The Seattle Seahawks were built in 2025 to have an efficient offense to help a dominant defense win games. Through four games, the plan was working somewhat well. Then, defensive injuries began to mount and what was a great unit was exceedingly diminished.
Head coach Mike Macdonald, like most coaches, talks about the next-man-up mentality. If a star gets hurt, the player taking his place needs to be almost as good. But there is a reason backups are backups: They aren't as good as the starters in most cases.
Here is the good news, however. The offense is better than expected, and while a lot of that has to do with the elite play of quarterback Sam Darnold, the team also has a couple of emerging players. The most obvious one might be tight end AJ Barner.
AJ Barner becoming a star for the Seattle Seahawks
Barner was a fourth-round draft pick in 2024 out of Michigan. He was expected to be a good blocker, and catch a few passes. As a rookie, though, he proved he could be a better receiver than most anticipated. He is even better in his second season.
Through Week 5, Barner has cemented his status as the Seahawks' TE1. He is the most versatile player at his position, and does most facets of the game at a very good level. Still, it is his ability to catch and then run that might be the most surprising.
Against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Barner wasn't just good; he was one of the best players on the field. He caught all seven of his targets for 53 yards. His yards per catch was only 7.3, but partly because two of his catches were for touchdowns. He could clearly advance the ball no further.
Jimmy Graham holds the franchise record for touchdown catches by a tight end with 18. Through one full season and five games of another, Barner already has eight career touchdown catches. At this rate, he will break Graham's record, and by a wide margin.
As far as this season, AJ Barner has emerged just when the Seattle Seahawks needed him most. The team traded wide receiver DK Metcalf and released Tyler Lockett, and the receiver group was a bit unknown. Barner has made the job of Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Cooper Kupp to be easier.
Through the first five weeks, Barner is third on the team in receptions (14) and receiving yards (134), but he leads the team in touchdown catches (4, which is fifth in the league). As long as he stays healthy, Barner could get double-digit touchdown catches, be an integral part of the tush-push in short-yardage situation, and get some notice in Pro Bowl voting.