Seahawks defense ‘building that swagger’ early in training camp

RENTON, Wash. – Three practices into training camp and the only question the players on the Seattle Seahawks’ defense seem to have is how good they can be in 2025.

“I really feel like we can be the best defense in this league, man,” veteran defensive lineman Jarran Reed said. “As long as we keep playing hard and just keep being physical and just keep running and hitting – that’s what it’s all about, man. I think the sky is the limit for our defense.”

Reed spoke those words just a few minutes after the Seahawks concluded what was their most intense practice of camp.

The Seahawks can’t put on full pads – that will happen on Monday.

But after being allowed to practice only with helmets and light gear during the first two practices on Wednesday and Thursday, players were allowed to wear shells Friday – added protective pads on shoulders but not full shoulder pads.

That led to what was the closest thing to football the Seahawks have played since their final game of the 2024 season against the Rams in Los Angeles.

And Seattle’s players seemed ready for it.

“That was a great practice,” Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said. “A lot of spirit, a lot of great competition.”

And as practice wore on, it was a veteran defense that seemed to have the upper hand.

The offense appeared to get the best of the defense during an early run drill, with Kenneth Walker III ripping off one long gain that drew one of the loudest cheers of the day from the couple of thousand fans assembled on the berm.

After the drill, Macdonald made sure the defense knew they could play better.

“They had to hear about it from the coaches,” Macdonald said. “The vets did a good job of kind of kicking it back into gear.”

That seemed like an understatement.

Shortly after, during an 11-on-11 drill, safety Julian Love cut in front of a Sam Darnold pass intended for Jaxon Smith-Njigba down the seam and picked it off for what was the second interception of camp thrown by Seattle’s new starting quarterback.

Darnold also threw a pick on a similar play Thursday, an interception by safety D’Anthony Bell.

As Love ran to the sideline, much of the rest of the defense joined him in a raucous celebration in front of the fans.

A little while later on a pass play, third-year rush end Derick Hall got a quick step on Josh Jones – a veteran free agent signed in March who typically works with the second unit at right tackle – and got Jones up in the air with Jones then falling backward.

The two had exchanged a few love pats and words during the running drill when it was Jones and the offense winning the play.

This time, Hall let Jones and the offense know the defense had taken its revenge, yelling loudly in Jones’ face as teammates that included Leonard Williams – who was getting the day off – happily joined in.

“They was chirping all practice so we knew something was going to happen,” Reed said .

Reed lined up next to Hall on the play and said, “I actually had to get out of the way when he threw him right in the path I was rushing. So I just had to move.”

Reed, though, got his own highlight during a 1-on-1 pass rush drill going against first-round pick Grey Zabel, playing left guard.

The 32-year-old Reed, a 10-year vet, said he’d saved up something to show Zabel, apparently as a welcome-to-the-NFL moment.

“I was playing with him a little bit,” Reed said. “He’s a good pass setter. He’s actually really strong. We had put shells on so I add different little moves. I’m not going to tell all my tells but that’s been in the back of my mind for a little bit.”

The defensive dominance continued even when the Seahawks went to a slower tempo for a three-play, red-zone series late in practice. Three straight Darnold passes all fell incomplete.

With every defensive stop came an enthusiastic defensive celebration.

“We actually talked about that in meetings, having confidence and building that swagger,” Reed said. “And we’re building that out here as you can see.”

Macdonald said of the intensity of practice that “there’s some things you can tell that are boiling that will be fun to watch the rest of camp. A little earlier this year than normal, but that’s good.”

But Macdonald said he thinks it’s “the right mix of ‘hey, we’re getting after it but we’re taking care of each other, sharpening each other, talking some smack.’ All three phases doing a lot of great stuff.’’

Smith-Njigba said offensive players understand it will all hopefully make everyone better.

“It’s tough (going against Seattle’s secondary),’’ he said. “They love to compete, they love to talk their mess and it brings the best out of me. So it’s exciting playing great players every single day. Get in the game and you just have the utmost confidence.’’

Macdonald said he would “push back a little’’ on any suggestion that Darnold and the offense have been struggling, preferring instead to look at any bad offensive plays as part of the back-and-forth that happens in practices.

“I think Sam is playing really decisive right now,’’ Macdonald said. “He’s getting rid of the ball on time.’’ Macdonald also noted Darnold’s willingness and ability to “extend plays and make throws’’ on the run.

Of the interceptions, Macdonald said “those are things that (we say) ‘hey look, let it rip now and make sure we learn from it.’”

That the defense would be ahead of the offense right now, though, makes a lot of sense considering the situation each is in.

The defense returns 10 of 11 starters from the end of last season, which finished with Seattle going 6-2 in the second half while allowing the fifth-fewest points in the league, and is also entering the second year being coached by Macdonald.

Players have talked since the spring of feeling far more comfortable in the system now, which allows them to play freer and faster.

“We just have to build on what we did last year,’’ cornerback Devon Witherspoon said Thursday. “You see later on in last season when we started to click, teams had trouble beating us. We’re just trying to be the best defense in the league this year.”

The offense, meanwhile, is installing a new system under first-year coordinator Klint Kubiak while also breaking in a new quarterback in Darnold and a receiving corps that has replaced veterans DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett with Cooper Kupp and Marquez Valdes-Scantling.

“Obviously we’re not even close to where we need to be,’’ Macdonald said of the team as a whole. “But we know that. For day three, just excited about the effort, the intent and just the overall competition. It was a great day.’’