The Seattle Seahawks begin their 2023 training camp on Wednesday, July 26, and fans — for the first time since 2020 — have good reason to be optimistic about the team’s place in the NFL pecking order.
If the announcement of the Seahawks’ throwback uniforms (which seem to be unanimously beloved) wasn’t enough, hopefully a retooled defense and reloaded offense will play up to expectations when the regular season kicks off Sept. 10.
Before that, however, Seattle will have to trim its current 90-man roster down to 53 (the new, single deadline is Aug. 29, following offseason rule changes). Thirty-two of those current 90 are rookies, with 22 being undrafted free agents.
If even a few of those players are suiting up on Sundays, the Seahawks will continue trending upward after last year’s impressive batch of first-year pros. Notable free agent signings becoming quality starters or rotational players would be a plus, too.
New (and old) faces
Two of Seattle’s notable offseason free agent signings were both originally drafted by the team.
Linebacker Bobby Wagner returns to the Seahawks after 10 seasons with the team and a one-year detour to Los Angeles to play with the then-reigning Super Bowl champion Rams.
Defensive lineman Jarran Reed, a 2016 second-round pick by the Seahawks (49th overall), is also back after spending the last two seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs and Green Bay Packers, respectively.
Both are expected to step into starting roles to aid a Seattle defense that allowed the third-most rushing yards per game in 2022 (150.2). Defensive lineman Dre’Mont Jones — who was lured away from the Denver Broncos in free agency — has also joined the fray, and he is likely to lineup opposite of Reed on the left side of Seattle’s base three-man front.
Safety Julian Love, a 2019 fourth-round pick by the Giants, will fill the shoes of departed rising star Ryan Neal (signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers). Love may enter the 2023 season as Seattle’s starting strong safety if Jamal Adams isn’t ready to go week one and could be a long-term replacement if Adams’ lacking availability persists.
Have the Seahawks closed the gap on the 49ers?
Yes. The real question is, by how much? San Francisco undoubtedly has the better, more experienced roster. But I think a split of the season series is plausible this year. (I will leave a playoff rematch prediction to months down the road.)
Seattle, on paper, is a better team than it was in 2022. Plus, the 49ers have a big question mark at quarterback. Sure, keep writing off Geno Smith if you want, but his numbers last season proved he is a top-15 quarterback in the NFL.
The Seahawks’ developing defense will be the key to deciding who wins the NFC West this season.
Rookies to watch
No, this won’t be multiple paragraphs pouring over the most obvious of the bunch in No. 5 overall pick Devon Witherspoon and No. 20 Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
Yes, both are expected to be immediate impact players, and they are some of the most intriguing prospects (namely from being high-value draft picks) Seattle has brought in since the team’s drafts of 2010–12.
Here are some other names to watch as training camp kicks off.
Olu Oluwatimi, center, University of Michigan
Oluwatimi, selected 154th overall (fifth round), will make a push for the starting center position behind Evan Brown — a fourth-year pro who came over from the Detroit Lions. The 6-foot-3, 307-pound Oluwatimi was awarded the Rimington Trophy for his play in 2022, crowning him the top center in NCAA Division I football.
Derick Hall, linebacker, Auburn University
Hall was selected by Seattle in the second round (37th overall) with the hope he can — at least eventually — be an asset as a pass rusher (19 career sacks at Auburn). He will transition from defensive end to outside linebacker in Seattle’s 3-4 defense, and his 83-inch wingspan will translate well to the NFL.
Even if he is a project, Hall will be under the microscope during training camp as the Seahawks’ third selection in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Kenny McIntosh, running back, University of Georgia
One of my favorites. McIntosh was selected 237th overall (seventh round) and is projected to be the fourth running back on Seattle’s depth chart entering 2023. He was the second running back the Seahawks selected (Zach Charbonnet, 52nd overall), but he has a real chance to make an impact as a rookie return specialist.
McIntosh has a chance to edge DeeJay Dallas for the third spot on Seattle’s depth chart, which would give him a better chance to see the field on offense. He’s a dual-threat back, recording 829 yards rushing and 504 yards receiving at Georgia in 2022.
