Ranking Seahawks: Special Teams Aces Vying for Roster Spots Headline No. 60-56
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 with No. 60-56 on my annual rankings, two core special teamers will look to lock up spots on the roster and a pair of second-year linemen have sights on expanded roles in the trenches.
Mariners Lose Batting Fight in Spite of Strong Glovework, Drop Series to Marlins
“It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog.” It’s one of those quotes that is older than its normal attribution (in this case, Dwight Eisenhower). Today’s common formulation of the phrase may indeed trace back to a coach at the University of Washington back in the late 1920s, but as with so many things that are said before they are written, its true origin lies somewhere in the primordial mud of history.
Many on the Mariners - especially skipper Dan Wilson - often discuss the team’s fight and willingness to claw back from adversity. But the defining moment of the team’s 2-0 loss to the Miami Marlins on Wednesday was its very end: with both ABS challenges available and two outs in the top of the ninth, Cole Young watched a 2-2 pitch outside get called strike three to end the game. He did not issue a challenge, simply hanging his head in shame as he walked back to the dugout. The brief window of time to get his team a lifeline passed quickly.
“I think sometimes that's not the first thing that pops into your head in that kind of a situation,” Wilson said, “but you still have to remind yourself sometimes about the ABS.”
But as they say - once is a happenstance, twice is a coincidence, and thrice is a pattern. The Mariners have had games like Wednesday’s, where players across the lineup leave things on the table, plenty more times than that in 2026. If the players aren’t clawing and biting and fighting for every inch, if that aspect of the game is not a habit, then how deep of a well of resolve do the M’s really have? If the guy up at the plate with two outs in the ninth inning isn’t aware that the team has both challenges, how much water is this ship leaking?
The fight didn’t show up on offense, at least, though the M’s defense bailed themselves out of worse trouble. In a way, it was an inverse of Tuesday’s series opener when late action from the Mariners bats wasn’t enough to counteract the team’s defensive sluggishness. It was a loss all the same.
Jackson Ragen Earns Only Sounders All-Star Nod; Andrew Thomas Misses the Cut
Jackson Ragen is an All-Star.
Seattle's 6-6 center back, who first came into the organization through the Tacoma Defiance back in 2021, has been an iron man in Seattle's backline, starting in 11 of 13 games in 2026. He received a coach's selection from Charlotte FC skipper Dean Smith on Wednesday to make the cut.
He's used his frame to bail Seattle out of some sticky defensive situations, blocking two shots in a 1-0 win over San Jose back in March, and has been a mainstay in a center back partnership that has included Yeimar, Alex Roldan, Antino Lopez and Kim Kee-hee. According to FotMob, Ragen ranks in the top 98% for ball touches among MLS center backs and his ability to distribute the ball with a 55% long ball completion rate has been a valuable tool for head coach Brian Schmetzer’s squad for a few seasons now.
Camp Preview: Will Youth or Experience Win Out in Seahawks’ Wide Open Cornerback Competition?
Seeking a replacement for Riq Woolen behind starters Devon Witherspoon and Josh Jobe, the Seahawks will have as many as five players in the mix for the No. 3 cornerback spot with a blend of vets and rookies battling for snaps in training camp and the preseason. Will the seasoned veterans such as Noah Igbinoghene have the edge or will one of the team's three draft picks at the position such as Julian Neal be ready to play early in Mike Macdonald's defense?
In part one of the Emerald City Spectrum fan-driven camp preview series, reporter Corbin Smith discusses what Seattle's likely preference would be entering camp and why that preference may not match up with actual reality once the regular season opens against New England in September.
What Would a ‘Buyer-to-Buyer’ Trade for Mariners Look Like?
It’s almost the All-Star break. That means it’s trade rumors season. It’s an exciting time for all 30 MLB teams. If your team is in contention, excitement builds about which players your team’s general manager might acquire from another team. Fans enjoy conjecturing trade packages that would benefit their team.
Even if your favorite team is seemingly out of the race (although with now three Wild Card spots, that pool of teams is smaller than ever), there are still reasons to tune in. Die hard fans of teams not in contention start stalking the prospects of other MLB organizations, guessing which teams might trade for their best big leaguers to merit exciting young talent in return.
This season is a bit unique. The American League, as a whole, has been very mediocre. Only one team in the entire AL (Angels) is double-digit games back of a playoff spot. Even the 38-54 Royals are 8.5 games back of the last AL Wild Card spot. This leaves the August 3 trade deadline in a weird spot.
That led to Seattle Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto having an interesting quote on MLB Network Radio, saying, “I think there are enough contending teams with real holes or needs to fill that you might actually see more action with contender trading with contender like, buyer-to-buyer type trades to fill voids.”
Ex-Cougars Shining in NBA Summer League Circuit
The NBA Summer League is underway, giving fans their first look at many of the league's newest players while also providing young veterans an opportunity to continue their development.
This summer, two former Washington State Cougars will be competing on the NBA stage in Cedric Coward with the Memphis Grizzlies and Isaac Jones with the Detroit Pistons.
While the NBA's premier Summer League takes place in Las Vegas beginning Thursday, July 9, there were two smaller events that tipped off beforehand: the Salt Lake City Summer League and the California Classic Summer League. The Salt Lake City Summer League features four teams, while the California Classic includes teams playing in Sacramento and the Bay Area. Unlike the Las Vegas Summer League, which runs over 10 days and includes all 30 NBA franchises, the smaller events last only three days.
Mariners Squander Comeback Effort in Extras, Fall in 6-5 Walk-Off Heartbreaker to Marlins
The Seattle Mariners flew into south Florida as victors of five of their last six games, riding a wave of momentum back to the top of the AL West standings. Ready to build on their back-to-back series wins, Seattle was primed to go on a winning streak heading into the All-Star break this upcoming weekend.
The upstart Marlins had other plans, however, walking off their American League opponent in the bottom of the 10th inning to steal the series opener.
Hurler Bryan Woo continued to struggle on the road, allowing 10 baserunners and three runs across just five innings.The Marlins raced ahead to a 4-0 lead as the Mariners failed to score until the fifth. Seattle had the bases loaded in the fourth inning and came away with no runs, continuing a trend where the team seemingly forgets how to hit until the fifth inning or later.
Seattle rallied to a 5-4 lead in the eighth, but it proved insufficient as they were walked off two innings later, sealing another frustrating loss for a team intent on playing below their potential.
Gonzaga Brings in Saint Francis Transfer Skylar Wicks, Strengthen Wing Depth
Last season, the wings on Gonzaga’s roster held things together.
Whether it was Jalen Warley being a Swiss Army knife, Tyon Grant-Foster providing timely moments on both ends, or Davis Fogle stepping up with clutch shotmaking as a freshman, this position group played a huge role in the Zags going 31-4.
Only Fogle remains from that cluster, and incomers Isiah Harwell and Luca Foster figure to fill in as well, but GU supplemented its wing personnel after landing 6-6 transfer Skylar Wicks from Saint Francis. He becomes the third traditional transfer addition of the offseason for Gonzaga, and its eighth different incoming player.
The 26-year-old has followed a collegiate tenure similar to that of Grant-Foster, raising questions about his eligibility status for next season. But if all goes well, Wicks brings valued experience and scoring prowess at all three levels to the Bulldogs.
Storm’s Dominique Malonga Earns First All-Star Nod
Seattle Storm forward Dominique Malonga has been named a WNBA All-Star reserve for the first time in her two-year career, the league announced on Tuesday.
Malonga, who is leading the Storm in points (15.9), rebounds (7.4) and blocks (1.2), was the only Storm player selected to play in the All-Star game. The former 2025 No. 2 overall pick has been on a meteoric rise when healthy this season and is the youngest player in this year’s event (20 years old).
The Storm (6-17) have struggled overall this season in the first year of a major rebuild. But Malonga has become the clear-cut No. 1 scoring option, which is what was expected of her when the franchise drafted her out of France last year.
‘Lot of Work to Be Done': Seahawks WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba Eyes History After Life-Changing Breakout Season
There’s no such thing as perfect in the NFL, but if there’s ever been a player truly could flirt with such impeccability, Jaxon Smith-Njigba nearly pulled off the impossible in 2025.
Stepping out of the shadows of long-time stars Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf, Smith-Njigba exploded onto the scene as one of the league’s premier talents at any position in his third season with the Seahawks, shattering the club’s record with 1,793 receiving yards, joining Steve Largent as the second receiver in team history to garner First-Team All-Pro distinction, and becoming only the second player in franchise history to win Offensive Player of the Year honors. Away from his abundance of individual accolades, his dominance helped lead Seattle to its second Super Bowl title, culminating with him hoisting the Lombardi Trophy at Levis Stadium in February and parading with coaches and teammates in downtown days later.
To put a cherry on top, the Seahawks wasted little time locking up Smith-Njigba with the largest non-quarterback contract in NFL history one month later, signing him to a four-year, $168.6 million contract extension worth north of $42 million per season. In the aftermath, he even landed on Time’s Top 100 most influential people in sports for 2026.
While Smith-Njigba downplayed how much the stardom, winning a Super Bowl, and obtaining generational wealth has changed his life - he didn’t go out and make any “splurge” purchases after signing his contract, for example - there’s no question that he’s become one of the most identifiable players in professional sports seemingly overnight.
Trade Proposals: What Can Kraken Fetch in Return for Shane Wright?
According to multiple reports, first kicked off by NHL insider Elliotte Friedman of SportsNet.CA, the Seattle Kraken intend to trade center Shane Wright sometime this offseason.
Friedman quoted Wright’s agent saying, “I can confirm that we have had positive conversations with GM Jason Botterill, and he has agreed to move Shane this summer to a team in need of a top young centre.”
Unfortunately for the Kraken, if a deal does materialize, which isn’t as much of a given as Wright’s agent hinted, their leverage is compromised due to this report. Still, for a player who is not yet 23 years old and a former No. 4 overall pick who still has untapped upside, Seattle should be able to get some value in a trade package. Teams will bank on their own player development skills to get the most of a talent such as Wright. That should be tantalizing enough to garner a modest return at worst.
Let’s take a look at three possible trade scenarios for Seattle to move Wright in coming weeks.
Instant Takeaways: Storm Buck Road Woes With Decisive Win vs. Sparks
Flau’jae Johnson erupted early and finished with 23 points to help fuel the Seattle Storm to an 82-64 victory over the Los Angeles Sparks on Monday, July 6, at Crypto.com Arena.
The Storm (6-17) earned their best road victory of the season and have now won three of their last five games. After two straight losses that looked like they were trending back in the wrong direction, Seattle reversed the trend once again against a Kelsey Plum-less Sparks squad.
Los Angeles (8-11) dropped its third straight and fifth of its last six games as the Sparks have struggled mightily without Plum. They now have lost their last three games by an average margin of 23.3 points.
Analysis: If Kraken Trade Shane Wright, Who Replaces Him?
Shane Wright’s time in Seattle could be over. Or at least it looks that way.
Last week, Elliotte Friedman reported that the Seattle Kraken were working together with Wright’s agent Kurt Overhardt on a trade. Wright is entering his third full NHL season and took a step back in his production last season with 12 goals and 27 points in 74 games, far from the numbers the franchise was counting on from the former top-five selection.
Yesterday on his 32 Thoughts podcast, Friedman said that he got some push back on the rumor, but still believes the 22-year-old center will be traded this summer.
“It was pretty clear from talking to other teams that it’s not a guarantee from the Kraken,” the NHL insider said. “They’re not going to just do it to do it. They want to get something fair in return… But it’s clear that we’re headed in this direction.”
Analysis: Why Seiya Suzuki Could Be Missing Piece for Mariners
After coming up a few innings short of making the fall classic last October, the Seattle Mariners came into the season as one of the favorites to represent the American League in the World Series. Yet, even after winning five of its past six games, Seattle sits hovering just above the .500 mark.
Injuries and inconsistency have been the main culprits for not being able to pull away just yet in a pedestrian AL West division, but the inability to hit lefties has proven to be the M’s Achilles’ heel. During the offseason, the team added outfielder Rob Refsynder with the hopes he would help in that department, but he has been abysmal all season and recently landed on the disabled list with a knee injury, creating even more questions against southpaws.
Some improvement needs to come from current star players such as Cal Raleigh and Julio Rodriguez on this front, but outside additions are needed for a second half surge and a shot to get to the World Series for the first time. Of all the realistic options potentially out there, one stands out as a win/win for both teams with the pitcher-needy Cubs and outfielder Seiya Suzuki, who would be the ideal deadline addition for the M’s for a variety of reasons.
Washington State Rekindles Pac-12 Ties With Familiar Opponent in Oregon State
With the Pac-12 back open for business, Washington State will get to see a well-known foe in Oregon State, the only other program returning from the old conference. Like the Cougars, the Beavers were left scrambling after the Pac-12 fell apart in 2023.
Oregon State spent the last two football seasons as an independent while many of its other sports competed in the West Coast Conference. It wasn't an easy road, but the Beavers continued to find ways to compete despite the uncertainty. Now, with the rebuilt Pac-12 officially underway, Oregon State is back where it belongs. Along with Washington State, the Beavers will help usher in a new era of Pac-12 athletics as one of the two original members leading the way.
Football enters a new chapter in Corvallis this season under first-year head coach JaMarcus Shephard. Oregon State moved on from Trent Bray after the 2025 season and turned to Shephard to help get the program back on track. Before taking over the Beavers, Shephard built a strong reputation as one of college football's top assistant coaches, particularly as a wide receivers coach and recruiter. He now faces the challenge of rebuilding a program that has struggled since Jonathan Smith departed for Michigan State following the 2023 season.
Ranking Seahawks: Andre Fuller Among Trio of Recent Seventh Round Picks in No. 65-61
With the calendar quickly heading towards 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 with No. 65-61 on my annual rankings, a veteran running back will look to rediscover his pre-injury groove and a pair of recent seventh round picks have a shot to vie for backup roles at their respective positions.
Mariners Shove Second Straight Shutout of Blue Jays, Win Second Straight Series
How quickly things can turn around, how fleeting streaks of play can be.
That is both a consolation and a warning for the Mariners, who finished off a 5-1 homestand on Sunday with a 4-0 win over the Toronto Blue Jays. Just a week prior, they were reeling from one of the worst losses of the season, out of first with a losing record. They are now in first place by a game and a half and three games above .500.
It’s a good start, but the team still needs to build upon it with as many series wins as possible over the rest of the season. No team is as good as they look when they win nor as bad as they look when they lose, but every time the M’s look like the best versions of themselves, they inspire a little bit more confidence in others and in their own hearts.
Emerson Hancock had one of his best starts of the season, shoving seven scoreless.
With the piggyback permanently on hold, Emerson Hancock had the runway for a full start on Sunday. Going into his outing, however there were questions as to whether he could deal as well as he had earlier in the season.
Despite a career-best 3.47 ERA, 3.77 FIP, and 1.048 WHIP this year, Hancock’s last four starts had seen him give up 13 earned runs in 20 innings, an average of five frames per start. He had struggled to locate his sweeper during these outings, a fact that left him vulnerable to teams willing to ambush the fastball. These teams additionally benefited from some luck that his opponents hadn’t seen as much during his first couple months of work.
Mid-Season Check-in: Can Storm Still Make Playoff Push in Second Half?
The Seattle Storm are midway through their first rebuilding season after a mass exodus of talent. That major roster turnover also led to talent acquisition, but the lineup is filled with young, rising players who are still finding their footing in the WNBA.
At 5-17 overall, the Storm are exactly where many thought they would be in 2026. Sure, they have an emerging Dominique Malonga in her second season and exciting pieces around her, but there’s currently too much weight on the 20-year-old’s shoulders for Seattle to find consistent success.
Injuries haven’t helped. Malonga missed eight games from mid-May to early June, Ezi Magbegor has only recently returned and played the last two games, and Jordan Horston has missed five total games.
Expectations were low heading into the season, but hopes for the future were high. That continues to be the sentiment at this point in the campaign. But is there any chance the Storm could make a late-season run and push for a playoff berth?
Washington State, Rebuilt Pac-12 Welcome New Opponent in Gonzaga
With the rebuilt Pac-12 officially launching on July 1, the Washington State Cougars have a new conference home. While membership varies by sport, the Cougars no longer will have to piece together schedules as they have since the Pac-12 began to dissolve in 2023.
Now that league has kicked off operations, Emerald City Spectrum will be taking a look at each of Washington State's new conference opponents in football and men's basketball. First up on the docket is a school located just over an hour north of Pullman and the closest Pac-12 opponent to the Cougars as the Gonzaga Bulldogs enter the conference.
Gonzaga will join the Pac-12 in every varsity sport it sponsors, including men's and women's basketball. Because the university does not have a football program and has no intentions of changing that anytime soon, men's basketball serves as the flagship athletic program and the department's biggest revenue generator.
Mariners Blast Blue Jays on Independence Day, Still Need Consistency
About the only similarity between the Mariners’ game on July 3 and their game on July 4 was the general state of the Toronto Blue Jays offense. Even there, the degree of futility varied from day to day; the Jays had a generally mediocre offensive day on Friday and a horrific one on Saturday. The latter performance was largely due to the Mariner starter Logan Gilbert’s excellence.
Other than that, the games could not have been any more different. In one, the Mariners fell 2-0 as their offense failed to show up. In the other, Seattle torched the Blue Jays so badly that Myles Straw was pitching in the bottom of the eighth despite not being a pitcher. The 11-0 victory that the M’s put together was tremendously cathartic for a team that had been tied for fifth-lowest in run production during the month. The most catharsis of all was reserved for one Randy Arozarena, as despite his largely consistent career-year production, he had been the biggest standout in his team’s ugly batting performance the day prior: he lost both his team’s ABS challenges with nobody on in the first inning, neither in a conducive count for challenging.
Arozarena, as it turned out, was actually on the bad side of a 2-0 strike call in the bottom of the first with nobody on. This time, he didn’t challenge. The issues with his challenges in the first had been related to inning, yes, but challenging in the first inning isn’t bad if it’s a full count or there are men on base; but both of Arozarena’s challenges on Friday came with nobody on and without three balls. In any event, the Mariners left fielder whacked a double off the right field wall. Neither Dominic Canzone nor Cal Raleigh knocked him in, but perhaps it set a more favorable tone than the day prior, when the M’s were a few hairs away from being no-hit.
Randy Arozarena capped off a monster second inning with a grand slam.
Two men fell quickly to Jays starter Shane Bieber to begin the second, but the third out is no guarantee against any MLB offense. Cole Young lined a double into the right center gap and Victor Robles shot a liner of his own into left to log Seattle’s first run, but the real damage came a few minutes later as a single and a walk loaded the bases for the aforementioned Arozarena.
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