Pre-Snap Reads: Seahawks roster questions for 2026 focus on young pass-rush, QB ceiling, and veteran impact

There is no game on the calendar yet, but the 2026 Seahawks picture is already taking shape through the offseason lens of snap-count expectations and role growth. In a recent “Pre-Snap Reads” edition from Yahoo Sports, the discussion centers on which younger Seattle players might earn expanded usage, and which established additions could separate themselves once the regular-season pace and responsibilities arrive.

On the defensive line and edge rush side, the list points to Jamie Sheriff and Conner O’Toole as players expected to see more snaps this upcoming season. The emphasis is on the kind of development that matters in the NFL, where “breakout” often means not a sudden reinvention but a steady climb in trust, repetitions, and situational workload. The piece frames their progression as the type of internal competition Seattle can’t afford to get wrong, because the pass rush sets the tone for everything else.

The quarterback storyline is framed in terms of “ceiling,” with Sam Darnold positioned as the central question of how high Seattle can rise when the passing game runs clean. Rather than focusing on a single offseason moment, the column treats Darnold’s next step as a function of consistency and execution. In team-building terms, that matters because Seattle’s offensive identity needs to be stable enough to carry long stretches, not only to function in brief bursts.

The evaluation also folds in an all-around look at Seattle player rankings, a format that often indicates how the organization and its observers view value on both sides of the ball. While rankings are inherently interpretive, they reflect a practical reality for teams: players don’t just earn spots, they earn roles. For Seattle, the offseason conversation suggests the roster’s hierarchy is being revisited, with attention on who is ready to take on a bigger share of responsibilities.

On the defensive side of the ball, the “turning noggins” reference to Brady Russell points to more than just athletic traits. It suggests a theme common in spring film study: improving recognition and reaction speed so a player’s effort translates into assignment-correct plays. Russell’s development, as presented in the piece, is part of a larger push for Seattle to sharpen its execution as much as its talent.

Linebacker Ernest Jones is also singled out as speaking on the upcoming season in the same roundup. Player commentary in offseason previews tends to offer two useful indicates. The first is how a team expects to use a player, and the second is what they consider the biggest internal adjustment. In this case, the inclusion of Jones in the list indicates the Seahawks are watching his readiness and leadership in what is often a decisive unit for run defense and coverage matchups.

Finally, the roundup flags Byron Murphy as a player with even more to show. That phrasing carries an important nuance: it implies that Murphy’s baseline has already drawn enough attention to set expectations, and that 2026 is about proving the next layer, whether it is consistency, impact plays, or simply holding up under heavier offensive focus.

For what to watch next, the key is how these roles become tangible once training camp sets the depth chart and practice reps clarify who is truly moving up in snap counts. If Sheriff and O’Toole are going to play more, Seattle will need their production to support the trust implied by the forecast. If Darnold’s “ceiling” is a real storyline, it will show up in the offense’s ability to sustain drives and avoid self-inflicted setbacks. And if Russell, Jones, and Murphy are positioned as developmental or impact anchors, the offseason talk will ultimately be tested by how Seattle executes in preseason and, later, in the first weeks of the regular season.