Three More Candidates To Make Big Improvements In The 2026 Season For The Seahawks

Last week, I wrote an article in this space about three Seahawks who were on the team in 2025 that can be reasonably expected to make improvements in 2026 that could propel the team to new heights. The thing is, the list doesn’t just stop at those three, and I want to spend a little more time on some other candidates for a jump forward. Starting with…

3) Elijah Arroyo

Arroyo is overshadowed by Barner, but he can still help this team win. — Seattle Seahawks tight end Elijah Arroyo (18) is tackled by Houston Texans safety Calen Bullock (2). | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

The new offensive coordinator of the Seattle Seahawks is a former tight ends coach, so it’s a reasonable expectation that he’ll like to utilize tight ends a lot as an offensive coordinator. Even though Arroyo has AJ Barner in front of him on the depth chart, he’ll see the field a good amount behind him in this offense. His impact was minimal in 2025, so there should be improvement.

I doubt Arroyo ascends to elite status in 2026, as his opportunities will still be somewhat limited by Barner’s presence, and his mediocre-at-best blocking skills are a somewhat awkward fit for the run-heavy Seattle offense. I’ll also admit to not being a big Arroyo fan, so I’m less optimistic about his ceiling than others. But he’ll be a weapon that we didn’t get to see last year.

When you couple Arroyo with year two of Tory Horton, who should also be good for something of a step forward (although we may not notice it due to lack of opportunities), the Seahawks will be far deeper with targets this season, and even if the numbers won’t be huge, there will be an impact that kicks in at crucial points.

2) Anthony Bradford

Don't count Bradford out just yet now that he's playing for money. — Seattle Seahawks guard Anthony Bradford (75) against the New England Patriots during Super Bowl LX. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Say hello to Contract Year Anthony Bradford. I think you’ll like him better than the previous iterations of Anthony Bradford. With plenty of experience under his belt and the possibility of a second contract looming, I think we’re going to get Bradford at his most engaged and locked in. The man is certainly talented, and financial incentive might help unlock it further.

I don’t know if money will get him to be a smoother operator in space, but perhaps it could motivate him to show up to camp next season in better shape, which would eliminate part of the problem. Given that this team just won the Super Bowl with Bradford making weekly lowlight reels, imagine how good this offense can be if he advances forward just a bit.

1) Byron Murphy II

Murphy, best DL in the league? It's on the table. — Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Byron Murphy II (91) reacts after a fumble against New England Patriots. | Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

I’m torn on this one. Murphy turned 23 right around the start of the 2025 season, and you wouldn’t expect an NFL player to peak at 23 in their second season. Particularly in a year where they’re forced to play a non-trivial number of snaps out of position at nose tackle, which saps a chunk of his effectiveness as a pass rusher. But how much better can you really be?

Byron Murphy II racked up seven sacks and 62 tackles in 17 regular season games, and then added two more in the Super Bowl. At the same time, he was one of the anchors of the league’s best run defense, despite the mentioned out of position usage of him in the nose tackle role. If he gets much better, he’s in the conversation for best defensive tackle in the sport.

Still, on some level, given he hasn’t turned 24 yet, I’m thinking he can go even further. Maybe not numerically, at least not until he becomes a full-time three tech, but maybe he ends up being a Chris Jones-level player when all is said and done. And on a team that features a couple aging defensive linemen, that improvement would go a long way.

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