Jalen Milroe’s clearest path to a bigger Seattle Seahawks role in 2026 may not be through a weekly package of gadget plays.
It may be by proving the Seahawks can trust him as their next No. 2 quarterback, a notion The Seattle Times explored recently.
Milroe remains one of Seattle’s more interesting developmental players entering mandatory minicamp and training camp, but the setup around him has changed significantly from a year ago. Sam Darnold is no longer a question, a placeholder or a veteran who might leave the door open. He is the Seahawks’ entrenched starter after leading the franchise to another Super Bowl title.
Drew Lock is still the backup. Milroe is still third on the depth chart.
That makes Milroe’s second season less about pushing Darnold and more about answering a practical roster question for Seattle: Can he show enough growth this summer to become the Seahawks’ trusted QB2 by 2027?
The Seahawks’ official depth chart currently lists Darnold first, Lock second and Milroe third at quarterback. That matches what Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times reported from OTAs, with Darnold taking first-team work, Lock working with the twos and Milroe behind both.
Milroe’s rookie season gave Seattle only a tiny regular-season sample. He played three offensive snaps, all early in the season, and his final one came in a Week 5 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers when an option pitch to Kenneth Walker III resulted in a pivotal fumble.
That play did not erase Milroe’s upside. But it did underline why his next step matters.
Seahawks Have a Jalen Milroe Question Beyond Gadget Plays
The most obvious fan question is whether the Seahawks will use Milroe more often as a runner.
That possibility is real. Condotta noted that Macdonald said on Seattle Sports 710 that the “short answer is yes” when asked whether the Seahawks are looking for ways to use Milroe’s athleticism. ESPN also previously reported, according to Condotta, that Seattle hoped to utilize Milroe as part of its running game.
But that is only part of the story.
A few specialty snaps can help stress a defense, particularly near the goal line or in short-yardage situations. Milroe’s athletic profile makes that tempting. At Alabama, he was a dangerous rushing threat, and Seattle did not use a third-round pick on him just to run the scout team forever.
The problem is that package quarterbacks have to do more than run. If defenses do not respect the throw, those plays can become predictable. If the ball security is shaky, the risk can outweigh the benefit. Milroe’s preseason last year showed both sides of the appeal: 87 rushing yards on 15 carries, but also six sacks and three lost fumbles, according to the numbers cited by The Seattle Times.
That is why the more important development is whether Milroe looks cleaner as a full quarterback.
Can he get the ball out on time? Can he protect it? Can he make enough routine throws that a defense cannot treat every snap as a designed run?
Those answers matter more than whether he gets three snaps or 30.
Drew Lock’s Spot Makes Milroe’s Summer More Important
Lock’s presence gives the Seahawks insurance in 2026. He is experienced, familiar with Seattle and still only 29. For a team trying to defend a championship, that matters.
But Milroe’s timeline is different.
If Lock eventually moves on, Seattle needs to know whether Milroe can climb one rung on the depth chart. That is the kind of development that rarely gets as much attention as a flashy quarterback package, but it can have real roster consequences.
A dependable young QB2 saves money. It protects the team if Darnold misses time. It also lets the Seahawks avoid using another draft pick or free-agent deal on a backup quarterback.
A stagnant Year 2 from Milroe would create the opposite question. If he remains only a specialty player, Seattle would still need a real backup plan behind Darnold.
That is what makes training camp and the preseason so important. Darnold does not need heavy August work. Lock does not need to prove what he is in the same way. Milroe should have opportunities to play extended preseason snaps, and those games could become his best chance to change the Seahawks’ internal view of his timeline.
Milroe Can Give Seahawks More, but Trust Comes First
The Seahawks do not need Milroe to become a quarterback controversy. They need him to become a quarterback they can trust.
That is a very different standard.
More Milroe in 2026 could mean a handful of designed runs. It could mean a red-zone wrinkle. It could mean a preseason showcase that puts him in front of a national audience with “Hard Knocks” cameras around the team.
But the bigger question is whether Seattle sees a quarterback who can eventually be one play away from running the offense.
Milroe’s athleticism is already the selling point. His Year 2 test is everything else.
Seahawks Hit With Risky QB Question Before Super Bowl Defense