Seahawks always planned to drop overpaid veteran ahead of 2025 season

Sometimes it is painfully obvious when a team’s patience with a player runs out. Nothing is as clear as a franchise investing two early draft picks at the same position to position themselves to comfortably move on.

In the past two drafts, the Seattle Seahawks selected AJ Barner in the fourth round and Elijah Arroyo in the second round. The addition of Barner was a warning to Noah Fant, and the addition of Arroyo sealed his fate. The team announced Fant had been released on Sunday afternoon, less than two full days since Seattle signed Arroyo to his rookie contract.

Based on the timing, the only thing that extended Fant’s time in Seattle was the holdup in the entire league with second-round picks signing their deals. That all but confirms the Seahawks knew back in April they were done with Fant and his lack of production.

Noah Fant’s release is addition by subtraction for the Seattle Seahawks

Initially, heading into camp, it appeared that the Seahawks' tight end room was a bit cramped with three high-level investments on the depth chart. After all, Fant’s veteran status would likely preserve 40 or so targets for him this season as Barner and Arroyo chip away. 

It’s not as though Fant had done much with the average 53 targets he saw per season in his three years with the franchise. He averaged just 450 yards and two touchdowns per season in Seattle. Of course, four of his five touchdowns came in his first season with the team.

Fant has been a total letdown since coming over in the trade with Denver for Russell Wilson, cementing his status as a first-round bust, and a rare bust at the tight end position from the Iowa Hawkeyes' tight end factory. But now that he’s out of the picture, the Seahawks can turn their focus to their two young tight ends.

Barner caught four touchdowns in his rookie season last year while hauling in 30 total receptions and 245 yards. That’s a nice floor as the presumptive No. 2 tight end with room to improve as the offense opens up a bit more with Sam Darnold under center. 

As for Arroyo, his athleticism jumps off the screen, and while his production in his final season with Miami was similar to Barner’s first with Seattle, he did score seven touchdowns and set an athletic standard at the position that Barner doesn’t quite meet.

Still, both tight ends have their uses, Barner more as a traditional in-line archetype and Arroyo as a vertical threat. Both should become comfortable targets for Darnold as the season progresses.