Mike Macdonald loved everything about Seahawks’ first padded practice

The Seattle Seahawks held their first padded practice of the 2026 training camp on Thursday after returning from a scheduled day off, and head coach Mike Macdonald came away highly encouraged by what he saw.

“Well, I don’t know if it gets much better than this,” Macdonald remarked of the Seattle summer day in his press conference. “Beautiful weather, training camp, pads on, playing football, we got bald eagles flying, we got the blue angels in the sky, it’s pretty awesome. We’re very blessed, awesome day, great practice. Guys were after it [for the] 10 a.m. practice coming off an off day. Guys were in it. It was all around a really great day, really pleased.”

Thursday provided the first opportunity for the Seahawks to practice in pads during camp. While non-padded practices remain valuable for installing schemes and refining technique, the addition of pads allowed for a more physical session, though players still were not tackling to the ground.

Macdonald continues to favor competitive, physical practices, a philosophy that differs from many teams that limit contact until the regular season. The competitive culture remains a central part of Seattle’s approach.

Several players stood out during the workout. Defensive tackle Byron Murphy II continued his excellent camp by getting the better of blockers in one-on-one pass-rush drills. Rookie safety Bud Clark built on what Macdonald previously described as his best practice of camp, bolstering his case for a future role in the Seahawks talented secondary.

Linebacker Tyrice Knight also continued his solid start to camp after contributing in multiple roles last season following a knee injury in 2025. Rookie defensive tackle Deven Eastern returned from the physically unable to perform list for his first practice, while safety Nick Emmanwori did not practice as he recovers from an ankle surgery.

Wide receiver Jake Bobo, cornerback Julian Neal, nose tackle Brandon Pili, and linebackers Jamie Sheriff and Jared Ivey also missed practice with what Macdonald described as routine training camp issues rather than long-term injuries.