Your Seattle Seahawks just brought in a major talent for a tryout this week: Kyle Kennard, the guy who dominated the SEC and won the Bronko Nagurski Trophy as the top defensive player in college in his final season with the South Carolina Gamecocks. Even with our defense looking strong, Mike Macdonald’s crew is always on the hunt for ways to get better and deeper, and this is a clear sign they’re not letting up on finding talent.
From SEC Star to Waived Rookie: Kennard’s Wild Ride
Kennard’s journey to Lumen Field has been a bit of a rollercoaster since his college days. He was a fourth-round pick for the Los Angeles Chargers in the 2025 NFL Draft, which is a pretty solid spot for an EDGE rusher coming out of the SEC. But then things took a sharp turn. He got hurt in a joint practice with the San Francisco 49ers and, unbelievably, the Bolts waived him from injured reserve on September 4th. Can you believe that? A guy who was SEC Defensive Player of the Year gets cut after five games as a rookie, where he recorded 2 tackles, and dealing with an injury. Kennard himself admitted some frustration about not playing as much as he was used to, noting that his rookie season definitely had “a learning curve.” It probably didn’t help that the Chargers also grabbed another pass rusher, Ahkeem Mesidor, in the first round this past spring.
Why Mike Macdonald’s Crew Is Looking At Developmental Pieces
Now, let’s be real, defense isn’t exactly the biggest problem for us right now. Our Seahawks are tied for the fifth-highest total of sacks in the league so far this year with 16, and we’ve got a strong rotation of guys getting after the quarterback. But you know what Mike Macdonald preaches: constant improvement, always finding an edge. While our main guys are cooking, the team is always looking to develop talent at the bottom of the roster. Connor O’Toole, for example, has mostly been a special teams player, picking up 2 tackles. And we just saw Jared Ivey get claimed by the Atlanta Falcons, so there’s always a need to fill those spots with high-potential players. Could Kennard be that developmental piece for our pass rush? He’s long-limbed, he’s got the college accolades, and he’s hungry. This isn’t about immediate impact for the starting unit, it’s about finding that future spark.
A tryout is just a tryout, but man, it’s awesome to see our team always hunting for talent, especially for those developmental pieces. Could Kennard be the next hidden gem for Mike Macdonald’s defense? Keep your eyes peeled, 12s, because finding guys like this is how you build a championship contender. Let’s see what happens next!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Field Gulls.
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