Top 25 Seattle Seahawks Going into 2026 NFL Season: #25 AJ Barner

There is a lot of potential in tight end AJ Barner this upcoming season with the Seattle Seahawks, but he has shown he is ready to a breakout season.

Nov 2, 2025; Landover, Maryland, USA; Seattle Seahawks tight end AJ Barner (88) celebrates scoring a touchdown against the Washington Commanders during the second half at Northwest Stadium. | Amber Searls-Imagn Images

The Seattle Seahawks arguably have the best roster this past season, and it looks to have gotten even better. The Seahawks are not only improving by replacing some of the departed stars, but also by improving every player across the roster. Tight end AJ Barner is approaching a pivotal third season with the Seahawks. While he hasn’t had the huge numbers that most teams want from their starting tight end, he plays up to the task and is the most reliable at the right time. There are many reasons why Barner could be the biggest breakout player of this upcoming 2026 NFL Season.

Why Barner Could Be Ranked Higher?

Feb 8, 2026; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Seattle Seahawks tight end AJ Barner (88) makes a catch to score a touchdown against the New England Patriots during the fourth quarter in Super Bowl LX at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

In his second season in the league last year, Barner stepped up to start all 17 games. He proved he was a more consistent player for the offense as a run-blocker and a short-to-mid range pass-catcher than Noah Fant. He only had five games where he was targeted more than four times, but he was still second on the team in receptions (52) and third in receiving yards (519). This was under offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, who likes to spread out the ball more. Barner is already one of the better run-blocking tight ends in the NFC.

This upcoming season could be a huge season for Barner as new offensive coordinator Brian Fleury is incredibly experienced at developing and utilizing tight ends. Fleury was the San Francisco 49ers’ tight end coach from 2022 on top of being the run-game coordinator last season. He is going to find new, unique ways to get the tight ends involved. This addition might benefit a well-balanced tight end like Barner the most. This upcoming season might be the first of several potential Pro-Bowl selections for Barner.

Why Barner Could Be Ranked Lower?

Oct 5, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks tight end AJ Barner (88) reacts after catching a touchdown pass against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the second half at Lumen Field. | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

Barner is capable of handling several targets and making big plays like in Super Bowl LX. He hasn’t shown he can be a high-volume player consistently. He has only had three games this past season in which he has accounted for more than 50 yards. Barner has made some big plays, but his contributions outside of run-blocking really come about once per game.

Barner has the talent and the drive to become one of the better tight ends in the NFC, but he needs to show he can be more reliable in the early portions of the game. There is much potential for him in this upcoming season due to his experience and what Fleury can bring to the Seahawks’ offense. The biggest goal for him is to be a key target for quarterback Sam Darnold, so the pressure doesn't have to be on wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba. His performance in Super Bowl LX was a good start.

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