The Seattle Seahawks will officially kick off the 2026 season in less than a month, but before they take on the New England Patriots on Wednesday, September 9, many things will need to happen. Roster moves will be made until August 30, when final cuts need to be made.
That means general manager John Schneider and head coach Mike Macdonald are already forming opinions on which players need to be kept on the 53-man roster and which will be released. Time still exists for players to change opinions, but through the first couple of weeks of camp, the players below are making moves, both good and bad.
Much of the roster is set, but even then, those players presumed to make the team could move up or down the depth chart. The first player that follows, for instance, has likely earned a lot more reps in the coming season.
Seattle Seahawks who are crushing training camp (and two that aren't)
Crushing camp: Defensive lineman Rylie Mills
Mills didn't have a chance to prove what he could do as a rookie because he was still working his way back from a knee injury suffered in his final season at Notre Dame. In camp, he is fully healthy and showing positional flexibility. That alone is likely going to get him on the field a lot in 2026.
The defensive lineman can play all three spots on the line, from nose guard to defensive end, and has the size and strength to be a force against the run and pass. He was chosen in the fifth round in 2025 because of his injury, but had he been healthy, he could have gone as high as the third round. In training camp, he is playing like a second-round choice.
Falling behind: Offensive lineman Christian Haynes
Forget Beau Stephens seemingly having little chance of forcing longtime starter Anthony Bradford to the bench, as Bradford has gotten the first-team reps in camp and has been pretty good. It is Haynes who likely loses out the most with the situation.
The third-year player hasn't proven he can be trusted with any reps in real games, somehow performing at a level even worse than Bradford when forced into action. Last year in camp, the team gave him some chances at center, but he couldn't snap the ball effectively. This year in camp, he has mostly been a bystander who will probably be waived at the end of the month.
Crushing camp: Safety AJ Finley
Finley hasn't played a down in the NFL since 2024 because at Seahawks Fan Fest in 2025, he tore his ACL and missed the season. He's back this year and trying to make the roster at a difficult position. While Seattle has a need at cornerback, the safety group is pretty loaded.
Still, one can see how much Finley's teammates care about him. At Fan Fest this past weekend, the safety had an interception of quarterback Sam Darnold, and afterwards, he was mobbed by his fellow players. Chemistry matters in the NFL, and specifically to the Seattle Seahawks, and Finley's presence in the locker room might be enough to keep him on the team.
Falling behind: Cornerback Nehemiah Pritchett
Pritchett had one of last year's best plays when he made a brilliant play to knock the ball out of Marvin Harrison Jr.'s hands in the end zone against the Arizona Cardinals. The problem is that it is one of the few good plays Pritchett has made in a couple of seasons.
He obviously isn't trusted by the Seahawks much, as Seattle is still taking a look at other cornerbacks to possibly bring in. Namely, Terrion Arnold has visited twice. Even after losing Riq Woolen in free agency, Pritchett doesn't appear to have much of a better chance at getting snaps in real games.
Crushing camp: Running back Emanuel Wilson
What Wilson has shown in camp is that he isn't just a big and bullish back who can grind out tough yards. He has also proved to be more explosive than anticipated. He was one of the few offensive standouts at Fan Fest, mostly because his speed was so good.
Wilson also plays with a chip on his shoulder, and that drive could keep him on the roster over George Holani if Zach Charbonnet returns from injury sooner than expected. Wilson was solid with the Green Bay Packers the last couple of years, and that might be good enough to get him reps with Seattle during the regular season.
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