The Seattle Seahawks are about to give us something we haven’t seen on Hard Knocks in 25 years: Tomorrow night on HBO, the defending Super Bowl champions take center stage, and this is the first time since the inaugural season of Hard Knocks in 2001 with the Baltimore Ravens that we get to see a reigning champion on the show.

For most of its history, Hard Knocks has featured teams in the middle of rebuilds. This is different and it’s going to be a lot of fun.

Seahawks are the hunted, not the hunters

The overarching theme I’m watching for is the team’s mindset. Mike McDonald and the Seahawks are no longer hunters. They are the hunted. After taking home the Lombardi Trophy in San Francisco back in February, Seattle has a massive target on its back.

No one is going to be surprised by them anymore. No one is going to be surprised by Sam Darnold anymore. How is this team approaching training camp and the preseason with a legitimate shot at a repeat? And make no mistake, they are perfectly capable of doing it.

I want to see how McDonald’s group is attacking this season from the jump, because that mentality is everything when you’re trying to go back-to-back.

Top offensive storylines to watch

Starting on the offensive side, the running back room is fascinating. Zach Charbonnet has been placed on the PUP list as he recovers from ACL surgery following the end of last season. That opens the door for a real competition between first-round rookie Jadarian Price out of Notre Dame and third-year back George Holani out of Boise State. Those two have reportedly been splitting a lot of reps at practice, and I want to see how that battle is shaking out. Naturally, you’d probably give Price the edge given the draft position of being a first round pick, but it is a competition, and it’s a critical one now that Kenneth Walker is on the Kansas City Chiefs.

I’m also intrigued by the offensive line room. It was a solid unit last year but there should still be competition, especially at right guard, and I want to see how they’re gelling as a unit heading into the preseason. On top of that, Klint Kubiak is no longer here after becoming the new head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders. Brian Fleury steps in as the Seahawks’ offensive coordinator, and this is his first year running the show.
How does his offensive identity take shape? What kind of chemistry does he build with this group? That’s going to be one of the more compelling storylines on the offensive side of the ball.

Seahawks’ secondary competition on defense will be something to watch on Hard Knocks

On defense, the main spot I’m locked in on is the secondary. Seattle moved on from Riq Woolen and Coby Bryant, and Nick Emmanwori is currently on the PUP list following arthroscopic surgery on his right ankle. That leaves some real questions.

What is Montana State product Ty Okada capable of as he gets another year under his belt? He made some plays last year in a limited role, and now he could be stepping into an expanded spot across from Julian Love, the veteran safety who enters another year with the Seahawks.

How’s that competition going? Can second-round rookie Bud Clark out of TCU make plays and compete for a starting job? There’s a ton of competition in that safety room right now with Emmanwori sidelined, and Hard Knocks should give us a great look at how it’s all sorting out.

Look, this is going to be a blast watching the defending champs go to work this preseason. I can’t wait to start watching these episodes and getting a real feel for what the 2026 Seahawks are going to bring to the table.