The Seattle Seahawks are gearing up for the first game in their Super Bowl defense, which will see them square off against the New England Patriots in a rematch from their final contest of the year. While the Seahawks still have quite a bit of talent at their disposal, they are going to have a target on their back now as the NFL’s reigning champions.
There’s no doubt that Seattle has quite a few star players at its disposal, but one position that could use some help is the safety position, especially after rookie Bud Clark suffered a season-ending ankle injury during the preseason. Simply put, someone needs to step up at this position, which is why NFL analyst Ben Solak of ESPN recently labeled Ty Okada as the team’s X Factor for the 2026 campaign.
Ty Okada Labeled Seahawks’ 2026 X Factor
Throughout the summer, Clark, a second-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, appeared in line to be the team’s starter at safety alongside Julian Love. Instead, he broke his right ankle, which required him to undergo surgery that will hold him out for the entire season. In the blink of an eye, that development has thrust Okada into the spotlight.
After playing minimally in the first two years of his career, Okada appeared in all 17 games for Seattle last season, 11 of which were starts. While Love and Coby Bryant were the primary safeties, Okada was the top backup, and with both guys missing time due to injury, he found himself playing more than expected. When he was on the field, Okada held his own, racking up 65 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and six pass breakups.
Okada has proven he can be a starting safety, and now he will have to do just that with Clark out for the year. Add in Nick Emmanwori’s murky injury status as Week 1 draws near, and that makes Okada even more important. We saw Okada take a big step forward in 2025, but in order for Seattle to successfully defend its title, Solak thinks he may need to do so again this season.
“An undrafted free agent who worked his way up the depth chart, Okada had to start multiple stretches last season when Love and Bryant went down because of injury,” Solak wrote. “The Seahawks won the Super Bowl thanks to their defense last year, and this defensive structure only works with safeties who can click quickly and close on the run for minimal gains. Okada looked the part last year in limited action, but the challenge this time is greater.”
All Eyes on Ty Okada as Week 1 Draws Near
Okada has certainly proven that he can hold his own in the Seahawks’ aggressive defensive scheme. However, it is telling that Clark was the preferred starter alongside Love, rather than him. While there is a lot of talent elsewhere on this defense, Okada is going to have to hold up his end of the bargain in order for the scheme to work as desired.
Having a Swiss Army knife like Emmanwori on the field will help take some of the pressure off of Okada, but his status for Week 1 remains up in the air. Right off the bat, the Patriots are going to be intent on exacting revenge for their Super Bowl defeat last year, which means Okada and the rest of his teammates are going to have to bring their A-game in their season-opener on Wednesday night.
Underrated Safety Labeled Seahawks X Factor in 2026