The 2026 NFL training camps have kicked off around the league, and our team reporters are on the ground each day following all the action. The Seattle Seahawks' camp is taking place in Renton, Washington, and Seahawks reporter Brady Henderson has the latest intel on standouts, highlights, position battles, depth chart movement, cut decisions and of course, the quarterbacks room.
What follows is everything we are seeing and hearing at Seahawks camp. We will update this file often. What is new with the defending Super Bowl champions? Who are the breakout players to watch, especially for fantasy football? And which players on the roster bubble could make the final 53?
Dive in to all the updates and be sure to check back for more information until the first full week of the preseason begins Aug. 13.
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Thursday, Aug. 6
Dante Fowler Jr. is a newcomer to Seattle's defense, but he was hardly a stranger when he arrived in May on a one-year deal.
The 12th-year veteran has known defensive tackle Leonard Williams since 2012, when the two Florida natives took part in the Under Armour All-America Game. Fowler played for Aden Durde in Atlanta and Dallas, when Seattle's defensive coordinator was a position coach for the Falcons and Cowboys. In Dallas, Fowler was a teammate of fellow outside linebacker DeMarcus Lawrence, who took him under his wing.
Lawrence helped sell Fowler on the Super Bowl champions this past offseason. A year earlier, Fowler had discussions with Durde about potentially signing with Seattle before opting for a second stint in Dallas instead.
"I just respect the man he is," Fowler said Thursday of Durde. "He got it out the mud. He got it out the hard way. He's from London. He's not from here, and his IQ of football is just impressive. I love his passion, his intent of the game, the way he coaches his players, that's what I like the most. He demands something out of his players. He's not just telling them the X's and O's. He's going to demand it out of you."
As Fowler was lauding Durde, Seahawks players were heading out of the team's indoor practice facility after a walk-through. Williams, Lawrence and a few other defensive linemen stopped to hype Fowler up, forcing him to pause mid-sentence and laugh.
"See, that's why I'm happy to be here," he said. "Literally, right there."
The Seahawks are happy to have Fowler as a less expensive -- even if older -- replacement for Boye Mafe as the speedy complement to the power-rushing styles of Lawrence, Uchenna Nwosu and Derick Hall in their outside linebacker rotation. Mafe, 27, ranked 17th among all defenders last season with an 11.4% pressure rate, according to ESPN Research. Fowler, who turned 32 earlier this week, was 31st at 10.3%.
Fowler had 3.0 sacks in 17 games for Dallas, which was one more than Mafe had in 20 games, including playoffs. Yet Mafe got a three-year, $60 million deal from the Cincinnati Bengals at the start of free agency, and Seattle landed Fowler on a one-year, $2.5 million deal two months later.
According to a copy of Fowler's contract that was obtained by ESPN, there's another $2.5 million available in incentives tied to regular-season sacks. He would make the highest of the following amounts: $500,000 for 7.0 or more sacks, $1 million for 9.0 or more, or $1.5 million for 11.0 or more. If Seattle plays in the NFC Championship Game, Fowler will make an additional $500,000 for 9.0-plus sacks or $1 million for 11.0-plus sacks.
After three straight days of practicing for nearly 3 hours, the Seahawks held a 55-minute walk-through today. They were inside for the first time this camp, as wildfire smoke continues to impact the air quality.
— Brady Henderson (@BradyHenderson) August 6, 2026
That's Nick Emmanwori that *walks* into the frame halfway through. pic.twitter.com/UP92WVY0Ua
More observations:
After three straight days of practicing for nearly three hours outside in the heat, the Seahawks held a 55-minute walk-through indoors, with rest and recovery in mind.
Seattle signed FB Brock Lampe and waived rookie TE Lance Mason, the team announced. Lampe went undrafted out of Northern Illinois in 2025 and spent his rookie season on injured reserve with the Patriots, who waived him last month. He adds depth at FB as Robbie Ouzts remains sidelined. Coach Mike Macdonald said earlier this week that the team is trying to gather more info on Ouzts' injury. He didn't disclose what it is, but Ouzts was listed as having a neck injury during the playoffs last season.
Wednesday, Aug. 5
What does it mean to be a technician as a pass-catcher?
Jaxon Smith-Njigba provided a few examples during an almost-unstoppable performance Wednesday.
In one early period, as a deep ball from Sam Darnold was on its descent, the NFL's reigning receiving champion and AP Offensive Player of the Year deked an in-phase cornerback by momentarily gearing down, creating enough last-second separation to haul in the pass uncontested. On a later touchdown catch, the Seahawks' new $168.6 million man slow-played his release on a wheel route from the slot, perfectly timing the traffic before accelerating into a void between the corner and safety. He found the end zone again on a quick slant at the goal line.
Whether he actually did make another highlight-reel grab while falling out of bounds was in question. An official called it incomplete before coach Mike Macdonald overruled him.
Either way, Seattle's 10th practice of camp was JSN's best.
"It was great to see him come alive," Macdonald said. "Some of those in high-leverage situations, too. ... There's defensive attention on where he's at at all times, too, so for him to be able to make those plays, it's great for the Seahawks, great for him."
Smith-Njigba made this kind of dominance almost routine last season on his way to a league-high and franchise-record 1,793 receiving yards, which was the eighth-highest total in NFL history. That was with Klint Kubiak calling the offensive shots. Now it's up to new coordinator Brian Fleury, a first-time playcaller, to find the best way to utilize Seattle's star receiver.
"He can get open from wherever, doing whatever, doing all the things from all the places," Macdonald said. "But how do we optimize it? How do we move him around? Where is he in the progression? He's going to be No. 1 in the progression on a lot of plays, but when is it best for him not be that? Those are the things that we're always going to be working through.
"Today was a really cool step for us and our offense."
Tuesday's season premiere of "Hard Knocks" showed Macdonald's mic'd up reaction to the fights during Friday's practice. He was disappointed in outside linebacker Derick Hall for throwing down offensive lineman Bryce Cabeldue from behind, and he felt fullback Brady Russell crossed a line with a verbal dig he took at Hall moments later. Based on what Macdonald and Hall said Wednesday, it's all been smoothed over. "Things get out of control sometimes, but at the end of the day, we all love each other here," Hall said. "We're a team, we're a brotherhood, and at the end of the day, it happens out here, we go in the locker room and hug it out, 'Hey man, I apologize. That was beyond the line of where we are trying to go and what we're trying to get,' and we move forward. I think that's what we do really well here."
OLB Jared Ivey has returned to practice after missing several days with an undisclosed injury. Still sidelined are WR Jake Bobo, CB Julian Neal, DL Mike Morris, LBs Jamie Sheriff and Chris Paul Jr., and RB Jacardia Wright. OT Bobby Hart did not practice after going down Tuesday. Backup LB Tyrice Knight delivered a highlight play when he reached down to intercept a low pass that had bounced off the hands of WR Tory Horton. It'll he hard for Knight to reclaim the starting job he lost last season to Drake Thomas -- who played his way into a two-year, $8 million deal -- but Macdonald has sounded open to finding ways to get Knight on the field.
Tuesday, Aug. 4
As Brian Fleury prepares to call plays for the first time, Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald is trying to help his new offensive coordinator by hindering him.
"Mike is doing a great job of putting me through the wringer in terms of challenging situations," Fleury said Tuesday. "We go through different ones every day. For some reason, we're always down by a touchdown with 50 seconds left and no timeouts. I don't know who's burning through the timeouts, but it definitely helps me adjust to those situations."
When Klint Kubiak left to become the Las Vegas Raiders' head coach a day after Seattle's Super Bowl LX victory, Macdonald initially thought he'd likely find his next OC by promoting from within. He wanted offensive continuity, and when he interviewed Fleury -- who came from a similar West Coast system in San Francisco to what the Seahawks ran under Kubiak -- he realized how aligned they were in their vision and mentality.
It was enough to make up for his absence of playcalling experience, but as Fleury readily admits, "doing it for the first time at this level is going to present some challenges."
While much of Seattle's playbook will remain the same, one likely change will be an increase in shifts and motions. The time those can take off the play clock increases the need for an offense to operate efficiently between each snap. That begins with Fleury getting his playcalls out on time.
"I try to make it harder on myself," Fleury said. "There's a lot of thought that'll go into it beforehand, going into a game. You'll have stuff all laid out on your sheet, but I try and challenge myself at times just to think off the top of my head and see if I can get it out on time for the sake of the quarterbacks and the playcall. We're practicing all the time."
More observations:
After Riq Woolen's departure in free agency, No. 3 cornerback is among the jobs that's up for grabs on Seattle's defense. The competition is on between incumbent Nehemiah Pritchett and free agent addition Noah Igbinoghene. "I think Nehemiah's doing a great job and I think as we go, you'll see who else shows up and just wait for the opportunity," defensive coordinator Aden Durde said. "I think the games and when we go against different people, that will really show itself. When we put pads on and you have to tackle and you have to play our style, we'll find out."
Igbinoghene, a 2020 first-round pick who can play inside and on the perimeter, blew up a run play Tuesday when he blitzed from the slot. "I think he's shown up a lot on early-down football, coming up, hitting the run, doing some great things in man," Durde said. "I think he's shown some great things."
Third-round pick Julian Neal could enter the No. 3 cornerback competition, but he has missed the past week with an undisclosed injury. Macdonald has described it as a "shorter-term" issue.
Also still sidelined Tuesday were WR Jake Bobo, DL Mike Morris, LBs Jamie Sheriff and Chris Paul Jr., and FB Robbie Ouzts. RB Jacardia Wright didn't practice after injuring his foot Monday.
Monday, Aug. 3
The play of the day on Monday was one that Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald had been wanting to see.
With Seattle's No. 1 offense facing the No. 2 defense in an 11-on-11 session, Sam Darnold found Rashid Shaheed deep down the middle of the field for a touchdown. Shaheed had gained more than a step on speedy rookie cornerback Michael Dansby, and Darnold hit him in perfect stride.
"We got it thrown over our head finally, so that was a good wakeup call for us on defense," Macdonald said. "But that's definitely a point of emphasis after this first week is trying to get Rashid the ball on some of those deeper targets."
The Seahawks might not have claimed the NFC's No. 1 seed last year or won Super Bowl LX if it weren't for their midseason acquisition of Shaheed, whom they re-signed in March to a three-year, $51 million deal. But his playmaking mostly came on special teams, where he scored three return touchdowns.
His offensive production -- an average of 29.3 scrimmage yards over 12 games with Seattle -- left something to be desired, especially considering he had previously played for then-coordinator Klint Kubiak in New Orleans.
While the playbook wasn't new to Shaheed, the quarterback was, and their lack of familiarity may have played some role in the receiver's underwhelming production. Even on the biggest offensive play he made for Seattle -- a 51-yard catch in the NFC Championship Game -- their timing was off by a hair, as Shaheed had to break his stride just enough to allow the cornerback he had beaten to catch back up and prevent a touchdown.
The two couldn't connect on a pair of deep throws in the Super Bowl, one of which was sightly overthrown.
But they did on Monday.
"There's way more banked reps underneath our belt," Macdonald said of Darnold and Shaheed, who got together for throwing sessions over the summer in Southern California, where both are from. "I think both guys are in a really good place. Kind of the challenge of camp is, how far can we take it? Really, that's what we're focusing on right now, is how far can we take that relationship? How far can we take his route tree? How great of a timing can we create with those two guys?"
More observations from the day:
Macdonald said the undisclosed injury that has kept rookie CB Julian Neal out for the last few days is a "shorter-term" issue.
Also remaining out Monday were WR Jake Bobo, DL Mike Morris, LBs Jamie Sheriff and Chris Paul Jr., OLB Jared Ivey and FB Robbie Ouzts. "We're going to try to find some more information with Robbie's situation," Macdonald said. "I'll just leave it at that right now. We'll have an update for you sooner than later."
Macdonald recently lauded CB Devon Witherspoon for continuing to bring his usual enthusiasm despite his unsettled contract situation. He gave similar praise Monday to DT Leonard Williams, who recently said that his agents and the Seahawks have talked about an extension. "To be able to manage that and still be a person that he is every day and be the asset that he is for the rest of his teammates and put the football product on the field like he is every day, it's pretty remarkable," Macdonald said. "Spoon's doing the same thing. You really just tip your cap to him, honestly."
The Seahawks got a visit Monday from San Antonio Spurs coach Mitch Johnson and several other members of that organization. Johnson is a Seattle native and Seahawks fan. Macdonald said they share an alignment in "how we want to run our programs" as well as the experience of having taken over for a legendary coach (Pete Carroll in Seattle, Gregg Popovich in San Antonio).
Among the ex-Seahawks in attendance was Duane Brown, Seattle's left tackle from 2017 to 2021. He appears to have slimmed down significantly since he last played for the Jets in 2023. Said RT Abraham Lucas: "Honestly, I had no idea that was Duane Brown. I hope I look that way when I'm done playing."
Saturday, Aug. 1
Arguably no Seahawks player has stood out in any of the first seven practices of camp as much as Elijah Arroyo did Saturday. The second-year tight end was the clear star on a good day for the offense.
It started in a red zone one-on-one period, when he caught touchdown passes on a high-point fade and a toe-tapper in the back of the end zone. In the subsequent team period, Sam Darnold hit a wide-open Arroyo down the field for another score.
It was a strong follow-up to Arroyo's performance Friday, which was highlighted by a long reception on a deep throw from QB3 Jalen Milroe.
It's one thing to make plays like that in a noncontact spring practice, when pass catchers tend to shine because defenders aren't fully contesting throws. Arroyo is doing it in the more realistic setting of training camp. Can he continue to do it when the games begin?
Drafted 50th in the 2025 draft, Arroyo was as impressive as any Seahawks rookie during the spring and summer, but it didn't translate to regular-season production. He caught 15 passes on 26 targets for 179 yards and a touchdown in 14 games, including the Super Bowl. He spent five games on injured reserve (knee) and was inactive for the NFC Championship Game after returning to the active roster.
With a first-time playcaller in Brian Fleury, Kenneth Walker III gone and fellow running back Zach Charbonnet coming off ACL surgery, there are some legitimate question marks with Seattle's offense. But whether Darnold has enough targets to throw to is not one of them -- especially if Arroyo emerges in Year 2.
More observations:
RG Anthony Bradford and LB Ernest Jones IV were back after not finishing practice Friday.
FB Robbie Ouzts did not practice.
Still sidelined are WR Jake Bobo, CB Julian Neal, DT Brandon Pili, LB Jamie Sheriff and OLB Jared Ivey.
The Seahawks have an off day Sunday.
Seattle signed LB Joseph Vaughn and waived/injured LB Ja'Markis Weston.
Friday, July 31
The Seahawks' second practice in pads brought their first fight of this year's training camp.
Actually, there were a couple, both coming during an 11-on-11 period.
Defensive tackle Leonard Williams took exception to guard Bryce Cabeldue giving a one-handed shove to safety Rodney Thomas II at the end of a play. As Williams and Cabeldue were going at it, outside linebacker Derick Hall entered the fray and threw Cabeldue down from behind.
Outside linebacker Connor O'Toole and tackle Bobby Hart got into a post-play scuffle a few minutes later.
No one appeared to be kicked out of practice as a result. When it was over, Hart and linebacker Tyrice Knight were laughing as they walked off the field together.
"That's normal," defensive tackle Byron Murphy II said of the tempers flaring. "Just guys trying to get better. It ain't nothing personal. Just guys competing. We get very intense out there. It don't mean nothing. We're all brothers at the end of the day."
Other observations:
The Seahawks traded into the fifth round to draft Beau Stephens with the thought that he would give Anthony Bradford a push for the starting job at right guard. The team's rules prohibit reporting on players' reps, but it's safe to say there doesn't appear to be much of a competition at right guard, at least not yet. Bradford worked off to the side with a trainer for much of practice for undisclosed reasons. (Coach Mike Macdonald did not speak to reporters afterward.)
Also not finishing practice were linebackers Ernest Jones IV, Chris Paul Jr. and Ja'Markis Weston, as well as defensive lineman Mike Morris.
Thursday, July 30
For Byron Murphy II, last season was the breakout. Now, Seattle's 2024 first-round pick is trying to break through and leave no doubt that he belongs with teammate Leonard Williams in the conversation of the NFL's top defensive tackles.
Based on the way he's looked in one-on-ones so far in camp, he's off to a strong start. Murphy's dominance in that drill continued Thursday as the Seahawks put on pads for the first time. Murphy drove backup guard Christian Haynes into the backfield for a decisive win, then he used his quickness to beat starter Grey Zabel on consecutive reps.
"I didn't watch that drill today ... but really expect Murph to have a spike in productivity rushing the passer," coach Mike Macdonald said. "He's earned it. But he does it every day. It's great work for our offensive line. He's in a great spot."
The 16th overall pick in 2024, Murphy was plenty disruptive as a rookie but not all that productive, finishing with a half sack and one quarterback hit. He broke out with 7 sacks and 13 QB hits in last year's regular season -- before recording a pair of sacks in Seattle's Super Bowl LX win -- but was surprisingly left off the NFC Pro Bowl roster.
When ESPN's Jeremy Fowler compiled votes from league executives, scouts and coaches earlier this summer, Murphy came in as the NFL's 11th-ranked defensive tackle; Williams was No. 1.
But Murphy's talent, his trajectory and the early returns from training camp suggest he won't be outside the top 10 for long.
"I think he's been very intentional on his own development and then how he's invested his time, how he's handled his body, where he's trained, who he surrounds himself with," Macdonald said. "There's no wasted time. He's very deliberate on how he goes about his business. It's a great example for the guys. Nothing is going to change overnight, but having that deliberate process -- and we talk about stacking wins, a moment-by-moment mindset, those things come to life with Byron."
More observations:
As the man truly in charge of Seattle's defense, Macdonald doesn't always seem thrilled when the offense wins a period in practice. But he gave Brian Fleury's side of the ball its due when it picked up first downs three times while backed up at the 1-yard line. "Nice job, O!" Macdonald said.
Macdonald said this about S Nick Emmanwori and his recovery from recent ankle surgery: "He's in an adverse situation, and he's attacking it, and that's all you can ask him to do. He's made a lot of progress, which is exciting. ... He's done a great job. It's not going to be easy but he's just the man for the job."
Macdonald would not disclose injury specifics but said WR Jake Bobo and CB Julian Neal should be back soon. DT Brandon Pili, ILB Jamie Sheriff and OLB Jared Ivey are also sidelined; Macdonald did not give the impression that their injuries are long-term concerns.
Tuesday, July 28
What about the Seahawks' offense is most different under new coordinator Brian Fleury?
"The wing-T stuff that we've got in is fantastic," veteran wideout Cooper Kupp joked Tuesday. "I like the dynamic of the receivers in three-point stances."
No, the Super Bowl LX champions won't be incorporating high school X's and O's into their playbook. It'll largely be the same West Coast system they ran last season under Klint Kubiak.
But there will be some new wrinkles, and if Fleury's background is any indication, one of them probably will be an increase in pre-snap movement.
"Yeah, there's a lot more motion," veteran defensive tackle Leonard Williams said. "Fullback motion, tight end motions. Sometimes the tight end is in a fullback position and vice versa. It's definitely keeping our defense on our toes, and they're switching it up a lot. Sometimes they'll motion two tight ends to one side, and they'll run the ball that way. Sometimes they'll motion two to one side and run the ball the opposite way. So you can't really guess. You've got to really just read your keys."
That kind of movement has been a staple of the 49ers' offense under coach Kyle Shanahan. Fleury spent the past seven seasons in San Francisco -- including the past four as tight ends coach -- and was helping Shanahan devise rushing plays even before adding the title of run game coordinator in 2025.
In Shanahan's nine seasons with the 49ers, they've utilized motion before or at the snap (including shifts) on 71.7% of their offensive plays, according to ESPN Research. That's the third-highest rate in the NFL in that span. Under Kubiak last season, Seattle's motion rate of 63.0% ranked 13th.
More observations from the day:
After ending practice with an interception in the end zone on Monday, No. 3 quarterback Jalen Milroe had a much better day. His highlights included a touchdown pass to running back Jadarian Price, as well as an accurate strike to tight end Eric Saubert while rolling out to his left and throwing back across his body.
Right guard Anthony Bradford was the most impressive player on either side of the ball in one-on-ones against the defensive line. He won twice against Rylie Mills and had two more strong reps against Byron Murphy II. Seattle drafted Beau Stephens in the fifth round to push for the starting job, but Bradford remains the favorite.
Wide receivers Jake Bobo and Irv Charles, guard/tackle Josh Jones, cornerback Julian Neal and linebacker Jamie Sheriff were among the players who did not practice Tuesday.
Monday, July 27
There are questions with the Seahawks' backfield that will take time to sort out.
When will Zach Charbonnet return from February ACL surgery? In the meantime, how will the touches shake out between George Holani, Jadarian Price and Emanuel Wilson? Do they have enough explosiveness with Kenneth Walker III gone?
As for the question of how much Price can contribute in the passing game, he's starting to answer it. Seattle's first-round pick has stood out in that regard over the first three days of training camp, particularly on one play Monday.
In a 7-on-7 period, Price got open behind veteran linebacker Ernest Jones IV, then hauled in an over-the-shoulder throw from Sam Darnold deep down the field for a touchdown. Earlier in practice, he made an outstretched catch in the flat on a throw from Darnold that was slightly wide. The day before, Price slid to snag a low throw from QB3 Jalen Milroe.
"He's good, man," Jones said with a smile. "Mature for his age, you can tell. You don't get too many words out of him, but he's working. He got me today, man. He had a hell of a route on me today. ... I think he's going to help us. He's doing everything right and he's got a great group of backs in front of him that's kind of teaching him the way."
Price caught only 15 passes over three seasons at Notre Dame while backing up Jeremiyah Love, this year's No. 3 pick. But the early returns suggest that was more a function of Love's strengths than of Price's weaknesses.
This all comes with the caveat that defenders still aren't fully contesting passes at this stage of training camp. That will start to happen when they begin practicing in pads Thursday. Coach Mike Macdonald noted that it's somewhat hard to evaluate Price this early.
"But you can see the decisiveness, you can see the movement ability, the quickness, the speed, doing a lot of great things in pass protection, which I appreciate," he said. "So, it's positive right now. Just really excited about him. He's got a great opportunity in front of him. I know [running backs coach Thomas Hammock is] coaching his tail off and so I think we're in a good spot right now. But it'll be interesting to see how it shakes out when we start getting some more realistic ... looking reps."
More observations:
Practice ended with Milroe throwing an interception in the end zone to rookie cornerback Michael Dansby, capping what was a much better day for the defense than the offense. Said Macdonald: "I'd like to finish practice a little bit better."
Tight end AJ Barner said he's "feeling really good" after his recovery from a pair of offseason surgeries that sidelined him in the spring. He avoided the physically unable to perform list to begin training camp and has practiced all three days, though it looks and sounds as if his reps are being managed early.
The Seahawks plan to waive running back Kenny McIntosh, a source told ESPN. The 2023 seventh-round pick began training camp on the PUP list while recovering from a torn ACL he sustained last summer.
Sunday, July 26
During training camp, Seahawks coaches take turns delivering a talk during the morning team meeting. Mike Macdonald had the honor on Sunday, and his message centered around one of the pillars of the reigning Super Bowl champions' culture.
"Twelve as One" is Macdonald's oft-cited mantra about playing with a cohesive style. He used Michael Jordan and the 1990-91 Chicago Bulls as an example, and it resonated with safety Julian Love.
"His team meeting was on point today," Love said.
Macdonald relayed how Jordan had led the NBA in scoring for four straight years leading up to 1990-91 season, but it hadn't been enough to get Chicago past the Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference playoffs. It wasn't until MJ embraced coach Phil Jackson's team-oriented triangle offense that the Bulls finally beat "The Bad Boys" in 1991 on the way to their first of six NBA titles over an eight-year span.
"The idea of Jordan being the scoring champ for years before that but still not getting over the hump of the Pistons and him being selfless enough to dial it back a little bit and understand that 'we' gets the job done, I think when you start to play ball like that -- Phil Jackson incorporated that -- that's when you see the good stuff happen," Love said. "Basically his message is, the little nugget that he gave to us was that '12 as One' is real. The more we dive into and invest into each other, the more that we'll receive out of this whole deal. It was cool little nugget. I liked his team meeting today.""
More observations:
The best catch of the first two days of camp belongs to Cooper Kupp. In a seven-on-seven period, the 33-year-old receiver got a step on cornerback Josh Jobe down the left sideline and brought in a Sam Darnold throw with one hand while falling out of bounds. "That's Cooper Kupp for you," said Jaxon Smith-Njigba. "Great concentration with the left hand, diving. You don't really see that often ... but a spectacular play and something he definitely still has in his arsenal."
Backup linebacker Patrick O'Connell turned in the other play of the day in an 11-on-11 period when he dropped into coverage and made a leaping grab to pick off Darnold.
Saturday, July 25
The Seahawks have yet to sign Devon Witherspoon to a contract extension despite making their initial offer almost four months ago. But if there is any animosity between the team and its star cornerback over the situation, it is not apparent.
As was the case during the offseason program, Witherspoon bounced around with his usual enthusiasm while taking part in the first practice of training camp Saturday. As he was signing autographs for fans afterward, coach Mike Macdonald's 20-month-old son roamed the field at his mother's side dressed in a No. 21 Witherspoon jersey.
"I can tell you this: I couldn't have any more confidence in our process and all the people involved in the whole operation," Macdonald said when asked where things stand with Seattle's efforts to extend Witherspoon's contract. "I think that's the best way to describe it. I'm just really confident right now in where we are, in Spoon and all his people and the way we do business, so I'm just confident.
"And Spoon's doing a great job. He's practicing his tail off. He's the same guy. Nothing's changed. So really, we're just operating as usual right now."
It is not clear why Witherspoon's extension has taken so long to get done, but it might be related to him sharing the same agent as New England Patriots star cornerback Christian Gonzalez, who is also in line for a top-of-the-market deal. Earlier Saturday, Patriots owner Robert Kraft told reporters that the team has offered Gonzalez an extension that would make him the NFL's highest-paid corner. That would mean a new-money average of more than $31 million per season.
Devon Witherspoon enters with his usual enthusiasm. That hasn't changed despite his contract situation dragging out longer than anticipated. He's still all energy, all the time. pic.twitter.com/cZXZtuFO8V
— Brady Henderson (@BradyHenderson) July 25, 2026
More observations from the day:
Macdonald said Nick Emmanwori will not be sidelined "long term" after his recent ankle surgery. As ESPN first reported Wednesday, the second-year safety had an arthroscopic procedure after continuing to deal with soreness in his right ankle, which he sprained four days before Super Bowl LX. Macdonald playfully declined to say whether Emmanwori will be ready for the team's Sept. 9 opener against the New England Patriots, but sources have told ESPN that he's expected back by then.
The Seahawks' coach does not like to give estimates for when rehabbing players will return to play, so running back Zach Charbonnet's timetable remains unknown. But Macdonald shared a positive-sounding update regarding last year's co-starter in his return from ACL surgery in February. "He's done a phenomenal job," Macdonald said of Charbonnet, who is on the physically unable to perform list. "He's attacked the heck out of the offseason and his rehab as you would expect, and the returns have been what he's deserved. He's really put in that work. So, I'm really excited about where he is. No timetable right now, but man, he's kicking butt and he deserves a shoutout because he's a special guy."
Wide receiver Tory Horton (shin), tight end AJ Barner (ankle, shoulder) and tackle Josh Jones (undisclosed) all practiced Saturday after being sidelined during the spring.