Seahawks' Mike Macdonald gives clear verdict on rookie TE Elijah Arroyo as Noah Fant's future hangs in the air

Elijah Arroyo and Noah Fant are the two tight ends at the top of the depth chart in Seattle. According to the ESPN depth chart, Arroyo enters his rookie campaign as the TE2 while Fant remains TE1.

However, Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald might have just thrown a spanner in the works. As per ESPN's Brady Henderson, Macdonald said of Arroyo:

"This guy (Arroyo) can run an extensive route tree. To have to account for a tight end body on the field and him also to be able to split out wide, do X receiver type of things, bigger body than we probably have right now on our roster, just provides a ton of value.

"And then he's going to throw it in there as an actual tight end in line and be able to kind of create some of those bigger personnel formations is the vision that we have for him. So it's really exciting."

This is a glowing review of the Miami Hurricanes product, and it's now clear why the Seahawks selected him in the second round of this year's draft. Meanwhile, Noah Fant's future seems to hang in the balance following a 2024 regular season that saw him snag just one touchdown. Furthermore, his productivity doesn't seem to match the two-year, $21 million extension he signed in March 2024.

What's next for Elijah Arroyo and Noah Fant?

Elijah Arroyo will look to enter training camp and show the Seahawks coaching staff why he deserves to be the team's starting tight end. He has the physical tools (6-foot-5 and 254 pounds), and he'll attempt to make an impression between now and Week 1.

Arroyo had his breakout season for the Miami Hurricanes in 2024. He amassed a stat line of 35 catches, 590 receiving yards, and seven touchdowns. He even added a passing touchdown for good measure.

As for Noah Fant, he suddenly has competition for his starting job. Fant had previously spent the majority of his stint in Seattle as the team's undisputed starting tight end.

Furthermore, Fant is entering the last year of his most recent contract extension. He'll need to show out in the 2025/26 campaign if he wants an extension from the Seahawks or a bigger contract elsewhere. The market for backup tight ends isn't favorable at the moment, so it's best that Fant impresses in the current season to give him leeway when requesting his next deal.