Macdonald's defense, which is tricky to decipher because of all the post-snap rotations and disguised pressures, the right play is to check it down to a running back or tight end, take 3 or 4 yards and move to the next play. Starting Monday, the defensive line can really cut loose and change everything up front, but in these four padless sessions, Darnold has taken what's available based on the look. Not every time, though. He's been picked off twice on similar-looking concepts. On Thursday, he tried to throw across the field to Smith-Njigba, and the ball was undercut by safety D'Anthony Bell. On Friday, he tried another over route to Smith-Njigba, and that one was snagged from underneath by safety Julian Love. In both instances, it seemed as if Darnold either didn't see the underneath safety, or saw him and didn't put enough air under the ball to get it over the defender. We 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒅 this pick. Powered by @Boeing — Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) July 26, 2025 Beyond those two specific plays in a large sample of reps over the first four days, Darnold appears to be doing a good job commanding the offense. 'Sam's movement ability, accuracy, is definitely on display,' Macdonald said. We've yet to see any of the designed quarterback runs that made Jalen Milroe such a dynamic player at Alabama. Instead, he's being brought along as a legitimate dropback passer, just like Darnold and Lock. Milroe is showing a decent feel for playing in a timing-based offense and knowing when to let it rip, or when a window is closed off and it's time to progress to the next read. Milroe's ceiling is high because of his legs, but his accuracy and decision-making as a passer will determine his floor. He's off to a good start. Advertisement 'You see a decisiveness in his game,' Macdonald said. 'Eyes are in the right spot, more consistently. He could probably go into detail. It just seems to me like it's a quicker delivery. The footwork is starting to match the routes and the concepts.' Christian Haynes has been taking snaps at center and is in the mix to be the starter, Macdonald said. Jalen Sundell and Olu Oluwatimi are ahead of him in that position battle, but it's no longer just the two of them going at it. Haynes, a 2024 third-round pick, is also battling with Anthony Bradford for the starting job at right guard. Sundell and Oluwatimi have also taken snaps at right guard. Macdonald and Kubiak are leaving no stone unturned in their search for the best possible five up front. Macdonald doesn't want to put a timeline on naming the starting five. He'd like to have that settled sooner rather than later, but he's willing to let the competition run into the preseason games if necessary. 'You have to just trust the process,' he said. 'If you start putting a timeline on it, you might be forced to make a decision that's premature. Or you're waiting too long; maybe it declares itself before (the hypothetical timeline).' (Photo of Julian Love: Lindsey Wasson / Associated Press)
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Seahawks WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba embraces increased role ahead of his 3rd season
RENTON, Wash. (AP) — When the Seattle Seahawks traded two-time Pro Bowler DK Metcalf to the Pittsburgh Steelers and released Tyler Lockett in March, it highlighted the franchise's confidence in wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Still, the 23-year-old Smith-Njigba couldn't hide his longing for both Metcalf and Lockett following the Seahawks' third day of training camp on Friday. 'I miss those guys,' Smith-Njigba said. 'Those are two great guys that I call friends. It sucks that they're not here with me, but I know they're going to ball out where they're at.' Smith-Njigba said he has kept in touch with both Metcalf and Lockett, who's now with the Tennessee Titans. But entering his third NFL campaign, Smith-Njigba recognizes he will take on a more prominent role after catching a career-high 100 passes for 1,130 yards last season. Two years removed from his time at Ohio State, Smith-Njigba is the Seahawks' top wideout and one of the league's more accomplished receivers. 'I'm excited about that role,' Smith-Njigba said. 'Every year that I play football, high school, college, that year three is a role I get excited for because I know the offense, I know the DNA in the building, and I can put that on the field and guys can follow it. I can be a leader by example; I love that role and I'm super excited for this year.' Smith-Njigba benefited last season from not being the sole receiver opponents had to worry about. Defenses should be on higher alert for him this year, but it's not as if he's suddenly become the elder statesman of the group. Namely, there's 32-year-old Cooper Kupp, who signed a three-year, $45 million contract with the Seahawks in March after eight seasons with the Los Angeles Rams. 'He brings a next-level mindset,' Smith-Njigba said. 'I'm super excited to be with him in that receiver room. Another stellar receiver, great receiver, and I'm just blessed to be in the room with him.' Outside of those two, there aren't many proven wideouts, or ones who are still in their primes. Marquez Valdes-Scantling, 30, appears likely to be the third option. Jake Bobo, who is known more for his blocking than receiving abilities, is entering his third season and drew praise from coach Mike Macdonald following Friday's practice. A cluster of young wideouts is in camp as well, including rookies Tory Horton and Ricky White III. Smith-Njigba sees it as his responsibility to help those players, much as Metcalf and Lockett did for him. 'Talking to those guys that came before me, taking that next step is very important,' Smith-Njigba said. 'Those guys showed me the way, so I always feel like I need to give back. I love to do that, love to be in that position. Hopefully I can take the standard and push it forward.' Smith-Njigba also hopes to keep developing his relationship with new quarterback Sam Darnold. In the early stages of camp, Smith-Njigba described that relationship as continuing to grow. It began over the offseason as the two trained together in Southern California. Smith-Njigba hopes he and Darnold can achieve all the personal and team goals he has for the 2025 season. 'Right now, I feel great in the position and role I'm in,' Smith-Njigba said. 'I know if I help my team win, if I go out there and perform at my best and help my team win, all the accolades will come. That's my mindset. Deep playoff run, go win us a ring in January and February, playing winter football, is my goal.' ___ AP NFL:
New York Times
4 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Seahawks training camp: Riq Woolen out to prove growth in pivotal contract year
RENTON, Wash. — Riq Woolen's first three seasons with the Seattle Seahawks have been a bit of a roller coaster. A fifth-round selection in 2022, Woolen was arguably the best player in Seattle's extremely talented draft class. He received All-Pro votes, made the Pro Bowl and finished third in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting. Then Year 2 got off to a rocky start because of a knee injury that required surgery, and he wound up being benched at times during the regular season. Year 3, the first under coach Mike Macdonald, also had peaks and valleys, including a benching in Week 16 for violating team rules. Advertisement Macdonald, who doubles as the defensive play caller, has said that Woolen is an elite coverage player — when he's fully focused. There's no better time for Woolen to be 100 percent locked in given he's entering the final year of his rookie contract. Throughout this offseason, coaches and teammates have said Woolen is hyper-focused on his craft. 'Riq's locked in this year,' third-year cornerback Devon Witherspoon said. 'He just continues to be better. Riq's got a lot of stuff to show a lot of people.' What would Woolen like to show? 'I just want to show people that I'm Tariq Woolen, (and) I've gotten better in every aspect of my game progressively each year,' he said. 'People get obsessed with stats but at the same time when you don't look at the stats and you look at the body of work I put in, I feel like I've gotten better. … Now I just gotta put it all together. That's what I feel like is going to happen.' As a rookie, Woolen tied for the league lead with six interceptions, one of which he returned for a touchdown. He has 11 career interceptions, tied for fifth in the league over the last three years; Cowboys cornerback DaRon Bland (13) is the only cornerback with more in that span. Last season, he allowed a passer rating of 83.7 when targeted, according to Pro Football Focus. It was the highest passer rating allowed of his career but still a decent number for a starting corner (for comparison, Witherspoon's passer rating was 100.3 last year and in the low-80s as a rookie). Woolen believes he has improved his coverage and tackling each year, but 'staying locked in throughout' is one of the most important aspects of his game — and the area he's worked on most. 'When you're a good corner in the league, there's not going to be too many balls thrown your way,' Woolen said. 'You've got to make sure you're locked in because the one play that you're not locked in, that's when something can happen. That's what I wanted to hone in on: being locked in on every play.' Advertisement Once a fan favorite, Woolen has spent much of the past two years receiving online vitriol. Woolen said he finds that 'funny,' but he also understands it is part of life as an NFL player. 'It doesn't get to me. I understand how fans are,' Woolen said. 'But I know I'm Tariq Woolen. I know I'm one of the best corners in the league. And I know that at the end of the season I'm going to prove it.' The Seahawks believe they're capable of being the best defense in the league. A consistently focused Woolen would certainly help them achieve that goal. And that would likely land Woolen a lucrative new contract in a booming cornerback market. Three cornerbacks from Woolen's 2022 draft class signed new deals this offseason. Derek Stingley Jr. of the Houston Texans, the No. 3 pick in that draft, signed a three-year, $90 million extension. Sauce Gardner was selected by the New York Jets one pick later, and he recently signed a four-year, $120.4 million extension. Buffalo's Christian Benford was a sixth-round pick that year, and he signed a four-year, $69 million extension. Woolen said those deals are 'motivational.' Meanwhile, the 26-year-old aims to heed the words of close friend Kerby Joseph, an All-Pro player in Detroit who signed a four-year, $85 million deal making him the highest-paid safety in the league (Joseph was a third-round pick in Woolen's class). Joseph's advice to Woolen: 'Stay the course. Your time is going to come, just keep balling and be patient.' 'That's all I've been doing,' said Woolen, who is set to make $5.3 million this season. 'I don't really care about too much of what everybody else got going because that's taking away from my joy. But I know my time will come, and I'll be fine.' On Friday, Macdonald praised Woolen for not only playing well but also for being present, focused and not bothered by distractions such as a potential new contract. Advertisement 'Everybody has got stuff going on. Obviously Riq's got stuff going on with contract stuff, possibly; that's not a secret,' Macdonald said. 'But he's bought in. He's all in. He practices his tail off. There's things he wants to work on and there's things I'm thinking of that he needs to improve, but he's doing a lot of great things as well.' Woolen is typically solid in this setting and has performed well so far, even though drills tend to favor the offense. As a rookie, Woolen flashed clear potential to be special — because he was the only one on the team tall enough to look DK Metcalf in the eyes, fast enough to run stride-for-stride with him and had the hand-eye coordination to fight for any 50-50 ball. Guarding shorter, shiftier wideouts like Tyler Lockett and Jaxon Smith-Njigba is a different challenge, but Woolen is usually well-equipped to handle those matchups. This year's training camp has been no different. Woolen can stay with shifty slot receivers like Cooper Kupp and run step-for-step with vertical threats like Marquez Valdes-Scantling. On Thursday, he nearly came across the field to rob a crossing route Sam Darnold threw to tight end Elijah Arroyo. The key for Woolen is sustaining that high level of play on a daily basis, then carrying that into the regular season. Woolen knows this, which is why he's made it a point of emphasis. If he can deliver, the Seahawks may have one of the NFL's best secondaries. And instead of vitriol, Woolen may be on the receiving end of a massive pay raise.
New York Times
6 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Seahawks training camp takeaways: Injury updates on Uchenna Nwosu, Ken Walker
RENTON, Wash. — Mike Macdonald's second training camp with the Seattle Seahawks began with Hall of Famer Warren Moon raising the 12 Flag, and it ended with the head coach declaring that his team has the best training camp atmosphere, due to the fans, the weather and the overall vibe. 'All of the above is second to none,' Macdonald said Wednesday afternoon at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center. Advertisement Macdonald referred to this initial stage of training camp as the 'ramp phase' and 'execution phase,' adding that the Seahawks are not 'physically competing' against one another, so full evaluations of the team's progress will take time. That said, Wednesday's session and Macdonald's post-practice news conference were the first since mid-June, so let's dive into a few notes and takeaways from opening day. On Thursday, Seattle placed outside linebacker Uchenna Nwosu on the physically unable to perform list because of an offseason procedure on his knee. It is unclear when Nwosu, who restructured his contract and took a pay cut this offseason, will be cleared to play. 'We'll see,' Macdonald said when asked about Nwosu's return timeline. 'We're going into the season, probably. Throughout the rest of camp, and then we'll go from there. We'll hold on to the timeline right now, but we're not necessarily close.' Nwosu has been limited to just 12 games over the past two seasons because of multiple injuries. Seattle has other promising edge rushers such as Boye Mafe, Derick Hall and free-agent signee DeMarcus Lawrence, but Nwosu has a different skill set that the team hasn't been able to adequately replace. The lack of clarity regarding Nwosu's timeline could result in another in-season move to address the team's depth chart on the edge. After Nwosu suffered a torn pectoral muscle in 2023, Seattle signed Frank Clark and traded for defensive tackle Leonard Williams. Last year, Seattle traded for defensive linemen Trevis Gipson and Roy Robertson-Harris after a pair of Nwosu injuries, a sprained MCL in his knee in the preseason finale and a quadricep tear in his first game back in Week 5. The Seahawks have nearly $35 million in cap space, according to Over the Cap, and that is more than enough to make a splash similar to the Williams trade if Nwosu's recovery continues well into the regular season. General manager John Schneider has a history of making a flashy move to replace an injured player, notably doing so to acquire defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson (because of Malik McDowell's head injury) and left tackle Duane Brown (because of George Fant's torn ACL) in 2017. Does Schneider have eyes on another move, either via free-agent signing or trade? Advertisement Ken Walker III was limited during the spring with an ankle injury but was a full participant Wednesday and looked fine running around and catching passes from quarterback Sam Darnold with the rest of the starting unit. 'He looks great,' Macdonald said. 'He's in a great spot mentally. Just awesome to see him do all the things we wanted him to do from the get-go. I know he's really excited about what's going on. Great first day.' In other injury news, cornerback Shaquill Griffin didn't practice due to an illness. Nose tackle Johnathan Hankins will soon be placed on the non-football injury list because of a back injury, Macdonald said. Hankins' injury isn't expected to be a long-term issue. Seattle released tight end Noah Fant on Sunday. The move cleared $8.9 million in salary-cap space and pushed AJ Barner and second-round rookie Elijah Arroyo up the tight end depth chart. Macdonald declined to offer an explanation for releasing Fant. 'I'm not going to tell you exactly why,' he said. 'There's multiple reasons.' In 2024, Fant caught 48 passes (21st among tight ends) for 500 yards (18th) and one touchdown (tied for 41st), which came in the regular-season finale. The 27-year-old was entering the final year of his contract, and his cap charge of $13.4 million was to account for 4.7 percent of the team's salary cap. The timing of the release was curious, given the Seahawks didn't need immediate cap space and, as Macdonald said, they have yet to fully evaluate the new players on offense because they're not wearing pads. Regardless, the door is now open for either Barner or Arroyo to take over as the lead man at the tight end spot. 'It's understood what we're trying to achieve as a football team,' Macdonald said when asked if he spoke with Barner and Arroyo following Fant's release. 'We love Noah, wish him the best. But we also love the guys that are still here. They know what's at stake, and it's going to be a lot of fun watching that competition in the tight end room.' Advertisement Macdonald and offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak are mixing up the offensive line rotations, with centers Jalen Sundell and Olu Oluwatimi and right guards Christian Haynes and Anthony Bradford all receiving opportunities in front of Darnold and the starting offense. Macdonald said they'll continue mixing up the rotations through next week when they begin padded practices. The interesting name in that bunch is Haynes, a 2024 third-round pick whose inability to crack the starting lineup last season was due to a lack of play strength, at least according to former play caller Ryan Grubb. Haynes is a good athlete, and Seattle drafted him with the 81st pick believing he'd be a starting-caliber guard. Haynes should, in theory, be one of the players to benefit from the switch to a wide-zone-based run game. Those first few practices in pads will be very telling. The offensive line will make or break this season, which Macdonald expects to cap with a Super Bowl victory. Macdonald said he's most excited to see his offense run the ball well this year, and that starts up front. 'We want to play our style of ball, let the O-line do their thing, get Sam on the move, separate the defense, all those things,' he said. 'It's fun to watch these guys put it together and how they drill it, go from individual (periods) to group and how it all fits together, all the rules. It's really exciting.' (Photo of Seahawks running backs: Lindsey Wasson / Associated Press)
