The Seattle Seahawks begin their 2026 preseason against the Dallas Cowboys at Lumen Field on Saturday. While 12s want the team to win the game, of course, that ultimately doesn't matter. What does is seeing some players earn their roster spots.
Most, if not all, of the team's starters for Week 1 are set. That doesn't mean head coach Mike Macdonald and general manager John Schneider will dismiss what they see in the preseason. If an unexpected player stars in the glorified practices, that player might move up the depth chart.
Some are simply fighting for their roster lives. If they do well, they will likely keep getting paid by the Seahawks to play football. If they fail, they might need a new employer.
The preseason should mostly be Milroe's gig. Starter Sam Darnold is unlikely to play much at all (possibly in the second preseason game for a series or three), and Drew Lock will get reps, but those two players are certain to make the roster. Milroe is the one who still has to prove he belongs.
That said, he might have already done that by nothing he has done on the field so far. The team clearly trusts his opinion and the person he is; otherwise, the team might not have signed embattled cornerback Terrion Arnold . Milroe, a former roommate of Arnold, vouched for his character, and the Seahawks were happy with that.
Still, Milroe was a third-round choice in 2025 and wasn't an accurate passer in camp last year. This year, he doesn't appear to have improved much. He could prove his high-end value as a football player during the three preseason games.
Anthony Bradford is going to start once again at right guard in 2026, at least at the beginning of the season. So far in camp, he has gotten almost all the first-team reps that he has been available for. He is entering the final year of his rookie contract, though, so Seattle could look to move on from him soon.
Stephens, though, was a well-respected draft pick who fell to the fifth round , likely because of the position he plays. Most guards are not going to be taken high. But the rookie has had a solid camp, albeit mostly against backups.
If he can play brilliantly in the preseason, starting against the Dallas Cowboys, he could force Seattle to make a difficult decision once the season begins. If Bradford falters again, and Stephens was good in camp and the preseason, maybe he should replace Bradford soon after the real games begin.
O'Toole was underdeveloped as an edge rusher when the Seattle Seahawks signed him after he went undrafted in 2025. Partly, that was because he began his college career as a wide receiver at Utah and then transitioned to the defensive side. Even while not schooled in how to be efficient, he performed at a good level.
The 6'3" and 250-pound player has unusual athleticism for an edge rusher. No one is going to doubt he has the speed to get around tackles, but his technique will be called into question during the preseason. If he can show the team that he has applied what he learned as a rookie into production in his second preseason, he might earn the fifth edge rush spot.
He played on special teams last year, but making the roster in 2026 will be difficult. Seattle's top-four edge rushers are all good and proven. The team could choose wide receivers, such as Cody White and Jake Bobo , as special teams players over O'Toole. If he impresses against Dallas, though, Seattle has a good problem to have to solve: Keep O'Toole on the active roster or not.
Veteran Zach Charbonnet is still working his way back from a knee injury in last season's playoffs, and rookie Jadarian Price isn't going to play against Dallas as he has missed several practices with upper leg soreness recently. That should mean that 12s get to see a lot of Holani and Emanuel Wilson in the preseason.
Holani is in an interesting position. He could start in Week 1 or be part of final roster cuts. A lot has to do with the health of Charbonnet and Price. If the team doesn't put Charbonnet on the physically unable to perform list so that he misses at least the first four games of the season, that would mean he is taking one of the 53 spots on the roster.
The final running back spot could come down to Holani and Wilson (who was a free agent signing after previously playing with the Green Bay Packers ). Whoever shines in the preseason will likely cement their place on the team in the regular season.
This article was originally published on www.12thmanrising.com as 4 Seahawks with the most to gain in preseason opener vs. Cowboys .
