In less than one minute of actual game time on Sunday night, Elijah Arroyo showed exactly why the Seattle Seahawks spent a third-round draft pick on him last season. During the team’s first drive against Tennessee, he first caught an easy cross to convert a third-and-one to pick up 14 yards.
Guard Mason Richman was hurt on the play, so the next one had to wait a while. When Drew Lock finally got the ball in his hands again, the Titans blew a coverage. With two defenders both moving to cover a short out, there was no one in front of Arroyo as he raced down the seam. Arroyo is way too fast for anyone to catch him in that situation. The result was a 36-yard touchdown pass.
“It was a whole lot of green grass,” the tight end told the media after the game.
Seattle Seahawks tight end Elijah Arroyo gives the team a genuine secret weapon
When discussing Jacardia Wright’s 69-yard touchdown run later in the first quarter, Arroyo said, “It takes all eleven of us. We all went out and did our job.”
That may sound like standard team-speak. One thing we have learned about this Seahawks team under Mike Macdonald is that they say the right things in public. But that “all-eleven” mantra appears to be far more than an empty slogan. And for the Seahawks offense to thrive this season, it appears as if it is going to take all four of the likely tight ends on the roster to do their jobs as well.
A lot has been made about how the Rams’ Sean McVay has reintroduced 13-personnel to the NFL. LA ran a lot of it last season, often to great effect. The lineup uses one back, one wideout and three tight ends. In the modern game, when those tight ends tend to be far faster and more versatile than tight ends of old, it is an alignment that gives a play-caller great run-pass flexibility.
Provided, of course, you have the athletes.
Last year, the Seahawks surprised some observers by keeping a fourth tight end – UDFA Nick Kallerup – on their final 53-man roster. The idea of keeping a fourth tight end was not surprising. The surprising part was that with a new offensive coordinator in place, the team also kept two fullbacks.
Both Robbie Ouzts and Brady Russell had played tight end for most of their career prior to 2025. So in effect, the Seahawks kept four tight ends along with two other players who could step in at the position if needed.
That is a lot of tight ends.
With Brian Fleury now in charge of the offense, we won’t know for sure whether they will maintain that roster structure until Sunday, when final cuts are made. But it would surprise no one if they once again keep four tight ends.
That group is developing into one of the NFL’s most underrated. It begins with AJ Barner. Now entering his third season, the fourth-round draft pick has developed into one of the better two-way tight ends in the league. He was known as a very good blocker coming out of Michigan, with some decent receiving upside.
Last year, he finished second on the team in receptions and touchdown catches. He was one of just three pass catchers to surpass 500 yards. His touchdown catch in the fourth quarter of last year’s Super Bowl put to rest any concerns that the Patriots could mount a miraculous comeback.
If Barner is Seattle’s best run-pass option at tight end (and he does not merely block on those running plays – on short yardage, he may get under center and run the ball himself) – Eric Saubert and Nick Kallerup provide strong blocking.
The veteran Saubert brings a tough-minded savvy to the offense. His return from a midseason injury coincided with the team’s surge late in the season, and his two-point conversion catch against the Rams turned out to be one of the most significant plays of the year.
Kallerup has yet to make a mark, and his future is not as secure as the others. But Seattle clearly likes the physical presence he brings to the offense, and don’t be surprised if he makes the roster again and perhaps sees a few more offensive snaps in his second season.
Arroyo was the missing piece last year. He showed flashes of his downfield receiving ability a couple of times, but never became a regular part of the offense. This year, he says the game has slowed down for him. He showed that on Sunday.
The Seahawks were using mostly second-team personnel against the Titans' starting defense, but Arroyo made it look very easy. If he can build on that and provide one more formidable receiving option from the tight end spot, it will give Brian Fleury and the entire offense even more flexibility this year.
And that should worry opposing defenses.
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