The Seattle Seahawks' recent run on HBO's Hard Knocks program continued with episode three. In the latest installment, the crew showed the Seahawks preparing for their preseason debut against the Dallas Cowboys, advancing the cause with Terrion Arnold, and examining the brilliance of Jaxon Smith-Njigba's skills as a route artist.
Obviously, there is plenty to discuss, and we at Seahawks Wire are diving in head first. Here are our top takeaways from episode three of Hard Knocks with the Seattle Seahawks.
No. 1 - The Seahawks believe in the power of their culture
If there's one thing Hard Knocks has had on full display it's Seattle's unique culture. This is the core of their team and what they are forging in the Pacific Northwest. The Seahawks pride themselves on what they've built, the success it has brought
them, and where they hope it will take them next. Clearly, they have all the faith in the world their culture can even work with a player charged with eight felonies. Episode three showed general manager John Schneider doing his homework on Terrion Arnold, which included going over previous combine interviews and interviewing Arnold's former Alabama teammates. Schneider outright stated they view signing Arnold as a "long term" move and they want to help make him a better person. This will easily be the biggest test of the faith Schneider and head coach Mike Macdonald have in their culture yet.
No. 2 - It's evident why the Seahawks drafted quarterback Jalen Milroe
It was the backups time to shine in episode three, as both Drew Lock and Jalen Milroe spent time in the spotlight. This was a natural spot to showcase them, especially with the first preseason game arriving. Fans at training camp and at home got a glimpse of the raw speed Jalen Milroe brings, as he was blazing past defenders at practice seemingly at ease. Although his time against Dallas wasn't exactly lighting up the scoreboard, we can still easily see why the Seahawks drafted him with the intent of developing the former Crimson Tide quarterback.
No. 3 - Could Montorie Foster Jr. be a secret weapon at wide receiver?
Seattle is rather top heavy when it comes to their wide receiver room, which means there's plenty of room for someone to step in and become a viable No. 4, or even No. 3 option for quarterback Sam Darnold. Could this be second year wide receiver Montorie Foster Jr.? Easily the star of episode three, the part-time substitute teacher and real estate agent is doing his best to prove he deserves an upgrade from the practice squad to the active 53 man roster. Although he earned his Super Bowl LX ring as a member of the practice squad, Foster has been turning heads at training camp. He was even responsible for Seattle's only touchdown in the 17-7 loss to Dallas.
No. 4 - Jaxon Smith-Njigba is unstoppable
When I said in the previous paragraph about how Seattle's wide receiver position is top heavy, I'm talking squarely about the reigning Offensive Player of the Year: Jaxon Smith-Njigba. What this man is able to do when it comes to running routes is jaw dropping. JSN can truly run every route in the tree and he gives absolutely no tells. Tom Brady spoke about it prior to, and during, the NFC Championship Game how he always remains level with his shoulders. We got to see what that truly means with one of the most unique visual aids, courtesy of the graphics department at HBO.
"A good route runner has to be a good artist."@jaxon_smith1 has become a master at his craft.
— NFL (@NFL) August 18, 2026
New episode of Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the @Seahawks airs tonight at 9PM ET @hbomax pic.twitter.com/q1Dk5FI8za
Mike Macdonald mentioning JSN's training camp was even better than last year's says quite a lot considering how that played out for him. At this point, I'm not sure I would rule out JSN adding more hardware at the conclusion of the 2027 campaign.
This article originally appeared on Seahawks Wire: Top Seahawks takeaways from "Hard Knocks" episode 3
