Live From Lumen Field: On-site observations, news, and takeaways from Seahawks training camp

It was a beautiful evening for a Seattle Seahawks training camp at Lumen Field, and there was a lot to take in even with a shorter practice than Friday.

Morning clouds gave way to a bit of a hazy sunshine on a warm Saturday afternoon in Downtown Seattle. The 10th practice of Seattle Seahawks training camp was reserved for Lumen Field as part of the annual Football Fan Fest.

Unlike last year, which felt like mostly a normal training camp practice with a little bit of 11-on-11 scrimmages mixed in, there was a lot more game simulation across the first through third teams to leave fans (and, well, us blockheads who cover the team) entertained. It’s always great to see kids having a great time in a more relaxed environment than your typical meaningful game.

Myself, Bryce Coutts, and Dan Viens audibled our way to the 200-level section of Lumen Field to observe as much as we could.

Here are my notes, some of which can be corroborated by Bryce and Dan if you bother them on social media. Once again, I will not be overly detailed with what the Seahawks were showing/doing in order to “protect the team.” It’s also hard to be detailed when they forbid filming any team portion of practice, and when they split the individual drills on opposite sides you can’t watch everything.

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Offense

• We cracked the Christian Haynes mystery before Mike Macdonald said anything. Haynes was not part of Friday’s team drills for reasons that looked more like he was being benched or disciplined than injured. Haynes was again AWOL from 11-on-11s, but Bryce noticed that Haynes had a brace on his left shoulder that wasn’t there the previous day, as if to indicate an injury. It turns out that Haynes has a minor pec injury, per Mike Macdonald, so credit to eagle-eyed Bryce on that front. It may also explain why Haynes has been doing center stuff and not guard work, because he snaps the ball with his right hand. That’s still a setback for Haynes in terms of development if he’s to win any position on the OL.
• The Olu Oluwatimi vs. Jalen Sundell competition may not be over just yet. There was a more even split of 1s reps between those two at center compared to Friday. Sundell was moved all over the line whether with the 1s or 2s, which can mean anything ranging from wanting to find a spot for him in the lineup to the McClendon Curtis “move you around but waive you if you don’t start” scenario. I lean toward Option A.
• Jalen Milroe delighted the crowd with his highlights, and Tyrone Broden Jr is his favorite target. While I love Milroe’s ability to quickly accelerate and scramble out of the pocket, I did want to see him actually throw a few times in 11-on-11. After scrambling almost exclusively on his first handful of snaps, we saw the best of Milroe’s arm and touch with his downfield accuracy. Milroe threw a pair of touchdowns to the UDFA rookie Tyrone Broden Jr, including a curtain closer in which (I believe) Connor O’Toole was rushing off the edge and got pressure in his face, only for Milroe to deliver a perfect strike to Broden in the front left of the end zone, with new CB Keydrain Calligan in coverage. The crowd reception was very loud for any positive moment from Milroe, and I think this was a much better day for him than Friday. Milroe also threw a 45-yard beauty to John Rhys Plumlee in 1-on-1s that was dropped in a bucket over Isas Waxter, who was a clear step behind. On a read option, Milroe zipped by a frozen Connor O’Toole like he wasn’t even in the picture. There are still some short-range accuracy issues that will need to be corrected in due time, as it’s often the easier throws that he’s putting in the dirt.
• Not the best day for Drew Lock or Elijah Arroyo. Lock has generally had a good camp but he was wayward on Saturday. He sailed several passes in the scrimmages and should’ve been pick 6’d on a late, telegraphed out route throw that was not hauled in by Damarion Williams. Elijah Arroyo had a couple of bobbles and drops (one with Riq Woolen in coverage) and wasn’t as prevalent in the offense as A.J. Barner. There was also a 1-on-1 rep vs. Nick Emmanwori that was all Nick.
• Sam Darnold looked poised. I won’t say Darnold was outstanding in terms of his passing accuracy, but he appeared confident in going through his progressions and making sound decisions, bar one pressured throw that Devon Witherspoon nearly picked off. In the two practices I’ve been to there hasn’t been much in the way of deep passing; I’m also aware that what we see in practice is a tiny fraction of what will be called in actual games. I have no concerns about Darnold’s arm, especially with how well I’ve seen him throw out-breaking routes, but the real test for me is how he looks when he’s pressured. There’s a good chance the OL is still enough of a liability on the interior that it will really challenge his pocket mobility and decision making when he decides to throw.
• Tory Horton was working a lot with Sam Darnold and the starters. Whether in individual reps/pass skels or the scrimmages, Horton was getting time with the first-teamers. When Seattle was in 13 personnel, Horton was often (if not exclusively) the lone receiver. He was also in the three-receiver sets in 11 personnel over MVS at times. Horton’s hands appear to be outstanding and my only question is what happens when it’s live speed and he has to take on meaningful contact in traffic. Otherwise? Consider me hyped about Horton. I must note that he fumbled a punt return but I’d like to think he’s not luxury brand Dee Williams.
• Under center, power football is back on the menu? Let me preface this by saying that it’s still a scrimmage without going 100%, so do not interpret this as the Seahawks are going to be a dominant, smash mouth football team. With that said, a significant portion of what the offense worked on with the 1s in the game was under center. Robbie Ouzts worked with the 1s, 2s, and 3s and just looks like a guy who wants to smash whoever is in front of him. There’s no need to question his roster status. I should note that when Jalen Milroe was in the game, we saw a bit more shotgun and some pistol looks, which is to be expected when Milroe is the only read option threat on the depth chart.
• Favorite play: Sam Darnold to Jaxon Smith-Njigba off play-action. There is no way the Seahawks won’t run more PA this year, especially from under center. This particular play was not a rollout from a single-back, but it was beautiful to watch. Darnold had a clean pocket (the pass pro was good from the 1s most of the way, including Anthony Bradford), JSN ran a corner route and Darnold laid it in there for a 30+ yard gain. We saw not remotely enough of this last season and I think we’ll get that corrected this year. JSN is also ready to build on last year’s success, and I see his yards per catch increase even if he doesn’t hit 100 total receptions like he did in 2024.
• Zach Charbonnet looks faster. As someone who has been down on Charbonnet in the past and warmed up to him last season, Zach looks in tremendous shape and is showcasing burst off the handoff and he’s hitting holes with authority. With Kenneth Walker III out with a sore foot, Charbonnet has been RB1… and I think some games he will be RB1 even when Walker is healthy again.
• Much like Tyrone Broden, Jacardia Wright could be a fun preseason watch. The third-team offensive line was a bit of a horror show in pass pro, but there were some good moments in the run game with UDFA rookie Jacardia Wright. He had what would’ve hypothetically been the longest run of 11-on-11 on a stretch to the outside off left tackle. Wright will have a near-impossible task to make the team, but I can see him being stashed on the practice squad.

Defense

• ‘Tank’ Lawrence looks like he still has plenty left in the tank. Lawrence was giving the Seahawks 1s fits, including rookie Grey Zabel, but Grey is supposed to get his “welcome to the NFL” moments. I believe he’ll be huge for improving the run defense even more after a good finish to last season.
• Devon Witherspoon with a great teammate moment. It’s been tough sledding for Jerrick Reed II given the injuries he’s suffered over two seasons. In a 1-on-1 rep (my memory is foggy on who he went up against), Reed had a PBU in the end zone and Witherspoon was the first to go to him and pump him up. You love to see it.
• AJ Finley’s season might be over. You hate to see injuries under any circumstances but the Seahawks may have once again lost a player to a season-ending knee injury in training camp. On Jalen Milroe’s touchdown pass to a double covered Dareke Young, Finley landed awkwardly and was face down in pain. Trainers rushed to Finley while some of his teammates knelt in prayer, which might have been a sign of something bad given we were obscured by the trainers and couldn’t hear if he was in audible agony. Macdonald indicated it may be a bad knee injury, which is a bummer on what was a terrific play by Young on a risky jumping throw by Milroe.
• Mike Morris and Brandon Pili continue to be impactful against the run. We’ve had this familiar feeling with Morris as this big 3-tech/stand-up EDGE hybrid guy, but it’s good to see him at least being a net positive against his equivalent competition. Pili has been disruptive in terms of blowing up run plays and showcasing some interior pass rushing chops as a pure nose tackle. I believe Pili has a shot to be on the initial 53, especially as Johnathan Hankins has yet to come off PUP.
• Jamie Sheriff hasn’t really moved to off-ball. Sheriff worked with the inside linebackers in warmups, but lined up as an outside linebacker in 11-on-11s the whole time I could observe. Over two practices I cannot recall Sheriff actually lining up in the second level.
• D’Anthony Bell is making the Seahawks roster. Again, it’s camp and not a fully fledged game where everyone is hitting and the physicality is at it peak, but Bell has been working with the 2s as mostly a box safety. Expect him to come on the field in nickel or dime packages, perhaps working as an auxiliary linebacker much in the way we expect out of Nick Emmanwori.

Special Teams

• Brady Russell was the backup long snapper with Chris Stoll out. Stoll tweaked something on Friday so he sat out Saturday. Not a chance in hell I remember who the next man up at long snapper is, but we found the answer quickly. I know I left Russell off the 53-man roster projection the last time, but I’m not doing that again.
• Jake Bobo, punt returner? With no Steven Sims, the Seahawks had Tory Horton on kick and punt return duties. How about the possibility of more Bobo? This was a pre-team drill exercise and Bobo was sharing duties with Horton (among others).

It wasn’t one of Bobo’s better days in terms of scrimmage or 1-on-1s but this was something worth noting.

• George Holani’s main advantage over Damien Martinez. By no means is this a main determining factor for RB3 or even who gets to be RB3 vs. RB4. However, Martinez is not a special teams contributor (returner, gunner, etc.) and Holani is. Holani was receiving kicks as the Seahawks tested out the amended dynamic kickoff rules, and should be one of the main returners throughout preseason.

Miscellaneous

• Marcus Trufant and Kam Chancellor were the Seahawks legends of the evening, so no irony for the “Seahawks legends” term on this occasion.
• Bryce noted that Andrew Janocko (Quarterbacks coach) was also calling plays and not just Klint Kubiak.
• There were so many throwback uniforms in the stands, such that I’d say the majority of people who wore Seahawks unis had the throwbacks.
• Rylie Mills and Uchenna Nwosu had bands on their legs as they recover from their respective injuries. Shemar Jean-Charles, Ricky White III, and Montorie Foster Jr were among the players who sat out Saturday due to injuries.
• Josh Jones has filled in quite well at left tackle while Charles Cross is out. Amari Kight has taken the RT role with the 2s, which is where Jones frequently was prior to Cross’ finger surgery.
• Mike Macdonald had the 1s on defense go up against the 2s and 3s on offense and vice versa. You can probably guess which matchup was more lopsided.
• I saw some outstanding catches in the stands during the end-of-practice football toss by the players. The young man in the JSN jersey brought the ball into his body like an All-Pro and I salute him.
• Not every ball was thrown into the crowd. Michael Dickson punted a few and I think Bryce Cabeldue did one. If you want to see Cody White get the fans going, take a look!

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The Seahawks have Sunday off and return to practice on Monday. It will not be open to the public.

Thank you to everyone who followed the on-site coverage, podcasts, and reporting from both Field Gulls and our awesome collaboration with Dan (Seahawks Forever), Brandon Cain (The Hawk’s Nest), and Corbin (Locked On Seahawks/Emerald City Spectrum). We even met a few of you who follow at least one of these podcasts and/or reads Field Gulls, which was a cool experience. If you missed the previous article, you can check out our video recap from last night outside of Lumen Field in the video below, and I should note this was recorded before we found out any quotes from Mike Macdonald’s press conference re Haynes and Finley injuries.