Seahawks LB Tyrice Knight Needs to Battle Back in 2026

Before the 2024 season, the Seattle Seahawks did a complete reset of the inside linebacker positions. Head coach Mike Macdonald reset the positions again midway through the season, releasing both of the starters and replacing them with veteran Ernest Jones IV and rookie Tyrice Knight.

Times have changed once again. Drake Thomas essentially took over the starting role next to Jones, displacing Knight back into a backup role.

The former fourth-round pick played just 22 defensive snaps after Week 11 of the 2025 season (285 in first 10 games), but remains a primary reserve for the Seahawks entering 2026.

Will Knight's role expand or lessen next season?

What led to Knight's benching?

It was less about what Knight wasn't doing and more about how well Thomas was playing. Thomas, a 2023 undrafted free agent, burst onto the scene with 96 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, eight pass deflections and one interception in 14 starts.

With his emergence, there were few available snaps remaining for Knight to get on the field on defense. Knight still made an impact on special teams, but he was outright surpassed by Thomas. And with Thomas' new two-year, $8 million contract, Macdonald and the front office doubled down on his current role with the defense.

Nick Emmanwori, originally drafted as a safety, has also doubled as a nickel cornerback and linebacker. That has limited the available snaps for Knight even more.

Sep 14, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Seattle Seahawks linebacker Tyrice Knight (48) in pass coverage against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the second quarter at Acrisure Stadium. | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Even in backup role, Knight can have impact

You don't have to go back very far to find a quality performance by Knight. In Week 10, a 44-22 victory over the Arizona Cardinals, Knight totaled eight tackles, three tackles for loss, two sacks and two forced fumbles.

Both sack-fumbles resulted in scoop and scores by edge rusher DeMarcus Lawrence in one of the most impressive two-play sequences in NFL history. Lawrence previously had just one fumble recovery touchdown in his entire 12-year career.

At the end of the regular season, Knight still had 57 tackles, six tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks and two forced fumbles in just four starts (16 games played). He could be a starter on another team, but Seattle's depth has now put him in a tough spot. He will still be involved somehow in 2026.

What a successful season for Knight looks like

Sep 25, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Seattle Seahawks linebacker Tyrice Knight (48) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

If there are any injuries at the linebacker positions, Knight must be ready and available. He's got to play well in a pinch. Macdonald and the coaching staff play a big role in how prepared he will be, but Knight has to remain committed to the process of potentially growing his defensive impact.

Whether he has a long-term future with the Seahawks is undetermined, but Knight can advertise himself to other teams when he comes off the bench. Knight will be going into the third year of his four-year rookie contract in 2026, and he could become a trade target by other teams.

Then, of course, there's a chance that Knight shows out in training camp and leapfrogs Thomas in the starting lineup. That seems unlikely, but Macdonald reinforces competition, which always leaves a chance.

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