See how Sam Darnold, Cooper Kupp, and DeMarcus Lawrence are shaping the new-look Seahawks at their August 2025 training camp. Intense battles define the team.
StatPro NFL Beat Reporter
A new era of Seahawks football is in full swing, and the intensity at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center is palpable. With franchise cornerstones gone and a new head coach at the helm, Friday's training camp session was a microcosm of the team's new identity: hungry, competitive, and full of fresh faces looking to make their mark. From quarterback Sam Darnold building chemistry with his new weapons to veteran DeMarcus Lawrence setting a new standard on defense, the battles unfolding today are shaping the team we'll see this fall.
D'Anthony Bell, competing for the fourth safety spot, made a notable play by intercepting a pass from Sam Darnold intended for Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
The post-Metcalf and Lockett era is officially underway, and all eyes are on the new-look passing attack. Sam Darnold, armed with a fresh $100.5 million contract, was slinging it, connecting with veterans Cooper Kupp and Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Social media was buzzing with clips of the new trio working on their timing. However, the defense is proving it won't be easy. In a highlight-reel moment, D'Anthony Bell, a safety fighting for his roster spot, jumped a route and picked off a Darnold pass intended for JSN, reminding everyone that iron sharpens iron in Mike Macdonald's camp.
On the other side of the ball, the Macdonald effect is taking hold, led by a new veteran voice. Head Coach Mike Macdonald couldn't stop praising DeMarcus Lawrence, calling his practice habits 'exemplary' and a major influence on the entire defensive line. That leadership is more crucial than ever with Uchenna Nwosu's Week 1 status still up in the air due to a knee injury. Lawrence and first-round pick Byron Murphy II are expected to anchor a formidable new front, tasked with bringing the pressure that was often missing last season.
If there's one area under a microscope, it's the offensive line. The Seahawks are leaving no stone unturned in their search for the best five. Rookie Grey Zabel is making a strong push at left guard, while a head-to-head battle is brewing at center between Olu Oluwatimi and Jalen Sundell. The competition is just as heated at right guard, where Christian Haynes, Anthony Bradford, and Bryce Cabeldue are all in the mix. For a team investing heavily in its quarterback, solidifying this unit is priority number one before the season opener against the 49ers.
All eyes now turn to August 7th, when the Seahawks travel to face the Las Vegas Raiders in their first preseason test. It will be our first real glimpse of this revamped roster in game action and a fascinating reunion with former QB Geno Smith. Will the new-look offense click? Can the defense generate pressure? The answers are coming soon, and the journey of the 2025 Seahawks is just getting started.
