The Seattle Seahawks will open training camp at the VMAC in less than a month, officially ushering in the first season under new coach Mike Macdonald.

In preparation for the new incoming season, we’ll be detailing every member of the Seahawks 90-man roster over the next several weeks, diving into scheme fits, exploring best and worst case scenarios and predicting what to expect from each player entering the 2024 campaign.

Will A.J. Barner factor in as a rookie for the Seahawks?

Barner was a three-star recruit out of high school in the 2020 class and committed to Indiana. He spent his first three seasons at Indiana and didn’t see much production despite being active for 30 games. He transferred to Michigan as a four-star transfer portal recruit for his final season in 2023 where he helped the Wolverines win the National Championship. He was the secondary option at tight end for the Wolverines, primarily used as a blocker opposite of potential 2025 first-round pick Colston Loveland. Barner did catch 22 passes for 249 yards and one touchdown, including an impressive 11.3 yards per catch as tight end No. 2. The Seahawks selected Barner in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft to play a similar role.

The way that offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb has called games in the past, Barner theoretically fits in as a blocking TE2 with pass-catching upside. Barner fits that profile perfectly and shows there could be more underneath the surface.

With tight end depth not set in stone, Barner grabs it by the horns during training camp and doesn’t let it go. His size at 6-6 and 251 pounds is prime for the position and he uses it to his advantage in all phases of the game. He is the prime complement to Noah Fant and emerges as a regular rotational player going into 2024.

While the potential is there for Barner to be the next Colby Parkinson, he proves to be too raw and struggles with consistency. Despite having played some of the best competition college football has to offer, NFL defensive linemen give him fits in the running game and he can’t hold onto blocks. Those struggles send him down the depth chart.

Barner is a really intriguing bet to make at tight end. He possesses ample size for the position and more than capable athleticism with an 8.70 Relative Athletic Score. His limited sample size for the position as a pass catcher is one of the main reasons why he was available on day three, but the upside is certainly there.

What should be expected by Seahawks fans with Barner is a player that needs time to develop but will be a capable blocker immediately. He will see most of his action in short-yardage and goal line situations and can be an impactful receiver in the red zone when given the opportunity. Don’t expect much out of him right away, but in 2-3 years, Barner could easily be a major contributor for the Seahawks.

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SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — History was made today in San Diego. The first of its kind, all-electric tugboat, the eWolf, was officially christened on San Diego Bay Tuesday.

The eWolf will begin commercial service this week.

Instead of burning diesel fuel like other tugboats, the eWolf is the first all-electric powered harbor tugboat in the United States.

Operating with zero emissions and other sustainable technology, the eTug delivers high-power capability, safety and efficiency, the announcement said.

Maritime, energy and logistics solutions company, Crowley, christened the eWolf on Tuesday, June 25, 2024.

Built by Master Boat Builders in Coden, Ala., the 82-foot vessel delivers 70 tons of bollard pull, which is stronger than the traditional tugboat.

Unlike tugboats that burn diesel fuel, the eTug uses a more environmentally friendly and sustainable power source, which will be charged at a station on the shore.

The eWolf is not only a game changer in sustainability, it’s also the most advanced technologically. It features next generation radar, sonar, and more.

The goal — to reduce pollution and improve the air quality for San Diego.

In the first 10 years of its use, the eWolf will reduce 2.5 tons of diesel fuel pollution and 3,100 metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) pollution compared to a conventional tugboat, according to Crowley.

Crowley was joined at the vessel christening by project partners including the Port of San Diego, San Diego County Air Pollution Control District, the California Air Resources Board (CARB), the U.S. EPA and the U.S. Maritime Administration. 

“The eWolf is a historic milestone in the maritime industry and Crowley’s legacy, and underscores our company’s commitment to serve as global sustainability leaders and innovators. The all-electric tugboat is the most technologically advanced vessel of its kind, and eWolf will help our customers and communities reach their decarbonization goals while delivering capabilities that strengthen our vital supply chain,” said Tom Crowley, Chairman and CEO. “We congratulate the people whose tireless dedication brought the eWolf to fruition with our partners at the federal, state and local government, setting a new standard not just in America, but globally.”

At the christening, the vice president of Crowley said San Diego now has the most advanced and safest operating vessel ever built.

“Crowley’s first-of-its-kind electric tugboat is a game changer. It checks all the boxes by providing environmental, economic, and operational benefits for our communities and maritime industry,” said Frank Urtasun, Port of San Diego Chairman. “This is truly a story of teamwork and collaboration. We are proud to work with Crowley and our state and local partners on this and other electrification initiatives at and around our port, including electric cargo handling equipment like our all-electric mobile harbor cranes, our microgrid, vessel shore power, and more.”

The name was chosen as a nod to a tugboat in the company’s initial fleet, the Sea Wolf, which operated more than a century ago in California.

Dan Plante contributed to this report

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – Tuesday was the fifth day in a row with above-average temperatures in Anchorage, and the 10th consecutive day without any measurable rainfall. This warm and dry trend will continue through the end of June, and likely into the first week of July.

High pressure is centered over the state. With the upper-level winds forced north, most of Alaska will stay storm-free.

The same cannot be said for the Aleutians or across the Bering Sea. An area of low pressure is spreading north, bringing high winds, rain, and a high surf to the northern Kuskokwim Bay coast. This area should be prepared for water levels to rise three to six feet above normal high tide. Wind gusts of 45 to 50 mph are also likely.

The Aleutians will also stay cool Wednesday, but high temperatures will climb back to the upper 60s and low 70s across Southcentral, mid- to upper 60s across Southeast, to the 80s across the Interior, and even to the 60s on the Slope.

Anchorage has already reached 75 degrees or above three times this month. We’ve only seen three days over 75 degrees in June six times in recorded history. The overall average temperature for June is only about half a degree above what is normal but is about 2 degrees above June to date of 2023. This month’s rainfall is also significantly lower than what most of Anchorage experienced last June, which brought 17 days with measurable precipitation, while this year, we’ve seen just four days with rain.

The number of active wildfires in the state is up to 222 as of Tuesday evening, and 22 of those are new in the past 24 hours. Fortunately, lighting activity was lower on Tuesday, with fewer than 1,000 strikes recorded. More than 5,000 lightning strikes were recorded in Alaska on Monday, and more than 6,000 were tallied on Sunday.

With high fire danger continuing, use extra caution to keep from adding any additional human-caused fires. Burn permits are suspended in the Mat-Su and Interior. Open fires are prohibited in Anchorage.

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