The Seattle Seahawks treated Nick Emmanwori‘s season debut like a test drive.
Head coach Mike Macdonald now sounds ready to take the restrictions off one of his defense’s most flexible pieces.
Emmanwori played only nine defensive snaps in Seattle’s 31-7 road win over the Arizona Cardinals on Sept. 20. That workload will rise sharply when the Seahawks visit the Washington Commanders in Week 3.
“It’s significantly higher,” Macdonald said of the plan for Emmanwori, according to Seahawks.com. “We’ll see how the game unfolds, see how he feels, but he’ll be out there a good bit.”
The update, relayed by The News Tribune‘s Gregg Bell in a Sept. 23 post on X, moves Emmanwori into the next phase of his recovery from ankle surgery.
Emmanwori Flashed in Carefully Managed Return
Emmanwori underwent ankle surgery before training camp, then missed the preseason and Seattle’s opener.
The Seahawks listed him with ankle and hip injuries before activating him against Arizona, but his small workload started a first step prior to a full return.
He still found a way to affect the game. Emmanwori recorded one tackle and rushed the passer four times, according to Seattle Sports’ breakdown of his debut.
On his most revealing snap, the 6-foot-3, 220-pound defensive back came off the edge and drew attention from Trey McBride and right tackle Elijah Wilkinson. The pressure forced Jacoby Brissett to climb the pocket and discard the ball on third down.
Macdonald said after the victory that Seattle planned to accelerate Emmanwori’s workload.
Three days later, his language became more definitive, as the second-year safety appears to have cleared the confidence-building portion of the process without a setback.
That development adds a dimension to a defense that ranks second in the NFL in yards allowed and points surrendered. Seattle has held its first two opponents to 17 combined points while allowing an NFL-low 124.5 passing yards per game, via the Commanders’ official Week 3 preview.
Expanded Role Arrives at Useful Time for Seahawks
Emmanwori’s expected jump is especially valuable for the Seahawks in this matchup since Washington owns the league’s third-ranked rushing offense at 157 yards per game.
And the unit now appears set to turn from injured starter Jayden Daniels to Marcus Mariota — both quarterbacks able to make plays with their legs.
That assignment demands discipline on the perimeter and speed in the middle, two areas where Emmanwori can alter Macdonald’s calls without requiring a substitution.
Daniels dislocated his left elbow during a 37-20 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. Commanders head coach Dan Quinn said the team would rally around Mariota, who completed passes for 111 yards and a touchdown after replacing Daniels, via to Washington’s team website.
Mariota can threaten a defense with his legs, while wide receiver Stefon Diggs has emerged as Washington’s top passing-game option with three touchdowns through two weeks. Emmanwori’s range gives Macdonald options against both concerns. He can patrol throwing lanes, cover from the slot, pursue a scrambling quarterback or arrive as a fifth rusher.
His rookie production showed why Seattle is eager to restore that freedom. Emmanwori amassed 81 tackles, nine tackles for loss, 11 passes defensed, 2.5 sacks and an interception in 14 games, per the Seahawks, and finished second in the 2025 AP Defensive Rookie of the Year voting.
Nine snaps in Arizona served their purpose.
Sunday’s visit to Washington should provide the first genuine look at how much more Macdonald intends to place on Emmanwori’s plate in Year 2.
Seahawks Announce Lifting Nick Emmanwori Snap Restrictions Before Commanders Game