The first time the Seattle Seahawks played the San Francisco 49ers in 2024, Seattle’s defense gave up almost 500 total yards and surrendered 36 points in a loss. A little over a month later, that same defense allowed just 277 yards as Seattle beat the 49ers 20-17.
Only it wasn’t the same defense. The Hawks were coming off their bye week, and [Mike Macdonald had used the break](https://12thmanrising.com/mike-macdonald-drops-major-hints-about-where-seahawks-headed-this-offseason) to do some tinkering. The interior of the back seven was new. Linebackers Tyrice Knight and Ernest Jones IV had replaced Tyrel Dodson and Jerome Baker, while the strong safety spot was now being manned by Coby Bryant instead of Rayshawn Jenkins.
We can all be excused for not identifying Jones as a potential star before the season began. He was playing for a different team at the time. But Knight and Bryant were on the roster. We didn’t recognize what they might become.
Are there any such players on this year’s Seahawks roster? Of course. There are always players who media and fans alike overlook. We all expect big things from high-profile free agents like Sam Darnold and DeMarcus Lawrence. Ditto for the big-name draft picks like Grey Zabel and Nick Emmanwori. And of course, we are all talking about returning stalwarts like Leonard Williams and Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
Even if we doubt a player – Darnold and his new receivers Cooper Kupp and Marquez Valdes-Scantling come to mind – we are at least _talking about_ them.
Which Seattle Seahawks players on the 2025 squad are we overlooking?
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Which Seahawks players should we be talking about more this off season?
They could be new players about whom we know little yet, or they could be veterans whom we have forgotten. We may think we know their ceiling, but perhaps we don’t.
Let’s look at a few such players. For purposes of this little exercise, I’m going to leave out the recent draftees. We’ve written quite a bit about them of late. Here is a group of players whom we haven’t been talking about – but maybe should.
### Cody Bryant - Safety
Bryant may [seem like an odd pick](https://12thmanrising.com/4-winners-3-losers-from-seahawks-2025-nfl-draft-escapades/3) for this list. I just said he was one of the players who, in hindsight, we should have been talking about last season at this time. Now that he is a starter, is it possible we are overlooking him yet again?
The new wrinkle to the Coby Bryant story would seem to be the addition of Nick Emmanwori. But that is only a byproduct of why we should be talking about Bryant more. With Julian Love ensconced at one safety position and Emmanwori capable of playing alongside him, where will Bryant line up this year? The answer is safety. Macdonald is not moving him to a new position after he proved how effective he could be.
But Macdonald values diversity across his entire defense, maybe nowhere more so than in his secondary. Emmanwori is likely to line up all over. Devon Witherspoon will also move around to take advantage of his athleticism and playmaking ability. That will require a versatile player like Bryant to pick up new responsibilities.
Bryant entered the league as a cornerback, and until last season, he was still taking reps on the edge and in the slot. He will play a traditional safety role on most snaps this year, but don’t be surprised to see him rotate into other roles in specific alignments.
### Jalen Sundell - Offensive Lineman
Sundell made the roster as an undrafted free agent last year and appeared in 12 games, mostly on special teams. He played on the same offensive line as 2025 first-round pick Grey Zabel in college. For most of his college career, he was a center. But North Dakota State needed a left tackle in 2023, so Sundell shifted over for his final year.
Zabel followed in his footsteps and took over at left tackle in 2024.
We haven’t seen a lot of Sundell on an NFL field, but when we have, he has looked the part of a legit professional center. Is he better than Olu Oluwatimi? That remains to be seen. But the Hawks obviously did not intend for Oluwatimi to be their starting center last year. He took over the job when Connor Williams abruptly retired mid-season.
The fact that the Hawks retained Sundell last year, ostensibly as their third center, says something about how they value him. Though he has not been discussed in the mix at guard, that position is obviously in flux. Sundell’s floor is a quality backup, but his ceiling might be a bit higher as a solid starter at either center or guard.
### Steven Sims - Wide Receiver
The signing of Steven Sims in late March went very much under the radar. Anyone unfamiliar with the wide receiver would not find much on his resume to amp up interest. Seattle is his sixth team in seven NFL seasons. As a receiver, he has done virtually nothing since his first couple years in the league.
Since leaving Washington after the 2020 season, Sims has caught a grand total of 17 passes over four years. Even with questions at the back end of the Seahawks receiving corps, he is not likely to challenge for a spot based in his pass catching.
However, he could help out in the return game. Early in his career, Sims showed some explosiveness in the open field, but he was far from a polished return artist. He danced far too often, especially as a punt returner. He often ceded yardage, looking to make a big play.
Over time, he has developed into a much more reliable returner with punts and kickoffs. He also has the ability to run specials on offense that are designed to get him into the open field. Sims is probably in a direct battle with rookie Tory Horton as the return specialist who can run a few gadget plays as a receiver.
### Johnathan Hankins, Brandon Pili, Demeco Roland – Nose Tackle
On paper, veteran Jarran Reed is the Seahawks’ starting nose tackle. That may prove to be true on the field in 2025 as well. But Mike Macdonald likes to move players like Reed around, which means others will have to take nose tackle responsibilities throughout the season. And even if Reed stays over center all the time, he will need help. He was always a bit undersized to play the nose, and at 32, he will need some time off. Even young nose tackles in their prime need a break.
The decision to re-sign Hankins surprised a lot of fans. He is even older than Reed, and if you go by Pro Football Focus grades, Hankins has not performed well for many seasons. But here’s a little secret about PFF grades and the nose tackle position. Nose tackles rarely score well. It is the single most thankless job on defense. There is no glory – only sacrifice.
But having quality play in the middle is crucial for the defense that Macdonald wants to run. He needs big guys, tying blockers and creating good matchups for the likes of Leonard Williams, DeMarcus Lawrence, and Byron Murphy II. That is why Hankins was re-signed. But young vet Pili and rookie Roland will get a chance to win the job for themselves.
Backup nose tackle ranks alongside long snapper as the least glamorous position on the football field, but finding the right one will be significant to building the dominant defense that Macdonald envisions.
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