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SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - SEPTEMBER 08: Defensive coordinator Aden Durde of the Seattle Seahawks looks on during the game against the Denver Broncos at Lumen Field on September 08, 2024 in Seattle, Washington. The Seahawks defeated the Broncos 26-20. (Alika Jenner / Getty Images)
RENTON, Wash. - The final day of open practices for the Seattle Seahawks at training camp in 2025 saw fans sizzling in the summer heat.
The players themselves had an extensive workout under the sun that lasted over two hours in their most extensive work since last week's preseason opener.
Running back Ken Walker III was back in full pads after missing some time in recent days. He's been held out for stretches of training camp as the coaching staff appears intent on limiting his workload. As he did when he last returned to action after a few days off, Walker looked perfectly fine and as his usual self.
Center Olu Oluwatimi remained out of action as he deals with a back issue that's sidelined him since the preseason game last Thursday. Jalen Sundell continued to receive the first-team snaps at center in Oluwatimi's absence.
After practice, the three coordinators – Klint Kubiak (offense), Aden Durde (defense), and Jay Harbaugh (specials teams) – spoke with reporters about their thoughts on training camp so far.
Here are some of the most notable items from the trio:
Kubiak: Sam Darnold has been "phenomenal."
"Sam has done a phenomenal job," Kubiak said. "We’re adjusting to him. We want to play off his strengths. He's played a lot of football in the NFL. He's been accurate throughout camp, been a great leader and as a coaching staff, we want to do what he does best."
Kubiak: Grey Zabel "ready for the moment."
"As a rookie, he's ready for the moment," Kubiak said. "It's not too big for him. He belongs out there, he's got a long way to go, but I love the mentality. Love the makeup. That’s John Schneider drafting a guy with a big heart. I love the work. That comes from his work habits, and it comes from his mom and dad the way he's raised."
Kubiak is planning to coach from the sidelines.
Kubiak has coached from both the sidelines and from the press box as an offensive coordinator. He was on the sidelines for Thursday's preseason opener against the Las Vegas Raiders and intends to be on the field.
"That's my plan, but I've done both and always reserve the right to go upstairs if need be," he said.
"I like being around the guys and feeling their energy and feeling substitution patterns. Overall, being able to look a guy in the eye and make adjustments. It goes a long way."
What does Kubiak still need to learn before the start of the season?
"We have two more football games to see if these guys can do it. It’s a 17-game season, so it's a large sample size, and there's guys that are playing now that might not make this roster, but we might need them as the weeks go on when the battle of attrition happens throughout the NFL. You learn about these guys every day and how they approach their craft. We have good coaches that push these guys. We’ll see what happens these next two games."
Kubiak: Marquez Valdes-Scantling having a good camp.
Kubiak coached receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling last year with the New Orleans Saints, so he knows what he's capable of as a player. Rookie Tory Horton has seemingly caught him on the depth chart and has definitely made more standout plays as a receiver in camp, but Kubiak is still impressed with Valdes-Scantling.
"He's had a really good camp," Kubiak said. "He’s battling with a lot of guys, but his speed really shows up. Coach (Mike Macdonald) has done a phenomenal job of keeping the top off of our offense with some of their coverage looks. Some of the stuff that he's shined, hasn't shown up as much, but I see the guy winning on his routes, see the guy with a great attitude, and see a big-time player for us."
Durde: Tyreke Smith making an impression as an edge rusher.
Former Seattle draft pick Tyreke Smith is back with the Seahawks after spending some time with the Arizona Cardinals. With Uchenna Nwosu still sidelined, Smith is showing up as an outside linebacker in the pass rusher group with Derick Hall, Boye Mafe.
"The thing personally I've seen is consistency," Durde said. "Consistent edge play in the run and the pass game. He has good technique, and he plays it down after down, but that's what you ask him for. And then you mix it with his athletic ability, then you start to see the player kind of flourish."
Durde happy to see Richard Sherman at practice.
Former Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman has been at practice a few days recently, including on Tuesday. Sherman was speaking with players such as Riq Woolen after practice reps to give coaching tips and encouragement, which is something Durde is happy to have.
"I just think when teams I’ve been on and the legend players come back and they share with the players, some of the most important thing of football," Durde said. "It's not just technique, it's experience, it's understanding of the moment, it's understand how important little things are and it reinforces everyone's message. So, you can't put a value on things like that."
Harbaugh doesn't expect much to change with kickoffs this year.
"I don’t expect much to change. I think you’ll see more returns and more kicks covered, but outside of that I don’t expect it to be a ton different," Harbaugh said.
After last year's significant change to kickoff rules which aimed to increase returns in a safer format, the league further tweaked the rules this year. Touchbacks will come all the way out to the 35-yard line instead of the 30-yard line. The change should reduce the number of kicks intentionally sent out of the end zone due to the advantage given to the offense on the next drive.
Harbaugh said that which players make the roster due to the changing kickoff rules hasn't changed much, the players they choose to use on coverage team has been altered a bit since coverage teams don't need to run all the way down the field in coverage.
"I don’t think it’s affecting the roster as much as it’s affecting players’ ability to have a role in the kicking game," Harbaugh said. "There’s going to be bigger guys that maybe would have been precluded before they have a role. I think that will continue in the sense that you’ll see some bigger bodies and maybe some players that two years ago wouldn’t have been on kickoff but are now because it’s a lot less demanding of a play from a linear speed perspective and exertion. Probably a little bit of both."
Brady Russell singled out as the team's quintessential special teams player.
Harbaugh was asked which player best personifies the traits he wants to see out of a special teams player. While he eventually named several contributors, the first name to come to mind was tight end Brady Russell.
"I love that that's a hard answer. I really do," Harbaugh said. I would say Brady, Russell, would be the one. But there's a bunch of guys that come to my mind. Brady and (Jake) Bobo and guys like, Dareke (Young), D'Anthony Bell, Drake Thomas, Josh Ross, there’s a lot of people. Mike Morris, Nehemiah Pritchett, towards the end of the year when he was playing more, he was playing awesome. There's a ton of people, and that's what you want, right? There might be a guy who is kind of the flagbearer, Brady literally is the flagbearer, but everyone understands what the standard is. We're working to live up to it all the time, and we're going in that direction, I believe."
Russell also serves as the team's emergency long snapper. So, even though Russell may very well be their No. 4 tight end and No. 2 fullback, his roster spot is pretty secure.
The Source: Information in this story came from FOX 13 Seattle reporting.
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