RENTON — Day 3 of Seahawks training camp marked a step toward real football as the team put on shoulder pads for the first time along with helmets, though still they were unable to engage in live contact.
Maybe fitting for a team that allowed the fewest points in the NFL a year ago en route to a Super Bowl title, the defense seemed to get the better of it throughout, including on the final play, when rookie cornerback Michael Dansby picked off a pass from quarterback Jalen Milroe in the end zone. And all under the watchful eye of former Seahawk great Richard Sherman, watching from the sidelines.
One offensive player stood out again, as he has the first two days — rookie running back Jadarian Price, the team’s first-round pick and prospective replacement for the departed Kenneth Walker III.
“He’s good,” linebacker Ernest Jones IV said after practice. “He’s good, man. Mature for his age; you can tell. You don’t get too many words out of him but he’s working. He got me today, man.”
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Indeed Price did, getting past Jones on a wheel route during a seven-on-seven session and catching a pass from Sam Darnold for a long gain.
“Hell of a route on me today,” Jones said. “So he’s good man. I think he’s going to help us. He’s doing everything right and he’s got a great group of backs in front of him that are kind of teaching him the way.”
Asked about Price, coach Mike Macdonald cited an eternal truth of running backs in an NFL training camp — it’s hasty to make sweeping assessments until pads go on and full contact commences.
“It’s tough to evaluate right now kind of with the tempos and things and (you can) see how the runs finish,” Macdonald said. “But you can see the decisiveness, you can see the movement ability, the quickness, the speed.”
What has stood out the most is Price’s pass catching and apparent knack for understanding pass protection. Those were two things he wasn’t asked to do a lot at Notre Dame, where he split time with fellow first-round pick Jeremiyah Love who went to Arizona. Those were cited as concerns by many analysts when the Seahawks selected him 32nd overall.
“He’s doing a lot of great things in pass protection, which I appreciate,” Macdonald said. “So it’s positive right now, just really excited about it. He’s got a great opportunity in front of him.”
Macdonald was referring to Price having a chance to become an immediate starter with Walker gone and Zach Charbonnet still sidelined while recovering from an ACL injury suffered in the divisional playoff win over the 49ers on Jan. 18.
Macdonald said it’s too early to make that call.
“I think we’re just in a good spot,’’ he said. “But it will be interesting to see how it shakes out when we start getting to more realistic-type looking reps.”
Third-year player George Holani is typically still the first back in the lineup when the No. 1 offense takes the field, followed by Price and free-agent signee Emanuel Wilson.
There’s little doubt Price will have a big role in the offense this season, especially on early downs, which was Walker’s primary role last season.
If Price continues to show he can be a factor in the pass game as a blocker and receiver, his chances to stay on the field on all three downs and in two-minute situations — and get that many more snaps — will only improve.
“It’s just attention to detail and being able to think on your feet,” Macdonald said of pass blocking for a running back. “And he can do those things and throw his face in there, too, which you appreciate.”
Along with the long reception Monday, Price had one on Sunday when he had to stretch his arms out about as far as they could go to reel in a pass down the sideline. He did so while also keeping his feet.
“He’s caught a lot of passes,” Macdonald said. “I think there’s some variety to the things he can do out of the backfield. Again, we’ll see. But right now there’s not a lot of things that you’re checking off that he can’t do or that you think that he can’t do, so that’s exciting. There’s a lot of opportunity out there.”
Here’s what else stood out Monday:
Rookie CB Neal sidelined
Cornerback Julian Neal, a third-round pick out of Arkansas, left practice about midway through after suffering an apparent upper leg injury. After heading to the locker room he returned to the sideline with ice on his leg but did not take part in any more of practice.
Asked about Neal, Macdonald did not offer any specifics but indicated the injury is not overly concerning saying that it “didn’t seem like anything major,” but that “we’re going to get (him) checked out and see what we need to do.”
WR Horton sits out
Second-year receiver Tory Horton, who missed the second half of the 2025 season with a shin injury that required surgery, did not practice Monday after working Saturday and Sunday.
Macdonald said it was simply part of a plan to ease him back after Horton sat out all of the offseason program following surgery after the season.
“Well we’re managing him right now,” Macdonald said. “And I think for all those guys that didn’t participate much in the spring they are all kind of in their independent plan.”
Macdonald said the plan is to ramp up the work for Horton and a few others — such as tight end AJ Barner, who also had offseason surgery — “until you feel their body is ready to go 100%. So that’s the plan right now. But everything is going to plan.”
Barner spoke to media afterward and said he’s still working to get 100%, but that “I’m feeling really good. I think mentally, I just really want to come out here and have a great mindset about attacking the day. As the camp goes on and on, I think that’s the biggest thing for myself. Physically, I’m feeling really good. Obviously, we’re working through some things still, but excited about the direction I’m headed.”
Receiver Irvin Charles sat out Monday with an unspecified issue, while linebacker Jamie Sheriff sat out for a second straight day. Defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence also sat out, but that was likely just a veteran day off. Defensive lineman Leonard Williams, who sat out Sunday, was back Monday.
“Guys are getting their legs underneath them,” Macdonald said. “I know they are sore right now. We are dealing with a few things. But kind of par for the course on that front.”
One more practice before pads go on
The Seahawks will practice at the VMAC again on Tuesday — and again in front of fans after Monday’s workout was closed to the public. The Seahawks will take Wednesday off and will return on Thursday for their first full-pads practice of camp.
Macdonald indicated he wants to see a little better execution on Tuesday heading into the day off.
“A lot of stuff we need to work on,” he said. “A long way to go. But you know let’s focus on what do we got to do best. I’d like to finish practice a little bit better to finish out this ramp-up period.”
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