As we proceed to preview the 2026 Dallas Cowboys schedule, having already seemed on the Baltimore Ravens and Arizona Cardinals, it’s time to preserve with the chook theme and have a look at the defending Tremendous Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks. Seattle is definitely the place the Cowboys season will start, in exhibition style, as Dallas will play their first preseason sport on the Seahawks, but it surely gained’t be till Week 13 on Monday Night time Soccer after they play in one of many hardest highway environments within the NFL for actual.
This Week 13 Seahawks sport will include a really unusual relaxation benefit for the Cowboys, because it follows their Week 12 Thanksgiving dwelling sport on a Thursday afternoon in opposition to the Philadelphia Eagles. For simply the third time of their historical past, the Cowboys’ annual Thanksgiving sport will likely be adopted by a Monday night time sport, giving them a uncommon 11 days between video games. The Cowboys will then go into their bye week following the Seahawks sport, however keep out west following it for one more NFC West opponent, taking part in on the L.A. Rams in Week 15.
With Mike Macdonald on the helm in Seattle, the Seahawks have created the most recent model of their “Legion of Boom” protection, and rode this protection together with a robust operating sport and well timed, explosive passing sport all the way in which to a Tremendous Bowl championship. The Cowboys haven’t gained on the highway on the Seahawks since 2014, an early season win that despatched a transparent sign that season’s workforce was constructed totally different.
That 12 months’s Cowboys had been additionally sparked by their run sport, and now over a decade later it will likely be attention-grabbing to see what the Cowboys run sport appears like by the point they get to Seattle in 2026, and equally what the Seahawks floor assault will appear to be after shedding Tremendous Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker in free company, however drafting Notre Dame’s Jadarian Value with the final decide of the primary spherical this April.
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Seahawks Key Free Agent Signings/Departures
LB Chazz Surratt (Re-signed)OL Josh Jones (Re-signed)WR Rashid Shaheed (Re-signed)
* DEPARTED IN FREE AGENCY
The Seahawks put a heavy emphasis on re-signing their very own free brokers this offseason, which supplies them a brief record of exits, however they’re all important nonetheless. Coby Bryant performed 100% of the workforce’s defensive snaps within the Tremendous Bowl, whereas Riq Woolen and Boys Mafe had been contributors as nicely, whereas Kenneth Walker was the Tremendous Bowl MVP on offense.
Seattle did add one other former Cowboys move rusher in Dante Fowler Jr. to now pair with DeMarcus Lawrence, and nonetheless have a depth chart within the secondary that would be the envy of each different workforce attempting to play catch as much as the “big nickel” defenses having probably the most success in at the moment’s sport.
On the opposite aspect of the ball, additionally very similar to the Cowboys, the Seahawks offense goes to be an excellent case examine in “running things back”. Their core of Sam Darnold, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Rashid Shaheed, and Cooper Kupp may have a brand new play-caller in Brian Fleury, changing Klint Kubiak who parlayed successful a Tremendous Bowl with this group into the pinnacle teaching job for the Las Vegas Raiders.
With Fleury coming over from inside the Seahawks personal division, the place he most not too long ago served as run sport coordinator and tight ends coach for the San Francisco 49ers, the Seahawks will really feel like they’ve the precise slot in a division recognized for similarities in taking part in types offensively. Having a recent operating again and ascending offensive line for Fleury to place to work are additionally positives – which brings us to what else the Seahawks have executed within the draft and with their teaching employees this offseason.
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Seahawks 2026 Draft Class
Spherical 1, Choose 32: RB Jadarian PriceRound 2, Choose 32 (64 Total): S Bud ClarkRound 3, Choose 35 (99 Total): CB Julian NealRound 5, Choose 8 (148 Total): G Beau StephensRound 6, Choose 18 (199 Total): WR Emmanuel Henderson Jr.Spherical 7, Choose 20 (236 Total): CB Andre FullerRound 7, Choose 26 (242 Total): DT Deven EasternRound 7, Choose 39 (255 Total): CB Michael Dansby
Except for grabbing Value on the finish of spherical one as their substitute for Walker, the Seahawks drafted in a means that provides younger expertise to current positions of power already, with 4 picks going to the secondary, and one other to the inside offensive line.
This is a company that has been complimented for it’s continuity and synchronicity beneath Macdonald, who simply turned the primary ever head coach to win a Tremendous Bowl as their workforce’s main defensive play-caller. Their greatest challenges to a Tremendous Bowl protection will come from inside their very own division, with the Rams main the league in primetime sport appearances this season as a white scorching decide to win all of it, and the 49ers at all times within the combine.
With this season’s Cowboys at Seahawks sport coming in December, which Seahawks draft picks are seeing the sphere and have established roles by this level will likely be one thing to keep watch over.
Seahawks 2026 Teaching Modifications
*New to employees this season:
Offensive Coordinator Brian FleuryOffensive Line John BentonRunning Backs Thomas HammockInside Linebackers Zach OrrQuarterbacks Tyson Prince
The Seahawks may have a number of different new coaches in additional secondary positions this season, however extra noteworthy are the modifications on the positions we’ve already highlighted as ones that will likely be essential to creating or breaking their title protection season. Sam Darnold may have each a brand new quarterback coach and offensive coordinator. Fleury’s expertise working intently with the offensive line group as this new coordinator must gel with a brand new line coach totally in John Benton. Their first-round decide within the backfield may have a brand new operating backs coach in Thomas Hammock.
One of the crucial underrated strikes of the complete NFL offseason can also be on this record although, with the Seahawks including former Ravens defensive coordinator Zach Orr as inside linebackers coach. Having this wealth of defensive data between Macdonald and Orr is the wealthy getting richer, and a scary thought that the Seahawks already with a threatening secondary may very well be much more fearful within the entrance seven as nicely.
In the end in terms of the teaching matchup in opposition to the Cowboys although, this sport will simply be one other late-season litmus take a look at of simply how good of palms the Cowboys highly-paid offense is in with head coach Brian Schottenheimer calling the performs in 12 months two, in addition to for offensive coordinator Klayton Adams alongside him for 12 months two as nicely. By this level within the season, Schottenheimer and Adams’ gameplans will already be put to the take a look at by the Giants, Ravens, Texans, Buccaneers, and 49ers defenses, however the Seahawks on paper stand to be the hardest of this complete season’s bunch.
A win would ship the Cowboys into the bye with the very best of attainable vibes, and take a little bit of stress off the next sport in opposition to the Rams doubtlessly, whereas a loss on the Seahawks would make beating the Rams off the bye way more essential however no easier. With solely the Jaguars, Giants, and Commanders remaining on the schedule after this bunch, the Cowboys will want an announcement win someday between Thanksgiving and Week 15, seeing how they match up with the reigning champs in the course of this powerful stretch.
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