Transcript
Tristan Amundson: All right, folks, welcome in to the world's only Seahawks podcast. This is Miles. Coming at you on Tuesday morning. Just about 36 hours before...
Tristan Amundson: Finally. the The myriad of offseason stories are put to bed, and we have a real, actual... Regular season game in front of us on the television that actually matters, that will go down in the standings. and It's just an absolutely fantastic nighttime.
Tristan Amundson: Primetime matchup at that. Before I get into everything, I did want to share a bit of a philosophical thought that I tend to have at this early September time of year.
Tristan Amundson: When the NFL comes back on, I'm not sure if everybody thinks this or. If I am the only... guy in the world who has this thought but Every time we see week one again. on our televisions after that long, long absence.
Tristan Amundson: I always think. Wow. It looks exactly the same. as it did last year it looks exactly the same and yet If you go back 10 years, 15 years, across the decades of NFL, you you can tell.
Tristan Amundson: Just by a still image, what decade a football game. was played in from the TV copy. so That mystery has always confounded me. Again, I don't know if everybody thinks this or if I'm just way out.
Tristan Amundson: I'm going out on a limb here, but I always think. Wow, it looks exactly the same, and yet... As the passage of time marches on. um ah Wow, does does football look completely different? And we're we're all on this journey together. We all.
Tristan Amundson: We all see the 2020 NFL looks so modern and yet. Let 10, 15, 20 years pass, and it too will look will look like a relic of the past, just like all the other eras.
Tristan Amundson: Um, I always think about that every September. Okay, the Seattle Seahawks finalized their roster to get ready for this game, leaving the preseason behind and having a full...
Tristan Amundson: 53, or should I say 70? man roster ready to go for the season. Uh... There's no doubt about it. There was absolute chaos at cornerback number three. I'm gonna go through the list of transactions that happened.
Tristan Amundson: to get to where we are on the final roster. It was a lot going on. And this is a problem. there There is instability at this position. and I don't think any of us could. On the out outside of the Seahawks facility.
Tristan Amundson: I don't think anybody knows how these snaps are actually going to be given out. Tomorrow night against the New England Patriots on national television. That being said... I think this position stands out because the rest of the Seahawks roster is. Absolutely so rock solid.
Tristan Amundson: We knew. Almost everybody on this roster, we knew... Tiers of this roster that are normally subject to incredible. Year over year turnover in the NFL. Those were rock -solid positions with the 2026 Seahawks.
Tristan Amundson: So this is a problem, but I do think it stands out because there's almost no other surprises anywhere else on the roster down until like the 40s and the 50s, guys. But anyway. Quarterback three.
Tristan Amundson: Here's how we got to where we currently are. So Noah Igbenogany, the... Free agent signed in April. I was optimistic about it. Thought that this was a good scouting. you I thought the Seahawks scouting people saw something with Igbenogany.
Tristan Amundson: It didn't work out. He will not appear in a regular season game with the Seahawks. He has been released and he's already latched on to the Cleveland Browns. Trayvon Diggs. We saw the storyline develop in Hard Knocks. We saw the interception.
Tristan Amundson: In preseason game number three against the Chiefs. He is moved on to the practice squad for the time being. We've got Michael Dansby. Seventh round pick this last spring out of the University of Arizona. Played some in the preseason.
Tristan Amundson: He's moved on to the practice squad. Terryon Arnold, also covered in hard knocks. a signing that definitely gives me a lot of trepidation He was signed by the team just before the the roster finalized. Bait.
Tristan Amundson: Last weekend. Side by the team, but then placed on the commissioner's exempt list. I did want to study up. about what the commissioner's exempt list is exactly. There's usually just a handful of players on it across the league at a given time. And that's basically players with some sort of active Legal situation.
Tristan Amundson: Like Arnold himself. Has. What happens for a player on this list? You are paid your full salary. You are allowed in the building for you know practices, meetings, and everything. Basically, everything but the actual games, you are allowed.
Tristan Amundson: And any. Uh... there's really no timeline for your return. So that's that's why it's different from a suspension. A suspension is without pay. commissioners exempt list you are getting paid but you can't participate in the games And as the, as the.
Tristan Amundson: Unfortunately, we got as the legal... you know. The legal. Things unfold. ah There is no timeline for Terry on Arnold's return, and we don't know if we will or won't see him in a Seahawks uniform, um honestly.
Tristan Amundson: Another move that Seahawks made at this position. We're not done yet. Avery Smith. Drafted in the chargers by the Chargers this last spring in the sixth round out of the University of Toledo.
Tristan Amundson: The Seahawks make a trade for him before he appears. in a regular season game with the Chargers. Seahawks send over their sixth round pick next year. to Los Angeles in order to get Avery Smith in the building.
Tristan Amundson: A bit of an unusual trade, trading a rookie before he's actually played in an NFL game. I think it shows that the team was interested in Avery Smith in last year's draft and didn't work out for whatever reason.
Tristan Amundson: And yeah, now he's in the building. Staying put, so surprisingly, in the midst of all this. is Nehemiah Pritchett, who's on the team. This is year three for him. I've always felt that he is on the roster bubble.
Tristan Amundson: Pretty much at all times. Does contribute on special teams. ah But despite that feeling that he's on the roster bubble. stays on the full 53 man for the third year in a row.
Tristan Amundson: And also Julianne Neal. The third round draft pick from last year's draft. I think all these moves are a bit of a sign that the team doesn't quite trust Julian Neal just yet.
Tristan Amundson: that might have been ah because of the health issues he experienced during the preseason. But at the end of all things... Avery Smith, Nehemiah Pritchett, Julian Neal.
Tristan Amundson: on the 53 -man roster after a lot of roster shuffling. Speaking of roster shuffling, we did see the Seahawks and the Hard k Knocks production really focus on this process in the fifth and final.
Tristan Amundson: episode of the season. Five episodes, not very much, but man, I really feel like I felt like we really lived in there. It's a little bit shocking, actually, to know that there won't be any more episodes of this show. We really...
Tristan Amundson: got in a rhythm pretty quickly and then of course you know it must end as the regular season starts The focal point of this episode was the the Seahawks.
Tristan Amundson: Revolutionary. I think revolutionary is a fair word. Their revolutionary approach to this moment in the NFL season. The roster cut down day. and how they are genuinely doing something different.
Tristan Amundson: I think Tristan and I felt that last season in the 2025 run. There were so many situations week after week where... Somebody came off. The practice squad.
Tristan Amundson: Or the Ready Squad. And they really were ready to go. And they really did did make big contributions. It had to be. The best, I don't know how you would calculate this, but it did have to be.
Tristan Amundson: V. Best. Greatest contribution. by practice squad members to... a playoff team. ever in football history.
Tristan Amundson: And I do think the front office and the coaching staff are thinking about this in a different way. And I think it really gets results. That being said... I was really torn because i do I do feel like the Seahawks are creating something new. that hasn't been seen in in decades and decades of professional football.
Tristan Amundson: How they view this this roster cut down day as ah a day of happiness and not a day of sadness. With all that being said, if you were to just watch Hard Knocks, you would not know That.
Tristan Amundson: A lot of guys. Did have a difficult day. in that building. Now many more guys had a happy day. In that building. many more than maybe in the history of NFL roster cut down days.
Tristan Amundson: But it was still a difficult day for a lot of guys. Things didn't go how, I mean, no Igbenogany. He wanted to be on the Seahawks, I'm sure, and not have to.
Tristan Amundson: move to Cleveland on a few days notice and get started with a brand new team. We didn't see any of that. So this segment, i was really I still don't know how I feel about it because, i again, I do think the Seahawks are are revolutionary here.
Tristan Amundson: But this this whole part of the show, it also tended to, it it felt a little more like a PR fluff piece that we saw at any point in the season. I wanted to give a shout out to some of the guys who did have a difficult day on roster cut down day.
Tristan Amundson: We had wide receiver Cody White. Been with the organization since 2023. Got released. Clint Kubiak. The old offensive coordinator immediately picked him up in Las Vegas, and Cody White is currently on the Raiders practice squad.
Tristan Amundson: We also had tight end Nick Finette. was back in the building. He started his NFL career in Seattle. was a Seahawk from 2016 to 2019. He has gone on an unbelievable tour of nine... Total NFL teams.
Tristan Amundson: and was back in Seattle. had had signed a deal early and in training camp. Team lets him go and he is on to potentially team number 10. He's currently on the Ravens practice squad. And I would imagine.
Tristan Amundson: but eventually see time with the Ravens this year to play for his unbelievable. 10th. NFL team. And also maybe the status situation. Our man from Hawaii. Uso Sayamalu. Again, if you just watched Hard Knocks, you saw...
Tristan Amundson: the happiness you saw the positivity the the team really welcoming him into the practice squad and excited for the future Camera shut off, and just a few days later...
Tristan Amundson: Uso is cut. from the practice squad to make room for veteran offensive lineman Bobby Hart. That's tough. I mean, that's as I mean. And and ah as revolutionary, as as happy as the Seahawks want to make it, there there still are just really tough decisions to be made.
Tristan Amundson: There could be situations where you you do need that sixth. offensive tackle like Bobby Hart. And, um... Just a tough situation for Uso. Definitely will be. I've been checking in. I haven't seen him land with another practice squad or with another team.
Tristan Amundson: I'll definitely be checking in because... um I mean... breakout star of the Hard Knocks season, Uso Sayamalu. I think it's fair to say that absolutely everybody...
Tristan Amundson: is rooting for him. On the flip side, the positive side. Somebody else, everybody, is rooting for wide receiver Montori Foster Jr. Unbelievable story actually makes the full 53 -man team.
Tristan Amundson: I didn't think that was necessarily going to happen. I thought practice squad was a great position for him. and ah you know ready to contribute for the season but we saw the incredible scene The phone call by the lake.
Tristan Amundson: actually makes the full squad and will be ready to go for week one. I'm really excited to see how it goes. And I know everybody will have a. a special feeling. I would imagine he won't play too many snaps, but.
Tristan Amundson: We'll be on the lookout for him in this game, and I think everybody will be. we'll be rooting for him to succeed for sure.
Tristan Amundson: With this finalized roster, I wanted to... To give a quick shout out. to Mr. John Schneider and the rest of the team in the front office. We we saw the office in hard knocks. We saw how these guys work.
Tristan Amundson: how these guys talk. With this final roster, if if you're watching a game this year. And you think. Man. It seems like the Seahawks have just unbelievable depth.
Tristan Amundson: compared to their opponent? How is this possible? We have John Schneider in the front office to thank. There has been incredible... This is... A hard thing to root for or or scream and shout for on an NFL Sunday.
Tristan Amundson: But there has been incredible financial stewardship. of this front office as it relates to the salary cap. Specifically, I'm talking about Dead. Cap.
Tristan Amundson: Seahawks get an absolute A plus in this category for this year. The dead cap is so clean. and it's giving the Seahawks the room. Two. to build out their entire roster.
Tristan Amundson: Going back to last December when Charles Cross was given the big extension. We have just seen the Seahawks lock in. Core player after core player. And there has not been any of the...
Tristan Amundson: the The restructuring shenanigans that go on around the NFL that went on with the Seahawks just a few years ago. with tyler lockett and the dk metcalf contracts None of that is going on.
Tristan Amundson: It's just locking in player after player at the top of their position. and And no salary caps shenanigans. Let's get it getting into the numbers here. The average NFL team has 47 .4 million. dollars in dead cap this year. That's the average number.
Tristan Amundson: that's That's a couple superstar players right there just tied up in dead cap. That's getting weighed down by four teams. You'll see them at the bottom of the standings. There's four teams who have over. 100. million. dollars in dead cap That's not going to get it done.
Tristan Amundson: Seahawks. Very. best in the league, smallest amount of dead cap, just 2 .3 million. The biggest chunk of that is the Noah Igbenogany contract.
Tristan Amundson: But man, $2 .3 million with when the salary cap is in the high 200s. I mean... It is a bit of a rounding error. You're you're just not going to notice it. And it's really not going to get any better than this for any team, basically. I think at any point in NFL history.
Tristan Amundson: So I whatever questions we have about this team at certain points in the year, I do want to notice that that this is just an absolutely. stellar thing for the Seahawks here.
Tristan Amundson: I want to move on to the injury report. There was some news in August that fell through the cracks here at the world's only Seahawks podcast. And that is fullback Robbie Utes is going to be out for the entire.
Tristan Amundson: Year on injury reserve. It sounds like this is He's still dealing with the same neck injury that held him out of the end of the playoffs in 2025. His last appearance was in the first playoff game against the 49ers.
Tristan Amundson: didn't appear in the NFC Championship or the Super Bowl. Obviously really scary dealing with a neck injury. We'll well definitely miss Robbie Utes out there. I mean, when you saw him last year as a rookie, it just felt good.
Tristan Amundson: to know we had this big bruising fullback. I'll definitely remember. That play against the Steelers early in the year last year where he had two fellas on the ground underneath him. It was absolutely outstanding. um And here's hoping that he's back for 2027 and ready to go.
Tristan Amundson: I guess the silver lining here is you know he's not going to be rushed back. An injury on a pretty serious part of the body. And we'll we'll definitely miss him this year. And we'll see. If the team is going to integrate Brady Russell more. at fullback snaps, or if just.
Tristan Amundson: The fullback experiment kind of hits pause for 2026 and the Seahawks. The team practiced yesterday, Monday. Not a lot of people held out, but we do have some questions at the safety position.
Tristan Amundson: Just a couple players. listed as limited participants we had nick enan warry and Tori Horton. Given Horton's lung injury at the second half of last year and seeing Eman. you know, walk around on this.
Tristan Amundson: on these crutches throughout hard knocks. I have no idea. what that means as far as their readiness for week one or or even their readiness for the rest of September. to be limited participants in practice. Those are really big question marks for me.
Tristan Amundson: so So something to keep an eye on. Obviously both of those guys will make huge contributions. What did surprise me was... ah A non -participant in practice was Tai Okada.
Tristan Amundson: So between E -Man being a question mark and Tai Okada also being a question mark now. The ready squad needs to be ready from day one. There could be. Somebody called up to play alongside Julian Love.
Tristan Amundson: maybe in the starting lineup in this first game. That's definitely something I'll be paying attention to. Tomorrow night, kicking off against the Patriots. And hopefully these are just short -term things that we have totally forgotten about. Bye.
Tristan Amundson: October, and November. All right, let's get to this game itself. Week number one, kicking off the entire NFL season against the Patriots. Side note here is that this is a bit of an awkward reunion.
Tristan Amundson: With Mr. Draymond Jones, he split last year between the Titans and the Ravens. Signed with the Patriots in the offseason. He'll be wearing number five. ah Believe it or not, Draymond Jones is only 29 years old. There's something about him that feels like he's maybe 34 or 35 and been around the league like for that amount of time. but 29 year old guy and he will definitely have revenge on his mind. He was with the Seahawks for several years.
Tristan Amundson: And he's going to see this Super Bowl banner raised. And he wasn't a part of it. Has to be. a pretty odd balance of emotions there and i would imagine he is he's been motivated since he's put pen to paper on that contract back in the spring that that he was looking towards this game and to make a destructive impact.
Tristan Amundson: It is hard to get that worried about the Patriots. I'm gonna be focused more on the Seahawks themselves in this game. It is hard to get worried about the Patriots. Just taking a look back at some of the numbers here.
Tristan Amundson: The Super Bowl was 19 -0 at one point in the fourth quarter. I mean... ah hello and sam darnold only had 202 yards in that game it wasn't really necessary it wasn't something we needed to talk about But the Seahawks were up big, and they never really got their passing game going.
Tristan Amundson: That entire Super Bowl. Okay. We have AJ Brown. In for the Patriots at wide receiver one instead of. Stefan Diggs. A .J. Brown had seven yards per game more receiving than Stefan Diggs in 2025.
Tristan Amundson: I know he would say that's because Jalen Hurts was holding him back in Philadelphia. We will see. I just. um It's a, and now. The Seahawks could absolutely lose this game.
Tristan Amundson: I do think the Seahawks will lose more games this year compared to last year. Part of it is being the hunted instead of the hunter. Um, But it it it is hard it's hard to get fearful about the Patriots. It's hard to...
Tristan Amundson: Be. too concerned about running into them and in January or February, potentially. So here's here's the things I'll be watching for with with the Seahawks themselves as they go up against the Patriots. I'm looking for... internal improvements here some internal questions and there are some things that some questions that do need to be answered with this team um as many things have gone right.
Tristan Amundson: Let's not forget about Emanuel Wilson. Running back two. Signed in the spring. As a free agent from the Green Bay Packers, I was really high on him at the time. Had a very quiet preseason. We never saw him in a preseason game or in a Hard Knocks episode.
Tristan Amundson: I think he's going to go nine carries for 47 yards, but it'll feel really strong. I think that's the kind of contributor he is. and um It's been easy to forget about him. But I think we'll see that type of.
Tristan Amundson: A strong supporting performance by Emanuel Wilson that'll be like, oh! we got We got this guy now, too. Big thing I'm looking out for is Brian Fleury's first time ever calling an NFL game.
Tristan Amundson: The Seahawks really rested just about everybody in the preseason, and this is one of the prices you pay. for making sure your starters are totally healthy coming into here is we...
Tristan Amundson: We don't. Yeah. There's really no replacing it. I mean, you know you talk about this for the players, but there's really no replacing. Actually calling a game. As the bullets are flying.
Tristan Amundson: for Brian Fleury. He's been in the NFL for forever. Has never called a game at the coordinator level. And how will this thing go? I think before Clint Kubiak we saw the Seahawks really had a lot of problems with their offensive coordinators.
Tristan Amundson: However many things at their position they excelled at. We saw those previous offensive coordinators really struggle at the rhythms of calling a game. There's a couple tea leaves I could look at from the preseason that were positive, but those Those seem...
Tristan Amundson: Very faint. i we we got it We just got to see it happen. ah and And this will be. the The spotlight will be on Brian Fleury. uh for better or for worse and here's hoping it goes really well I think it'll be a pretty run -heavy offense.
Tristan Amundson: And. um Yeah, that's a pretty big question. I mean, to be honest. Another question, kind of covered it briefly. but Who is going to get the snaps that are ups for up for grabs in the secondary? We know we have.
Tristan Amundson: we We have Devin Witherspoon. We got Julian Love. but and josh job as well but the the other supporting positions in the secondary There's going to be a lot of snaps up for grabs, both with the cornerback three and all those musical chairs I talked about.
Tristan Amundson: and also with Eman and Okada potentially both being out of this game as well. I'm looking for the team to have a better idea of how to integrate Rashid Shaheed. Now this is an area where the Seahawks could really...
Tristan Amundson: really improved from last year. Obviously, Shahid was such a revelation in special teams that... You're happy to have him back, but... This is a pretty big contract now. that he's on, that the team signed him to.
Tristan Amundson: And looking back at the numbers last year, it's a little shocking. Once he moved over from the saints. In the regular season, just 20 .9 receiving yards per game in Seattle last year.
Tristan Amundson: That did move up to 26 even in the playoffs. Those are still really supporting supporting cast numbers. And that's not how he's being paid anymore. I do think the team has really focused on what...
Tristan Amundson: Last year. I think you saw Sam Darnold really struggle to adapt to how fast he was and and some of those deep throws. you could just tell they didn't quite have that there needed to be some pretty delicate chemistry between the two of them uh on those deep throws they didn't quite have it I think they both really worked on it in the offseason. I would imagine that was a huge focus of the team in training camp.
Tristan Amundson: I do think this will improve, but we We don't know. And I'm really interested to see how. Rashid Shaheed has used. I think if you're looking for ways the 2026 Seahawks could get better than last year.
Tristan Amundson: I think the two main things are Rashid Shaheed. And next thing is. Turning the ball. Over. It was really shocking. i know I know it was a problem last year. It was still shocking to take a look back at the numbers.
Tristan Amundson: Last regular season. Line up all 32 teams by most turnovers, and the Seahawks were 31st. They had 28 turnovers across the regular season.
Tristan Amundson: And of course, follow that up with zero in the playoffs. I've heard this stat kind of thrown around as a reason to... From a national perspective, why people are pessimistic about the Seahawks' chances this year.
Tristan Amundson: i understand I think that's a thought that's reasonable to have if you're... Zoomed out on a national level. If you're locked into the nest here, though, and you're following the Seahawks week by week.
Tristan Amundson: I think you saw this offense learn. as last season went on. You saw the offense learn. how to take care of the ball. and that you could really trust this defense.
Tristan Amundson: And that the best thing to do was just take the ugly down. Don't turn the ball over. and kick a field goal or let the defense fight for you. I really do think that's something that the team learned and that it wasn't an accident.
Tristan Amundson: that they had no turnovers. in the postseason. Look, if you can cut down 10 of those turnovers and get around to a league average area. I mean that's a lot of improvement right there.
Tristan Amundson: Last thing I'm looking out for. Sorry, got to mention it. But Jason Myers in the preseason slump, hopefully we just turn the page on that and all those kicks are flying true. But it it is something, it is it is the first time in a long time that I will be nervous.
Tristan Amundson: when Mr. Myers gets out there on the field.
Tristan Amundson: Seahawks Patriots is on Wednesday. Followed up with a very important game in the world of the Seahawks. The entire NFL will be focused on this NFC West. The best division in the game right now.
Tristan Amundson: for this first week. Thursday night, 535 Pacific, the Rams. Against the 49ers. On Netflix. Famously taking place in Melbourne, Australia. There's no way around it. this It's already... A victory.
Tristan Amundson: for the Seahawks, just the way this schedule is going. Week one. Seahawks play this home game. And already a mini buy. Before week two. a Home game. Mini bye into week two.
Tristan Amundson: Keep it rolling. these other two division rivals are traveling to australia of course in very different ways And then ah good luck getting back and getting ready to go for their week two games. It feels a little too much to ask for a tie or overtime in this game.
Tristan Amundson: it's an unbelievable travel victory for the Seahawks. And, you know, I think it's well -deserved because Seattle so far. from every other NFL team. Finally. Something rolling in the Seahawks' favor on the the travel schedule side.
Tristan Amundson: We have the 49ers and the Seahawks getting to this game in dramatically. different ways. I thought it was just kind of silly at first, but... The more I think about it, the more I'm i'm actually very, I'm completely, my imagination is completely.
Tristan Amundson: Captured. by how these two teams. are getting to australia We had the forty nine ers have I've been there for about a week. I think that's because the 49ers know the body is fragile.
Tristan Amundson: as they've dealt with at their practice facility. For a very long time, a lot of injuries. Playing it safe. The more I think about it the more I think that this is the right decision.
Tristan Amundson: that what the 49ers are doing, really setting up camp in Australia and getting fully acclimated. Rams are trying the fully opposite method. and And you know because of this contract that everybody in the NFL...
Tristan Amundson: is watching this for that this game will dictate a lot of strategy for these international games for years to come. Rams going the opposite way. just trying to Just trying to scoot in and out as quickly as possible.
Tristan Amundson: Ha ha! The more I think about it, the more I think it is. a potential example of of ram's hubris and just saying We can overcome space and time and and the body and the sleep cycles and the body.
Tristan Amundson: we can We can just blast through this because we're the Rams and we can take care of business. I... don't think it will work actually the more i think about it the more i think it's actually a really bad idea But...
Tristan Amundson: we We don't know. We don't know. and It will be really fascinating to see that game. that That is one of the best non -Seahawks games on on the entire NFL calendar this year. I'm really looking forward to that.
Tristan Amundson: Going to wrap up here with a quick look at the entire NFL landscape. Lifting my head above Seahawks land here. And seeing how things go.
Tristan Amundson: I think it's pretty easy to say that the Seahawks are just safely in the Super Bowl picture this year. And what a rare and special thing that is to say. i I don't think that's a Homer take. I think that's just fair to say that.
Tristan Amundson: That in January, the Seahawks will be one of the teams that's just in the top tier. of the league and competing for the super bowl I do think the team will lose more games than it did last year. I'm going to predict the team will go 12 -5.
Tristan Amundson: Let's remember last year, there were a lot of weak teams on the schedule. a lot of feasting days It got to the point where Tristan and I were even saying, hey, I wouldn't mind a tough opponent right now. I'm not sure how much we're really learning from all these unbelievable blows. The Seahawks really put away a lot of games in the first and second quarter last year.
Tristan Amundson: which which is crazy. in an NFL game. There's not a lot of those on the schedule this year. I think the team will lose a couple more games. For me, what's more important than the number of games lost is the...
Tristan Amundson: Quality. of those losses. Looking back at last year. Seahawks were 14 -3. I think what was most important, though... was all three of those losses were one possession games.
Tristan Amundson: Even though a couple of them were very ugly. including week one against the 49ers. A one possession loss is still sort of a win. It shows that you haven't been figured out, I think is the main thing.
Tristan Amundson: Nobody got close to figuring out the 2025 Seahawks. They could beat them. but they couldn't figure them out. And I think that's... going to be what's most important as the team potentially.
Tristan Amundson: racks up more losses than they did last year. So regardless of the seating I do think that the Seahawks are one of those Super Bowl -quality teams as the playoffs. Go on. As I look across the league.
Tristan Amundson: There are, I think there's two other teams in this Super Bowl. tier. And both of these teams, by the way, also had done exceptional. in the dead cap category. slightly more than the Seahawks have.
Tristan Amundson: but still really exceptional. First of those teams is the Denver Broncos. They will play the Seahawks in a Thursday night game in October. That's a pretty tough. schedule situation for Seattle.
Tristan Amundson: But let's remember. The Denver Broncos were 14 -3 last year. They played their AFC Championship game in a blizzard. with their backup quarterback. They lost 10 -7, and then they added Jalen Waddell in the offseason.
Tristan Amundson: A lot of bizarre things going on with last year's Broncos in one score games. I do still think this is a Super Bowl contender and that they're ready to go. And. I'm not sure if we can we'll be able to take away a ton from that October game just because it's it's such a weird Thursday.
Tristan Amundson: It's a Thursday night home road travel for the Seahawks. But um I have a lot of fear when it comes to the Denver Broncos, to be honest. that That's a team I fear. The other team I fear, unfortunately. is the Los Angeles Rams since last time this podcast came on.
Tristan Amundson: The team has officially signed Aaron Donald. According to Pro Football Reference, the best interior. defensive lineman of all time. 10 previous seasons.
Tristan Amundson: 10 Pro Bowls. Eight all pros for Aaron Donald. I do think. It's possible. The 2026 Rams could be... one of the NFL teams of all time.
Tristan Amundson: it It gives me no pleasure to say that that this team could be. But I think it's realistic to say. This team really could be good enough that there's a lot of.
Tristan Amundson: 2007 Patriots talk. And maybe the Rams get a loss here or there, but... We might see on on Rams games a lot of graphics showing. historic NFL, you know, season long point margins.
Tristan Amundson: Things like that. The amount of talent on that roster. might simply be... Just overwhelming. Puka Nakua could be one of the best wide receivers of all time.
Tristan Amundson: And Miles Garrett and Aaron Donald. Also some of the best all time. at their position. ah and It's shocking. With that being said.
Tristan Amundson: I do think the Rams. Have the potential. to self -destruct. in a way that the Seahawks just don't. Puka Nikua is a wild card off the field.
Tristan Amundson: The Rams are more susceptible to injury, I would say, than the Seahawks because... The Rams have really built a stars and scrubs model. Whereas the Seahawks, you know, are are all about depth ah and the entire team.
Tristan Amundson: I don't think the Rams have solved their special teams issues just despite all this. It all could come down to yet another wonky special teams play that the Seahawks win, which I would.
Tristan Amundson: Would course would thrill me Um, So I really think the Rams will kind of be competing against themselves as it is. But it could be a situation where they're too overwhelming that the Seahawks.
Tristan Amundson: even at their best, just won't be able to. defeat the Rams. I think at their caliber this year. we We'll see how it goes. I think that's a realistic view though of what's going on.
Tristan Amundson: Worth remembering, though, the Rams did almost lose to the Carolina Panthers in the wildcard round of last year's playoffs. so Bye. that happened. That almost happened too. The Panthers were up in the fourth quarter of that game.
Tristan Amundson: Last side note is linebacker Jamie Sheriff. You might have seen him in the preseason. He's been a practice squad guy for the Seahawks for the last three years. He was also released by Seattle.
Tristan Amundson: and picked up by the Rams. I have to admit, I wondered if that was kind of a... A spy situation. If if the Rams. a picked him up just to ask about all the things going on in the Seattle building. Um,
Tristan Amundson: We'll see. i We'll see if we see Jamie Sheriff. ah play for the Rams in the regular season. A lot to look forward to, obviously. um So the teams I fear here are the teams I predict in Super Bowl contention, Seattle, Denver, and Los Angeles.
Tristan Amundson: Those were three of the four conference championship teams from last year. Seems... awfully logical right now and of course we know it just Absolutely. Never. Works out like that. very excited to discover what the 2026 NFL season has for us.
Tristan Amundson: Thanks so much for listening. Go Hawks.
