Seahawks beginning mandatory minicamp early

Although they were scheduled to have two more organized team activities practices, the Seattle Seahawks are headed straight into mandatory minicamp on Tuesday, June 10. Head coach Mike Macdonald has given the players an extra week off ahead of training camp in late July.

Seattle was slated to have Tuesday off before finishing OTAs June 11-12, then would have had minicamp from June 17-19. Instead of having a day off, they will now have three straight days of practice (concluding June 11) ahead of an extended summer break.

A high attendance rate during OTAs may have influenced the decision. Veterans or proven stars often opt not to participate in OTAs before arriving for minicamp, which is mandatory. The Seahawks, however, have had all 90 players on the roster present at some point throughout OTAs. That's a testament to the players' buy-in to Macdonald's system and culture, and he's now rewarded them with more time off before training camp.

Jul 27, 2024; Renton, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald talks to the media after training camp at Virginia Mason Athletic Center. | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

Shifting the schedule is an easy adjustment to make, considering pads don't go on until training camp. For now, the team will remain non-contact, which allows franchises to replace the OTA practices with minicamp.

It's early, but the messaging coming from this year's Seattle roster has been strong. The defense is oozing confidence, and the offense is getting into rhythm early with all the stars present early in the offseason. That will put the Seahawks well ahead of schedule when they get rolling during training camp, and certainly further ahead than last season when Macdonald was laying the groundwork for his culture and expectations.

Even with all the personnel turnover on the offensive side of the ball, Macdonald and his fresh coaching staff on that side of the ball appear to have no problem motivating the current roster.

More Seahawks on SI stories