The Seattle Seahawks entered Mike Macdonald’s tenure hoping for a defensive turnaround.
Two years later, it’s fair to say they’ve gotten one.
What was once one of the roster’s biggest weaknesses has become one of its greatest strengths. Macdonald’s scheme has brought versatility, aggression, and, perhaps most importantly, development. Several players have elevated their games since his arrival, helping transform Seattle into one of the league’s more difficult defenses to face.
The encouraging part for
Seahawks fans? Many of the defense’s most intriguing pieces are still young.
Veterans like Leonard Williams and DeMarcus Lawrence provide proven leadership and production, while stars such as Devon Witherspoon have already established themselves as cornerstone players. But the next step for Seattle may depend on another wave of talent taking on larger roles and making significant jumps in production.
If that happens, the Seahawks could field an even more dangerous defense in 2026.
Nick Emmanwori
Few players enter the NFL with a physical profile as unique as Nick Emmanwori.
From the moment Seattle drafted him, it was obvious the organization viewed him as far more than a traditional safety. His combination of size, speed, range, and explosiveness gives defensive coaches an almost unlimited number of options.
And if there’s one coach who knows how to maximize that type of player, it’s Mike Macdonald.
Throughout his career, Macdonald has built defenses around versatile defenders capable of filling multiple roles. Safeties in his system aren’t simply deep coverage players. They’re expected to blitz, rotate into the box, cover tight ends, disguise coverages, and move around the formation depending on the matchup.
That’s exactly the type of role Emmanwori was built for.
The biggest hurdle for most rookie defensive backs isn’t physical talent. It’s processing speed. Learning adjustments, understanding route concepts, mastering communication responsibilities, and reacting instinctively all take time.
Once those mental aspects begin to click, however, athletic gifts tend to take over.
If Emmanwori adapts as quickly as Seattle hopes, he could become one of the most impactful pieces in the secondary before the season is over.
Rylie Mills
Not every breakout candidate arrives with first-round expectations.
Sometimes the biggest jumps come from players whose development gets delayed before it ever begins.
Rylie Mills might fit that description perfectly.
When Seattle selected the former Notre Dame defensive lineman, much of the conversation centered around the injury that ended his final college season. In many ways, 2025 became a redshirt year. The focus wasn’t on immediate production but on recovery, development, and preparing for the long term.
Now comes the opportunity to show why the Seahawks were so interested in him in the first place.
One trait that repeatedly came up during the draft process was Mills’ get-off. Seattle’s coaching staff consistently praised his first-step quickness and ability to win immediately after the snap. Before his playoff injury, many evaluators believed he had significantly more draft value than where he was ultimately selected.
Now healthy and entering his second season, Mills finds himself in an ideal situation.
Few defensive lines can match Seattle’s depth. Opposing offensive lines will spend most of their attention dealing with Leonard Williams, Byron Murphy II, and Jarran Reed. That creates favorable one-on-one opportunities for rotational players who can capitalize on them.
Mills may never be the most physically gifted player in the room, but his combination of effort, instincts, and disruptive first-step explosiveness gives him a realistic chance to outperform expectations.
Without the pressure and uncertainty that often accompany a rookie season, he could emerge as one of the more pleasant surprises on the roster.
Byron Murphy II
Including Byron Murphy II on a breakout list may seem strange. After all, he’s already shown plenty of signs that stardom is coming.
But there is still a meaningful difference between flashing elite talent and consistently playing at an elite level. Murphy appears to be approaching that threshold.
Throughout last season, he repeatedly demonstrated the traits that made him one of the most highly regarded defensive tackle prospects in recent years. His burst off the line, ability to penetrate gaps, and capacity to disrupt plays before they fully develop often forced quarterbacks off their spot and created chaos in both the passing and running game.
The flashes were impossible to miss.
Now comes the next step.
The NFL’s best interior defenders don’t dominate occasionally. They dominate weekly. Murphy has all the tools necessary to join that group.
He’s becoming increasingly comfortable within Macdonald’s defense, and he’s entering the stage of his career where many defensive tackles begin turning potential into production. His impact against the run already stands out, while his pass-rush upside remains extremely high.
If the consistency catches up to the talent, Murphy won’t simply be viewed as an ascending young player.
He’ll be viewed as one of the premier defensive tackles in football.
Final thoughts
The most exciting thing about Seattle’s defense may not be what it already is. It may be what it can still become.
The Seahawks already have established stars. Leonard Williams remains one of the NFL’s most disruptive defensive linemen. Devon Witherspoon has developed into one of the faces of the defense. DeMarcus Lawrence adds veteran presence and championship-caliber experience.
But championship defenses are rarely built on stars alone. They’re built when young players take the next step.
Nick Emmanwori has the tools to become a difference-maker in the secondary. Rylie Mills could provide another valuable contributor along an already talented defensive front. And Byron Murphy II appears poised to make the leap from promising talent to legitimate star.
If even a couple of those developments happen, Seattle won’t just have a good defense in 2026.
It could have one of the NFL’s most complete units.
