3 Seahawks With the Most to Gain vs. Chiefs

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Jalen Milroe (6) warms up prior to a game against the San Francisco 49ers. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

3 Seahawks With the Most to Gain vs. Chiefs

Originally posted on Seattle Seahawks on SI
By Brendon Nelson | Last updated Aug 28, 2026 9:00 AM ET

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Per Mike Macdonald, the Seattle Seahawks will not be playing starters tonight against the Kansas City Chiefs.

This comes as no surprise, given that Macdonald clearly seems to believe the preseason is a time for sorting out depth, but it leaves us fans with less to be invested in. So let’s find three players that have something to strive for tonight that we might benefit from.

Jacardia Wright

I haven’t heard a word about Emanuel Wilson in weeks, and can only assume that his injury is going to linger on for at least some of the early regular season. This leaves Wright as the third running back behind Price and Holani, which might come with some playing time if he can earn the trust. His preseason so far has been uneven, so tonight is important.

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Despite busting off a long touchdown against the Titans, Wright ended up failing to find the hole on a few occasions, and gave up an easy first down on a third down reception by running laterally. There’s a little Chris Carson in Jacardia, but Carson knew went to hit the hole and go. This is Wright’s best chance to make an impact in the NFL, so let’s see it tonight.

Connor O’Toole

As of this moment, I don’t think any of the fringe edge rushers here (O’Toole, Jared Ivey, Jalan Gaines, Jamie Sheriff) make the roster. Between Mike Morris’s ability to play outside and Tyrice Knight’s pass rush upside, I think the team doesn’t need another pure end. However, O’Toole strikes me as someone who could change that mentality with a good game here.

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Connor was great against the Titans, consistently living in the backfield along with Jamie Sheriff, and I wonder if another game like that could get him on the squad. Maybe a dynamic fifth edge is more valuable than someone like Morris, who is flexible enough to play inside and outside but doesn’t offer the upside of a pure rusher. It’s got to at least be a consideration.

Christian Haynes

Just park it in the garage, Christian. Haynes looked like he was on the way out as recently as a few weeks ago, as I wasn’t hearing anything about him in camp. But he’s had two reasonable games in a row, finally showing improvement after two seasons of largely being a dud. Combine that with the injury to Mason Richman, and I suspect Haynes is getting another shot.

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However, Bryce Cabeldue is lingering as another option, and I wouldn’t count him out quite yet. It’s possible the backup left guard battle comes down to tonight. And while we were fortunate enough to have a full season from Grey Zabel last season, there’s no guarantee of that going forward, so finding the best possible backup for him is key.