Arroyo brought in both of his targets for 19 receiving yards in Friday's 33-16 preseason win over Kansas City.

EDGE Analysis

AJ Barner lined up with Seattle's first-string offense Friday, hinting that he has the early lead over Arroyo in the starting tight end competition. The 22-year-old Arroyo hasn't done anything to hurt his stock this preseason, catching all four of his targets for 33 yards across two contests. The rookie would have to leapfrog Barner in the Seahawks' final preseason game against Green Bay next Saturday in order to avoid starting the regular season as the backup option.

Arroyo is thriving as a pass catcher early in training camp, but AJ Barner's blocking makes him the favorite to replace Noah Fant as Seattle's starting tight end, according to Gregg Bell of The Tacoma News Tribune.

EDGE Analysis

Barner, a 2024 fourth-round pick, was Seattle's No. 2 tight end for most of his rookie season. Fant's recent release gives both Barner and Arroyo a big opportunity, especially because new Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak is expected to shift the team toward more heavy packages with multiple tight ends and/or a fullback. Arroyo, a rookie second-round pick, could earn a role as the top tight end for passing situations even if he isn't a starter, given that he's faster and more explosive than Barner. The Seahawks also have blocking specialist Eric Saubert competing for a role, although he probably won't be much of a threat for snaps in single-TE formations.

Arroyo will compete with AJ Barner for the starting tight end job after the Seahawks released Noah Fant on Sunday, Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times reports.

EDGE Analysis

A rookie second-round pick, Arroyo was going to be in the mix for the starting job regardless, but Fant's departure opens the door further. Arroyo (6-foot-5, 254 pounds) struggled with knee injuries during his second and third seasons at Miami before reeling in 35 passes for 590 yards and seven touchdowns in his final collegiate campaign. He didn't test at the NFL Combine or pro day due to a knee injury, but he's considered a standout athlete anyway. Barner is considered a better blocker and held his own as a rookie, starting six of 17 games and finishing with a 30-245-4 line. According to Michael-Shawn Dugar of The Athletic, Arroyo impressed at rookie minicamp with his ability to challenge safeties with his size and speed. There's probably room for both tight ends to have significant roles in this offense, but for fantasy purposes, Arroyo has the more compelling upside.

Arroyo signed his four-year rookie deal with the Seahawks on Friday, Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times reports.

EDGE Analysis

Per Adam Schefter of ESPN, Arroyo's $8.81 million deal includes $6.87 million fully guaranteed. While Condotta notes that the tight end, who was taken in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft, 50th overall, is expected is expected to earn substantial playing time as a rookie, steady volume may be an issue for the 6-foot-5, 254-pounder out of Miami with veteran returnees Noah Fant and AJ Barner also in Seattle's TE mix.

Arroyo said Friday that he is no longer dealing with the knee injury that limited him leading up to the NFL Draft, Brady Henderson of ESPN.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

The knee issue prevented Arroyo from running the 40 at either the NFL Combine or his pro day, though Seattle was able to estimate him at 4.52/4.53 based on his GPS speeds. The injury didn't deter the Seahawks from drafting the big tight end out of Miami in the second round (50th overall), however, making him the fifth tight end off the board. Arroyo has a chance to carve out a significant role in the team's offense, especially if he can have a big training camp -- while Noah Fant tallied a respectable 500 receiving yards on 48 catches during the regular season last year, he has only one touchdown reception over the past two campaigns.