As training camp approaches for the Seattle Seahawks, fans are excited to see some of the new pieces on the roster get on the field and make a statement in the position battles that have been discussed since the NFL Draft concluded.
In this year’s draft, the Seahawks made an intriguing move by drafting Miami standout tight end Elijah Arroyo with the No. 50 overall pick in the second round. Being such an early investment, naturally, fans would conclude that Arroyo would be a key fixture in the new-look offense for the Seahawks.
However, the target share among the tight ends could be murkier than initially expected. An early look at the projected depth chart from OurLads places Arroyo at third string among the tight ends.
Where Elijah Arroyo currently stands in Seahawks' tight end room
Seattle used a fourth-round pick on AJ Barner from Michigan last year. He was serviceable in limited quantities, catching 30 passes for 245 yards and four scores. Barner’s addition made sense after Noah Fant’s second season with the Seahawks ended in more disappointment as he failed to catch a touchdown pass. Last year, he only caught one.
Of course, OurLads has a conservative approach with most of their depth chart projections, but they generally give a solid starting idea of where things stand across the league. Fant and Barner are the veterans and have turned in below-average seasons. Meanwhile, Arroyo is a second-round pick with plenty of time to prove his worth.
The depth chart projection also doesn’t account for how impressive Arroyo was in mini-camp, where teammates and coaches were blown away by his athleticism.
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Still, Arroyo is a bit unproven after missing portions of two seasons at Miami with a torn ACL. In his final season, he caught 35 passes for 590 yards and seven touchdowns, which had some believing he was a first-round talent. But even as a second-round pick, Seahawks fans know he can be a special weapon in Seattle’s offense if he can climb the depth chart during training camp.
For Arroyo to hit the ground running in Seattle and become a focal point of the offense, he has to be on the field working with the team sooner rather than later. It's good news that the Seahawks were finally able to sign their promising tight end, because for a player like Arroyo, those late-July reps make a world of difference in how much he can expect to contribute early on in his rookie season.
Note: Noah Fant was released by the Seahawks after the posting of this article.