What I'm looking forward to this year that isn't quite football

Seahawks headlines that will impact the team even when it's not a game

There are many things I’m looking forward to seeing when the Seahawks take the field next season — a new offensive coordinator, Jadarian Price, prove-it seasons by Sam Darnold and JSN, more potential breakout players on both sides of the ball, and the best punter from any country — but there’s plenty of time to get to those previews.

What are some things happening before we get to Week 1 that will help Seahawks fans get through the next three months until training camp?

Hard Knocks

Although there is expected resistance to the assignment from fans and team alike, Hard Knocks is documenting Seahawks training camp anyway so we might as well enjoy it.

I don’t look forward to doing my taxes every year, but once it’s over it’s a pretty satisfying experience to have survived it again. There’s no writing to the IRS “Hey, this might screw up the rest of my year so can you please skip me this time?” and expecting a pass.

The Seahawks are getting NFL Filmsified and worst case scenario we get to hear Liev Schreiber say things like, “Jadarian Price” in only the way that he can.

Seeing the primetime schedule

I’m not a big schedule release guy in general because it’s also something out of our control and usually misunderstood anyway. Fans will feel screwed by one thing and not care about another thing, only to find out six months later that the thing that they were worried about turned out to be a win and the game they thought was a gimme ends up as a loss.

It’s the same reason that I don’t trust movie trailers.

I love movie trailers, but 99% of them these days are a cover of an old hit song playing over a collection of scenes specifically cut in such a way that you could make any film in history seem like it’s going to be a good time.

However, in the case of the Seahawks schedule this year there is the added intrigue of being the defending Super Bowl champions, drawing five or six primetime games, and knowing that the Seahawks have so many marquee matchups to choose from:

• Rams twice

• 49ers twice

• Patriots Super Bowl rematch

• Chiefs and Broncos and Chargers (Super Bowl preview?)

• Bears

• Eagles

• Cowboys

The Seahawks also face three teams with former Seattle ties at head coach (the Raiders, the Panthers, and the Moons), as well as Mike Macdonald’s former head coach in Baltimore when they play the Giants.

We know the Seahawks open on a Wednesday (rumored to be the Bears) and that they will get at least one Thursday game (hopefully only one), at least one Monday game (possibly two), and probably at least two Sunday night games.

Seeing the Seahawks primetime schedule will be more exciting this year than it’s ever been before. So good that it will require a cover song that starts, “Hello Darkness, my old friend…”

The 2026 schedule is expected to be released around May 14th, so in less than two weeks.

Which free agent pass rusher will be added?

On one hand, Dante Fowler was drafted the same year as Jameis Winston and Todd Gurley. On the other hand, Fowler was drafted the same year as Leonard Williams.

Fowler has played in 74 of a possible 74 games since 2022. For what that’s worth, he could be all that the Seahawks need right now at edge.

Macdonald’s defense added Jadeveon Clowney in 2023 and his production increased from 2 sacks the previous season to 9.5 sacks; Kyle Van Noy was added the same year and his total increased from 5 to 9 and then up to 12.5 in 2024.

Other current free agent edge rushers include Joey Bosa, Haason Reddick, Leonard Floyd, Cam Jordan, Von Miller, Van Noy, and Clowney.

With a group like that it’s not surprising that Fowler is the rumor floating around. More names will hit the market too and eventually Seattle will sign or trade for a new veteran edge rusher.

The move probably won’t feel like a big deal when it happens, and maybe that player won’t do much to help, but DeMarcus Lawrence wasn’t that big of a deal when he signed either. And Lawrence was drafted a year before Fowler.

Seaside Joe 2617