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.

Buddha Jones | Devin Richardson | TaMerik Williams | Rason Williams II | Ro Torrence | Nathan Pickering | Dee Williams | Devere Levelston | Kobe Lewis | Sunny Anderson | Mike Novitsky | Max Pircher | Easton Gibbs | Hayden Hatten | Garret Greenfield | Carlton Johnson | Matt Gotel |George Holani | Cody White | Ty Okada | Drake Thomas | McClendon Curtis | Easop Winston Jr. |Nelson Ceaser | Jonathan Sutherland | Lance Boykin | Joshua Onujiogu | Patrick O’Connell |Jack Westover | Raiqwon O’Neal | Tyler Mabry | Dareke Young | Tremayne Anchrum | DJ James | Artie Burns | Kenny McIntosh | Myles Adams | Dee Eskridge | Stone Forsythe | Tyrice Knight |Jerrick Reed II | Mike Morris | Coby Bryant | Jake Bobo | Jon Rhattigan | Nick Harris | Johnathan Hankins | Derick Hall | Laviska Shenault | PJ Walker | K’Von Wallace | Sam Howell |Sataoa Laumea | Pharaoh Brown | Michael Dickson | Tre Brown

SEATTLE – Seattle is at a breaking point as fearless street racers continue to scoff at the law. 

City Attorney Ann Davison is determined to change that by proposing hefty fines and making video, including social media posts, admissible as evidence. 

“We need to have our laws matter,” Davison said. “With our understaffing with Seattle Police, we need to be smart in how we address this.”

On Tuesday morning, Davison and leaders with the Seattle Police Department presented their proposal to members of the City Council Public Safety Commission. 

Seattle Police report that social media posts often inspire swarms of people to attend these dangerous events. What begins as death-defying donuts often escalates into deadly consequences: gunfire, hit-and-runs and even homicides.

One example of that blatant disregard is Miles Hudson, the man-behind-the-wheel of the infamous “Belltown Hellcat.” Despite a slew of criminal charges, thousands of dollars in fines and constant demands to stop, Hudson continues to post videos of him speeding and revving his souped up car on his Instagram. 

“I saw how people were laughing at officers because it felt like they couldn’t do anything,” remarked Councilmember Joy Hollingsworth. “I’m assuming people come to Seattle to do it because we don’t have particular laws that prevent this from happening.”

Davison suggests imposing a $500 fine for cars caught spinning out. She also argues that video evidence, including dash or body camera footage and social media content, should be used to prosecute offenders.

During the discussion, Councilmember Rob Saka expressed strong support for following the city of Kent’s lead in criminalizing spectators too. Saka promised to reach out to Kent mayor Dana Ralph to learn more.

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The waiting is almost over! We’re one month away from the the first Seattle Seahawks training camp under new head coach Mike Macdonald. The team has announced the schedule and start times for the public practices, all but one of which will be held at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center (VMAC) in Renton. There’s a special scrimmage/mock game at Lumen Field as part of the team’s annual Football Fan Fest.

All training camp practices begin at 1 PM PT except for the Aug. 5 session, which is a “rise and shine!” 9:45 AM start.

Seahawks 2024 training camp dates

Wednesday, July 24 – Season Ticket Holder Day (and their guests)

Friday, July 26 – Back Together Weekend

Saturday, July 27 – Back Together Weekend

Tuesday, July 30 – Kids Day

Thursday, Aug. 1 – Season Ticket Holder Day (and their guests)

Friday, Aug. 2 – College and Alumni Day

Saturday, Aug. 3 – Football Fan Fest at Lumen Field (mock game)

Monday, Aug. 5 – Kids Day (9:45 AM)

Wednesday, Aug. 7 – Mascot Mayhem Day

Thursday, Aug. 8 – Throwbacks Day

As our own John P. Gilbert noted last week, Seahawks rookies report to camp on July 17, followed by veterans on July 23.

Do you want to go to Seahawks training camp? Go to the official team registration site here and follow the steps to get your free (but limited availability) tickets. There is a $15 transportation fee per person to attend the VMAC practices, since fans will be shuttled to the facility. Again, cell phones and cameras are not permitted during practice, but will be allowed before and after.

Paid tickets for the mock game are on sale now and start at an appropriate $12. If you can’t attend, there are YouTube live streams provided by the Seahawks, although don’t expect actual training camp plays and scrimmages to be shown.

Are you planning on attending any of these practices? Let us know in the comments!