Seattle Seahawks open 2025 camp with a new look. See how Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Cooper Kupp, & DeMarcus Lawrence are ushering in a post-Metcalf era.
StatPro NFL Beat Reporter
The familiar sounds of cleats on grass and whistles in the air returned to the VMAC today, but the faces were strikingly different. The Seattle Seahawks officially opened 2025 training camp on Wednesday, not with a quiet continuation, but with a thunderous declaration of a new era. Gone are franchise mainstays DK Metcalf and Geno Smith, replaced by a wave of new talent and a clear, aggressive vision for the future.
I know for sure I’m not going to win a Super Bowl there. So, yeah … we here.
The biggest question on everyone's mind is how this offense will function without its signature deep threat. Following the blockbuster offseason trades of DK Metcalf and Geno Smith, and the release of TE Noah Fant, the offensive identity is being completely rewritten. Jaxon Smith-Njigba is now the undisputed WR1, flanked by savvy veteran Cooper Kupp and deep threat Marques Valdez-Scantling. New OC Klint Kubiak is expected to install a more run-heavy scheme, a seismic shift for a team long defined by its passing game. All eyes will be on how this new group, which includes returning fan-favorite Jake Bobo, builds chemistry from scratch.
On the other side of the ball, the Seahawks made their biggest splash by signing four-time Pro Bowl DE DeMarcus Lawrence. The former Cowboy arrived with a fiery quote about his old team, making it clear he came to Seattle to win a championship. However, his path to a starting role isn't guaranteed. Despite a hefty three-year, $32.5 million contract, analysts are already predicting that second-year standout Derick Hall, who posted eight sacks last season, could win the starting job. Lawrence, who is recovering from a Lisfranc injury, may be used in a rotational role to maximize his impact and keep him healthy for a deep playoff run.
The start of camp also brought reminders of the grind ahead. Six rookies began camp on the Non-Football Injury (NFI) list, most notably fifth-round defensive end Rylie Mills, who is recovering from a significant ACL tear. In a more intriguing development, rookie tight end Elijah Arroyo, who the team is counting on, was not placed on the NFI list despite a previous knee injury. Instead, reports surfaced that Arroyo is holding out amid contract negotiations, adding an unexpected layer of drama to the tight end room before practices even begin.
Ultimately, every move this offseason points back to Head Coach Mike Macdonald. Entering his second year, he is putting his definitive stamp on the roster. The defense, bolstered by Lawrence and the trade for linebacker Ernest Jones IV, is being molded in his image. The offense is being rebuilt for a tougher, more physical identity. Players like safety D'Anthony Bell arrived at the facility expressing optimism, ready to build on the team's strong finish to 2024. The energy is palpable; this is no longer Pete Carroll's team, it's Mike Macdonald's, and the expectations are sky-high.
Day one is in the books, but the real battles are just beginning. The competition between DeMarcus Lawrence and Derick Hall for edge supremacy will be a must-watch storyline throughout August. How quickly the new receiving corps gels and how the Elijah Arroyo situation resolves will dictate the offense's potential. One thing is certain: this is one of the most unpredictable and exciting Seahawks training camps in recent memory. The rebuild is over; the new era has begun.
