Seattle, WA
The changes Big Ray sees in Seattle Seahawks OL Olu Oluwatimi
There’s been plenty of investment and retooling amongst the Seattle Seahawks’ offensive line this offseason.
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The Seahawks are likely to feature at least two and potentially as many as four new starters on the unit when the season kicks off in September, which is partially dependent on the health of right tackle Abraham Lucas. One position across the front Seattle will definitely have a new starter at is center, which opened up after Evan Brown’s departure in the offseason. A top candidate to fill that role is second-year lineman Olu Oluwatimi.
The Michigan product was a topic of discussion Friday when former Seahawks offensive lineman Ray Roberts joined Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk for Blue 88. Co-host Mike Salk was curious as to if Roberts thinks Oluwatimi is ready to take on the responsibility of starting center.
“Yeah, I think so,” Roberts responded. “I was at practice yesterday and just watched him a lot, and it seems like his body has changed a little bit. And then I think (offensive line) coach (Scott) Huff has him really being a little bit more explosive out of his stance, especially in the run game.”
Growing pains
Roberts noted that physicality was a facet of Oluwatimi’s game that he thought needed improvement from last season. When entering the draft, strength was supposed to be one of the more NFL-ready aspects of the Upper Marlboro, Maryland, native’s skill set, but Roberts explained why that doesn’t always translate to the NFL right away.
“The thing is when you’re in college and you’re a dominating like offensive line player, a lot of times once you get your hands on a guy, those dudes kind of know that they’re done and they kind of stop trying,” Roberts said, “In NFL, those dudes keep playing. So you have to keep driving, moving your feet, leaning on them, pressuring them with your hands and those types of things. I think last year he fell into a little bit of like, ‘Hey, this is how I did it at Michigan.’ And then sometimes the guys would fall off his block at the line of scrimmage and get the tackle.
“… So trying to fit into the block and then finish the block I think is where his improvement needs to be at on this level, and from watching the drills and the teaching that’s going on with the offensive line, I think they’re working really hard and bringing that out of him.”
Oluwatimi appeared in 16 of 17 games and made one start last season. He was in on 13% (129 plays) of the team’s offensive snaps, per Pro Football Reference.
Prior to arriving in Seattle, he was standout on the nation’s best offensive line at Michigan. The Wolverines won the Joe Moore Award, given annually to the country’s best O-line, during Oluwatimi’s final collegiate season, and he won the Rimington (best center) and Outland (best interior lineman) trophies for his efforts as the linchpin of the group. The standout season with Michigan came after Oluwatimi spent three years as a starter at Maryland. So he has plenty of playing experience.
“The intelligence part of it, I have no problem,” Roberts said. “He’ll get all the calls right, he’ll be able to communicate to the offensive line and those types of things, but I did think that last year he needed to be a little bit more physical, and I think that they’re working on that in the offseason.”
Find the full conversation at this link or in the audio player near the top of this story. Tune in to Brock and Salk weekdays from 6-10 a.m. or find the podcast on the Seattle Sports app.
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Seattle, WA
Roster Moves: Seattle Seahawks activate Young off IR
The Seattle Seahawks activated wide receiver Dareke Young from injured reserve and elevated running back Cam Akers and offensive tackle Amari Knight off the practice squad Thursday ahead of their pivotal primetime showdown against the Los Angeles Rams at Lumen Field.
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Young, 26, has missed Seattle’s past eight games with a quadricep injury. The fourth-year pro is a key special teams member for the Seahawks and was on the field for over 50% of the team’s special teams snaps in each of the six games he’s played this season. He has seven tackles and 10 kickoff returns for 322 yards. He also has two receptions for 48 yards.
Akers, 26, would be making his Seahawks debut against his former team if he gets into Thursday’s game. He played in three games for the Minnesota Vikings earlier this season and totaled 19 yards on five carries.
A sixth-year pro, Akers spent three-plus seasons with the Rams after they selected him in the second round of the 2020 draft out of Florida State. Akers’ best season with Los Angeles came in 2022 when he rushed for career highs of 786 yards and seven touchdowns. He has 2,044 yards and 13 TDs on the ground in 56 career NFL games.
Knight, 24, provides the Seahawks with some depth at tackle with starting left tackle Charles Cross ruled out for Thursday’s game with a hamstring injury. Veteran backup Josh Jones is getting the start in place of Cross.
Knight went undrafted out of UCF and made his pro debut in Seattle’s Week 4 win over Arizona.
The Seahawks face the Rams on Thursday night at 5:15 p.m. Radio coverage begins at 2 p.m. with the pregame show on Seattle Sports 710 AM and the Seattle sports app.
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Seattle, WA
Alex Carpenter scores twice as Seattle Torrent beat Charge 4-1
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON – DECEMBER 17: Alex Carpenter #25 of the Seattle Torrent celebrates her goal during the second period against the Ottawa Charge at Climate Pledge Arena on December 17, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. (Steph Chambers / Getty Images)
SEATTLE – Alex Carpenter had two goals and an assist, and Hannah Bilka had a goal and two assists as the Seattle Torrent earned a 4-1 victory over the Ottawa Charge on Wednesday night.
Hannah Murphy was 38.1 seconds away from the first shutout in Torrent history before Ottawa finally got on the board late in the third period on a goal from Rebecca Leslie. Murphy made 24 saves on 25 shots in the victory.
Julia Gosling also added a goal on the power play as the Torrent won their second straight game.
Seattle took the lead on Gosling’s power play goal late in the first period with Rory Guilday in the box for a hooking penalty. Ottawa looked like they were going to get the game into the intermission scoreless after clearing the zone in the final 20 seconds of the period, but Carpenter and Bilka combined to find Gosling driving the back post for a finish past Sanni Ahola for a 1-0 lead.
Another power play chance off a Mannon McMahon tripping penalty allowed Carpenter to strike for a 2-0 lead.
A shot from the right circle from Bilka deflected off a skate to Carpenter at the front of the net as she back-handed the puck into the net for a two-goal advantage.
The Charge then lost track of Carpenter in the offensive zone as she found space directly in front of Ahola, beating the goaltender for a 3-0 lead off a pass from Megan Carter off the left boards.
Murphy was sharp in net for Seattle, turning aside 13 shots in the first period alone as Ottawa had the upper hand early. She’d face just 12 more shots over the final two periods combined, with only Leslie’s goal finding a way through.
After Bilka’s empty-net goal made it 4-0, Leslie outflanked Carter and the Seattle defense to get a near breakaway look in on Murphy that she finished to avoid the shutout for Ottawa.
Murphy has been the goaltender for both of the Torrent’s victories this season as the rookie out of Colgate University has been terrific early in the season for Seattle.
The Source: Information in this story came from FOX 13 Seattle reporting.
MORE TORRENT NEWS FROM FOX 13 SEATTLE
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Seattle, WA
Jorge Polanco sends message to Seattle Mariners fans
Jorge Polanco won’t be back with the Seattle Mariners next season, but he left the club and its fan base heartfelt message after his signing with the New York Mets became official on Tuesday.
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Polanco, who signed a two-year, $40 million deal with the Mets, posted the following to his Instagram page.
#Godfirst. I cannot express with words how grateful me and my family are for the belief YOU had in me. First you traded for me and then you signed me when everyone else doubted me after surgery. YOU made me feel wanted and loved and I will be forever grateful for that. I became a better player and person because of YOU. YOU embraced my wife, kids, and me as one of your own…again, I will be forever grateful for that. YOU were an inspiration for me every night and I just wish we could have delivered you the trophy YOU deserve. I will always cherish my time with YOU…I will never forget these last two years because of YOU.
YOU= Seattle Fans, Teammates, Trainers, Coaching Staff, Front Office, and Owner.
I will always smile thinking of YOU all.
Tridents UP!
Polanco was hindered by a knee issue and had a disappointing first season with the Mariners in 2024 after he was acquired in a trade that sent four players to Minnesota. But after coming back to the M’s on a one-year deal before the start of 2025, he had a resurgent campaign that helped key the club’s run its first American League West title and AL Championship Series appearance since 2001.
After posting career worsts with a .213 average and 29.2% strikeout rate in 2024, the 32-year-old second baseman and designated hitter batted .265 with an .821 OPS, 30 doubles, 26 home runs and 78 RBIs over 138 games in 2025. His strikeout rate dropped to 15.6%, marking the largest year-to-year dip in strikeout percentage in MLB history (minimum 450 plate appearances), per MLB.com’s Mike Petriello.
Polanco was extremely clutch for the Mariners all season long. He led the league with a 1.284 OPS and 259 wRC+ in high-leverage situations, and his .438 batting average was second.
That clutch hitting showed up in the postseason as well. Polanco homered twice off two-time reigning AL Cy Young-winner Tarik Skubal during Game 2 of the AL Division Series and delivered one of the biggest hits in Mariners history with a walk-off single in the 15th inning of their series-clinching Game 5 win. He also hit the go-ahead three-run homer in Seattle’s Game 2 ALCS win.
Polanco triggered a $6 million player option for 2026 by reaching 450 plate appearances in the regular season, but he declined the option to become a free agent. He was a top offseason target for Seattle before signing with New York.
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• Drayer: How Polanco’s departure impacts Seattle Mariners’ offseason
• Why Nolan Arenado could make sense as a Mariners trade target
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