Training Camp Preview: Who Will Win Seahawks Looming Positional Battles?
Opening up training camp as the defending Super Bowl champion, the Seattle Seahawks will have the vast majority of their roster back for their title defense in 2026 after losing only five players in free agency, leaving few question marks in the starting lineup on offense, defense, and special teams rolling into a new year.
But while their roster didn’t undergo near as much turnover as most Super Bowl champs do and most of the starters from last year’s squad remain under contract, with a new eight-player draft class in tow and a handful of veteran additions brought onboard to bolster depth in free agency, the Seahawks still have plenty of positional battles set to play out over the next six weeks and change. This includes the search for a new starting running back along with the need for a new gunner to emerge on punt coverage to replace long-time special teams standout Dareke Young.
With camp set to kick off on July 25, which roster battles stand out as Seattle’s most intriguing? And how will each of them play out over the course of training camp and the preseason?
Washington State, Rebuilt Pac-12 Welcome New Opponent in Utah State
A former member of the Mountain West, the Utah State Aggies will be among the newcomers set to join the rebuilt Pac-12 this season. While the Aggies may not carry the national brand recognition of some schools, few programs outside the Power Four have been as consistently competitive in both football and men's basketball over the past several seasons.
For Washington State fans, Utah State is a familiar opponent. The two programs have met on the football field in recent years, but those non-conference matchups will now carry much more significance as conference games in the new-look Pac-12.
The Aggies' football program has experienced both success and transition over the last several years. Utah State captured the Mountain West championship in 2021 with an 11-win season under Blake Anderson, turning in one of the best campaigns in school history. The Aggies have made a bowl game in three of the last four seasons and seven out of the last eight.
Washington Women’s Basketball Mid-Summer Outlook: Projected Depth Chart, Key Questions and Expectations
Coming off an NCAA tournament berth this past March, the Washington Huskies women’s basketball team has a chance to be the best in program history this upcoming season with most of last year’s squad returning and more than enough talent to earn the right to host an NCAA tournament game for the first time since 2017.
While the season doesn’t start until November, the Huskies’ roster has begun to take shape. Tina Langley and her staff currently have 12 players committed to playing next year, leaving three spots available. They might choose to not fill every spot, given Washington only carried 14 players on its roster last year.
Here’s a look at the depth chart as it currently stands, some questions that need answering, and how high expectations should be for the program in 2026-27.
Seahawks Confident Nick Emmanwori Will Be Ready for Season Opener vs. Patriots
Despite undergoing surgery in the week leading up to report day for training camp, the Seattle Seahawks don’t have any concerns about safety Nick Emmanwori’s availability to kick off the season with a Super Bowl LX rematch against the New England Patriots.
According to sources connected with the player, Emmanwori underwent arthroscopic surgery during the past week to clean up his right ankle, which still had been providing some lingering discomfort for him even though he participated in OTAs and mandatory minicamp this spring. It’s unclear whether the procedure stems from a high ankle sprain that he suffered early in his rookie season or a separate lower ankle sprain suffered in practice during Super Bowl week back in February, but it could be a cumulative situation with both injuries happening on the same leg.
On Monday, Seattle placed Emmanwori on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list, deactivating him while keeping him on the 90-man roster as he recovers. Given the timing of the surgery, he will likely miss at least the first few weeks of training camp and playing at all in the preseason seems improbable, but per team sources, the Seahawks expect he will be back at some point in August, allowing him to ramp up with plenty of time to work back into game shape before the season opener.
WATCH: Sounders Drop Fourth Straight Against Austin, Ragen to Miss Next Two Matches
If you didn’t think it could get worse than a 5-1 loss to Portland, Wednesday was a stark reminder it truly can.
Emerald City Spectrum reporter Qasim Ali recaps the Seattle Sounders’ 3-1 loss at 14th-place Austin FC, in which the home team scored twice after the 85th minute. It was a 95-degree night in Texas full of frustration, boiling to All-Star center back Jackson Ragen picking up two frustration-fueled yellow cards to ensure he misses the next two fixtures, including an August 1 rematch with Portland.
Mariners’ Meandering Losses to Reds Leave Team Shrinking Breathing Room
On March 31, 2026, the Mariners lost their sixth game of the season and fell to a .500 record. The team did so again on July 21, and in the 111 days between, they performed that same act thrice (June 20 and 25, July 9). Five times in between those days (April 3 and 29, May 29, June 29, and July 19), the M’s did the opposite, winning a game to get back to an even record.
Before the season, the team was held as one of the best squads in the American League. According to FanGraphs, they went into Wednesday’s matinee with the second-highest chance to win the World Series of any American League team, only behind the Yankees.
But the experience for the Mariners in 2026 has been a dreary cycle of drought and drenching. They get a set of wins and then the foot goes off the gas. They lose a bunch, struggle a bunch, and then get a cathartic burst of energy that sets them off for some wins. Rinse and repeat: 63% of the way through the season, they won half and lost half.
Wednesday wasn’t encouraging. Once again - this time by a score of 5-3 - the Mariners fell below .500, having lost the following two games of their series against the Reds to turn what could have been a momentum-bringing homestand into yet more water-treading.
Tuesday’s loss had been a little more of an encouraging one, with good at-bats during most of the game - other than clutch situations, as has been depressingly common with the team - and some good defensive plays by the Reds keeping Mariners runs off the board. But a mystifying decision by skipper Dan Wilson to put Michael Rucker in ended in a ninth-inning homer for Cincinnati and the complete dissipation of the team’s energy.
Both games were winnable, but the team plainly lacked the killer instinct to put the Reds away. Seattle is now 52-53; they would have to go 38-19 over the rest of the year just to match their win total from 2025. In more immediate terms, the losses continue their gradual, brick-by-brick immurement in the divisional race.
Ranking Seahawks: Nehemiah Pritchett, Christian Haynes Face Critical Camp Atop No. 40-36
With the calendar recently flipping to July and offseason workouts wrapped up league-wide for the summer, the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks will soon descend upon the Virginia Mason Athletic Center for the start of training camp, kicking off a much-anticipated 2026 season.
To celebrate the new incoming season, I will be ranking every member of the Seahawks 90-man roster over the next several weeks leading up to report day, providing detailed profiles, exploring best and worst case scenarios, and breaking down what to expect from each player entering the 2026 campaign.
Continuing the 90-man countdown with No. 40-36, two 2023 draft picks will have pressure on them to prove they deserve a roster spot with new competition on board to battle against and an incoming rookie has sights on a starting job in a crowded safety group.
Instant Takeaways: Storm Drop Sixth Straight vs. Lynx Ahead of All-Star Break
It was much closer than the final score suggests, but the Seattle Storm’s chronic shortcomings and late-game mistakes led to an 86-76 loss to the Minnesota Lynx on Wednesday, July 22, at Climate Pledge Arena.
Seattle (6-23) dropped its sixth straight game and eighth of its last nine. It also marked the second straight home loss to the Lynx in just three days following a three-point loss to Minnesota on July 20.
Minnesota (22-6) won its seventh in a row, leaning on the trio of Napheesa Collier (24 points), Kayla McBride (20) and Olivia Miles (13). Dominique Malonga led the Storm with 21 points on 9 of 13 shooting and added nine rebounds, two assists, one steal and four blocks.
Cougars Land In-State Standout Jaylen McLaughlin
Washington State continued to build for the future with the commitment of Bothell guard Jaylen McLaughlin, one of the top basketball prospects in the Evergreen State and now a member of the 2027 recruiting class.
The in-state standout announced his commitment to the Cougars, giving Washington State a quality recruiting victory while keeping one of the state's best young players close to home.
McLaughlin has quickly emerged as one of Washington's premier guards thanks to his ability to both score and create for his teammates. At 6-3, he has the versatility to play either guard position, making him a natural fit in head coach David Riley's up-tempo offensive system.
Washington Lands Sharpshooter Harun Zrno to Complete Offseason Overhaul
Washington appears to have added the final piece to its transfer portal class for the upcoming 2026-27 season. Set to join the Huskies, sophomore guard Harun Zrno committed to the program on Wednesday, filling the 15th and final roster spot.
The Bosnian product transferred in from Rutgers, where he spent his first season in the NCAA. He averaged 6.5 points on 34% from three on good volume at 4.5 attempts a game. Zrno suited up in all 34 games for the Scarlet Knights, averaging 19 minutes a contest.
Outside of his three-point shooting, Zrno didn’t really fill up the box score much, showing below average rebounding, passing, and defensive marks. Standing 6-7 and weighing 220 pounds, it remains to be seen if he can use his large frame to pull down more rebounds (1.6 per game) or protect the rim after recording just one block all season.
At 22 years old, the former Scarlet Knight projects as a low-usage shooting guard who will move around on offense to get open from three. He will likely be matchup dependent considering his defensive limitations and limited production outside of his perimeter shooting.
Analysis: Entering Contract Year With Kraken, What’s Jared McCann’s Long-Term Future Look Like?
A great goal-scoring winger, Jared McCann has flourished in an increased role since he joined the Seattle Kraken in their inaugural season. Over the last four seasons, he’s scored at a minimum of a 60-point pace. McCann even scored 40 goals four seasons ago.
But as an unrestricted free agent next offseason, his return to the Emerald City beyond the 2026-27 season remains uncertain. On the wing, the Kraken also have captain Jordan Eberle, recently-acquired Mackie Samoskevich, recently re-signed Bobby McMann, Kaapo Kakko, and top youngster Berkly Catton, creating a log-jam at the position.
Besides Eberle, McCann is the oldest of that group. He’s also the only winger without a contract beyond next season. Catton could eventually move back to center, but is best suited as a winger as of now. During his exit interview, McCann emphasized that he’s trying to help Seattle’s less experienced players, and that leadership may help his cause seeking another contract with the franchise.
“The young guys, I’m trying to help them as much as possible,” McCann said. “Tried to help them as much as I could this year, with growing. I feel like they’re a huge part of this organization moving forward. They’re gonna be the stepping stones to whatever happens [in the future].”
Lights, Camera, Lombardi: Seahawks Set to Star on Hard Knocks as Title Defense Begins
The show Hard Knocks has been a staple for football fans since its inception in 2001. Narrated by Liev Schreiber, the sights and sounds of that show welcome football fans to another season in the NFL. They typically cover a team’s training camp and the team's preparation for the upcoming football season. It’s enjoyable for fans to learn about some of the lower-level players on the roster and root for underdog stories. It typically highlights players fighting to make the roster or battle to become a starter.
Opening camp this upcoming weekend, the Seattle Seahawks will become the first reigning Super Bowl champs to be featured on the show since its inaugural year covering the Baltimore Ravens ahead of their title defense in 2001. The recent trade of the show had been a rebuilding team trying to find its footing, with franchises like the Bears and Jets, or a team right on the cusp of greatness like the Buffalo Bills last summer.
Previously, the Seahawks had been asked to be part of the show in 2013, but declined. The NFL now has the power to select a team to be part of Hard Knocks. Essentially, “volun-telling” them instead of waiting for a volunteer. Certainly, the Seahawks will bring eyeballs to the show as the reigning Super Bowl champions.
Which Washington Huskies Could Hear Their Names Called in 2027 NFL Draft?
With less than six weeks until the college football season begins, NFL scouts and talent evaluators already have started to build their preliminary draft boards for 2027.
The Washington Huskies had a remarkable seven players drafted in 2026, despite only three (Jonah Coleman, Denzel Boston, Tacario Davis) showing up in mock drafts before the season began, a testament to the progress made in year No. 2 under coach Jedd Fisch and his staff.
Seven drafted Huskies was the most since 10 had their names called in 2024, which of course came after a birth in the College Football Playoff title game. Fisch’s ability to develop his players into NFL draftees is highlighted by his mantra “Be a Pro” that is plastered all over the team facilities on Montlake.
The players internalize and buy into this philosophy as noted by fourth-round draft pick Carver Willis, who said, “Playing for Washington was the best decision I ever made. I will forever love my time here. It absolutely helped. And my time here is something I hold in great regard... the people I’ve met here and the things I’ve learned here, we all preach ‘Be a Pro,’ how to be a pro.”
Sounders and Reign Look to Regroup After Very Different Losses
RENTON, Wash. — Brian Schmetzer hasn't shaved.
The Seattle Sounders head coach since 2016, who has been a part of the organization as a player and coach since 1980 more or less, called last Thursday's 5-1 loss to team archrival Portland Timbers the "toughest loss" of his career.
"I know everybody's in a bad place," Schmetzer said of the atmosphere at the facility after Tuesday's training. "I haven't shaved, I don't eat anymore, this hurts."
We'll hope the comment about not eating is a joke, but what Seattle served up in its first game back from the June FIFA World Cup break certainly wasn't palatable.
The Sounders gave up three goals in seven minutes in the early second half, getting beat with ease down the touchlines to turn a 1-0 deficit into an inescapable hole.
By the third goal in the 60th minute, some fans started heading for the exits, an oddity so early in any Sounders game.
By the fourth three minutes later, completing a brace for Venezuelan U-22 striker Kevin Kelsy, fans left in droves. Many of those who remained booed their beloved Sounders.
"They have every right to demand better from us," All-Star center back Jackson Ragen said. "For us to come out like that, they have the right to ask for (better)."
“It’s the Same Baseball”: Michael Arroyo Finds Early Triple-A Success Despite Underlying Questions
TACOMA, Wash. - Beginner’s luck can be a blessing or a curse. Or both: just ask Colt Emerson, whose early apparent MLB breakout had a lot to do with early luck in the Show (and whose process has taken a big dive after that luck ran out).
It’s not clear how Michael Arroyo - the Mariners’ eighth-ranked prospect according to Baseball America - will be affected by his own good luck over his first week and a half of Triple-A play. But there’s no question that the 21-year-old righty has seen an early comfort boost at his new level as his batted balls keep falling in for hits.
“I think there’s a big difference between Double-A and Triple-A, but it’s the same baseball,” Arroyo said. “There’s a different environment, but it’s the same baseball and it’s the same game.”
Arroyo got the call-up from the Double-A Arkansas Travelers to the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers alongside fellow 21-year-old Lazaro Montes. Beyond their age, shared level, and status as top batting prospects, there are plenty of differences between these two.
Where Montes is one of the biggest power bats in the minors, Arroyo is a contact-first hitter with a history of good swing decisions. In Double-A this year, Arroyo swung at 79% of pitches in the zone and 29.3% of pitches outside the zone (per TJStats), a difference on par with the most discerning major league batters. During his first nine games in Triple-A, however, he has swung at 78.1% of pitches in the zone and 40% of pitches out of the zone, a much less impressive difference.
Right Timing Should Allow Seahawks to Keep Star DT Tandem Together Beyond 2026
In the era of the hard salary cap and rapidly rising quarterback, receiver, and pass rusher contracts that seemingly offset yearly cap jumps, it has become increasingly difficult for NFL teams to keep multiple stars from the same position group together over the long haul.
Specifically, there have been numerous examples over the years where teams have had to move on from a talented defensive tackle after choosing to give another defensive lineman a lucrative multi-year contract. Back in 2009, the Patriots traded future Hall of Famer Richard Seymour to the Raiders, opting to extend the younger Vince Wilfork long-term. A little over a decade later, the 49ers dealt DeForest Buckner to the Colts, instead keeping Arik Armstead on a five-year extension in the same position group.
Most recently, the Seahawks benefited from the Giants’ financial log-jam in the trenches, acquiring veteran Leonard Williams at the trade deadline in October 2023 for a second and fourth-round pick in the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft. The move opened up much-needed salary cap relief for an underachieving New York squad, which also had All-Pro defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence on the books on a new $90 million extension signed the previous March.
Just six months and change after orchestrating that trade, with Williams receiving his own new contract in Seattle after flourishing in 10 games with the Seahawks, general manager John Schneider doubled down on the interior defensive line come draft weekend. Even with “Big Cat” locked up for the next three years, the team invested the No. 16 overall pick in the first round on Texas defensive tackle Byron Murphy II, hoping to quickly build one of the league’s most formidable defensive fronts.
At the time, though that move received plenty of praise from the draft community, there were some pundits who questioned not going a different direction to address a more urgent need such as the interior offensive line.
Instant Takeaways: Storm Can't Finish Battle With Lynx, Drop Fifth Straight Game
Continuing to stack competitive performances, the Seattle Storm (6-22) found themselves in another tight contest, this time with the best team in the WNBA, the Minnesota Lynx (21-6).
But once again, Seattle couldn’t finish a game that came down to the wire, falling 105-102 at Climate Pledge Arena. The Storm dropped to 0-10 in games decided by five points or fewer this season and suffered their fifth straight loss.
It was an encouraging night for the future of the league, as rookie guards Flau’jae Johnson and Olivia Miles dueled against each other, showcasing why they were both first-round selections in this year’s draft. Yet in the end, Miles won the battle and led her team to stave off Johnson and Seattle.
Nick Emmanwori Among 3 Seahawks Veterans Placed on PUP List
Closing in on training camp report day for veterans later this week, the Seattle Seahawks placed standout second-year safety Nick Emmanwori, running back Kenny McIntosh, and cornerback Tyrone Broden on the Physically Unable to Perform list on Monday.
Of the three names, Emmanwori’s inclusion stands out as the most obvious surprise with an undisclosed injury. The Defensive Rookie of the Year runner up from a year ago participated in Seattle’s offseason program in full, taking the field for all open OTA and minicamp practices without any evidence of injury, and looked healthy at a recent youth football camp that he hosted in Edmonds.
Before fans hit the panic button on Emmanwori’s status, however, NFL teams often use the PUP lists for procedural reasons with players who arrive at camp nursing minor injuries such as hamstring pulls or other soft tissue strains, providing a buffer in case the ailment requires a bit of time before the player can return to the field. Teams cannot place players on the PUP list after practices have started, leaving only season-ending injured reserve as an option. To avoid that possibility, it makes sense to err on the side of caution with hopes the player will pass his physical sooner rather than later and be activated.
Washington State, Rebuilt Pac-12 Welcome Perennial Group of 5 Power Boise State
Just two years removed from being in the College Football Playoff, the Boise State Broncos immediately enter the rebuilt Pac-12 as one of the conference's top athletic programs, bringing a nationally respected football program and a basketball program that has become a consistent NCAA tournament contender. The Broncos arrive from the Mountain West as maybe the strongest brand among the league's newest schools.
For Washington State Cougars fans, Boise State is already a familiar opponent. The two schools have played in several memorable football games in the past and have faced off in basketball in recent years. Now, those matchups carry conference championship implications as both programs begin a new chapter in the Pac-12.
Football has long been the standard in Boise. Few Group of 5 programs have matched the success the Broncos have enjoyed since 2000, as they have racked up multiple conference championships, a plethora of double-digit win seasons, numerous New Year's Six bowl appearances, making Boise State one of college football's most recognizable programs.
Is it Time to Give Mariners’ Top Prospect Colt Emerson a Break?
Shortstop Colt Emerson began the 2026 season with the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers and the assumption was his stay with the last stop on the farm would be brief. That rang true when he made his MLB debut on May 17, following the injury to Brendan Donovan. He was hitting .255 with seven homers, an .816 OPS and 104 wRC+ in 38 games for the Rainiers at that point.
Emerson started off hot for Seattle, instantly legitimizing his promotion, posting an .838 OPS and six homers in his first 26 games with the big league club. Unfortunately, since Father’s Day in mid-June, it has been tough sledding for the 20-year-old rookie. He’s certainly showing his youth, with just one player in all MLB (Konnor Griffin) younger than him.
Since June 24, Emerson is batting .148 with a .433 OPS and 30 wRC+. Among the 313 batters with at least 150 plate appearances this season, his 34.1% strikeout rate ranks 309th. The Ohio native looks overmatched and overwhelmed at the plate.
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