RENTON, Wash. — Seattle Seahawks fans lining the grass berm at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center for training camp are getting an early look at the team’s offseason additions — both young and experienced.
Among the rookies are offensive lineman Grey Zabel, quarterback Jalen Milroe and safety Elijah Arroyo, part of the team’s 2025 draft class. But for second-year head coach Mike Macdonald, it’s the new veterans who are standing out most — especially defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence.
“He’s like the best drill player I’ve ever seen in my life,” Macdonald said. “You could ask him to do any drill known to mankind, and just the trust he has in why you’re doing it — it is one thousand percent every rep, and that’s the standard he’s setting for our front. The guys don’t have a choice but to fall in line. The tape speaks for itself, but you understand how it comes to life based on how he works.”
Lawrence, the 6-foot-3, 255-pounder joins Seattle after 11 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys. A second-round pick in 2014, he has totaled 479 tackles (303 solo), 64.5 sacks, 21 forced fumbles and two interceptions across 150 career games.
Lawrence is one of several veterans the Seahawks added this offseason, including quarterback Sam Darnold and wide receiver Cooper Kupp, the former Eastern Washington star. Combined, the three bring 26 seasons and 347 games of NFL experience to Seattle’s locker room.
That mix of experience and young talent has already started to shape the team’s chemistry — well before the official start of camp.
“It speaks to the connection… we talk a lot about ’12 is one’ around here, and it wasn’t like I’m going to Sam and telling him to get the guys together, man — that was totally driven by Sam and the rest of the guys,” Macdonald said. “I don’t know how many routes they ran or how well it was — it’s just important for them to be together, talk through those things. I think that sets them up to have a better start to camp, and that’s really important.”
In recent seasons, the Seahawks have seen rookies emerge as early contributors, though it remains to be seen who will step up this year.
Seattle opens the preseason at home Thursday, Aug. 7, against the Las Vegas Raiders. The regular season kicks off a month later when the San Francisco 49ers visit Lumen Field.