Seahawks Get Encouraging Injury News on Key Offensive Player

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Tory Horton may be moving closer to a return than his earlier offseason timeline suggested.

Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald gave an encouraging update on Horton during his Tuesday press conference, saying the second-year receiver has made progress in his recovery and received feedback that could speed up his path back to the field.

“Tori’s made a lot of great strides,” Macdonald told reporters. “He’s going to — seems like he, we got some feedback that can really accelerate his recovery, which is great. And so he deserves some good news. He’s been working really, really hard.”

Macdonald did not give a firm return date, but he did leave open the possibility that Horton could do some work before the Seahawks wrap up their spring program.

“There’s a chance that he could do some stuff towards the end of the spring,” Macdonald said. “We’ll see how it goes.”

That is a notable shift from the Seahawks’ earlier public timeline. At the NFL annual meetings in March, Macdonald said Horton likely would not be at full strength during the spring but was expected to be ready for the start of training camp. Horton’s rookie season was cut short by a shin injury after he caught 13 passes for 161 yards and 5 touchdowns through his first eight games, while also averaging 14.9 yards per punt return with a 95-yard touchdown.

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Tory Horton’s Update Matters for the Seahawks’ Offense

Horton’s injury update is more than a routine spring note because of what he showed before landing on injured reserve.

The Seahawks drafted Horton in the fifth round out of Colorado State in 2025 after a college career that included strong production, team-captain status and enough speed to run a 4.41-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine.

He quickly became more than a developmental receiver. Horton’s early rookie production gave Seattle another vertical threat and red-zone option, and his punt-return work added another route to the game-day roster. His 95-yard punt return touchdown was the kind of special-teams flash that can change how a coaching staff views a young player’s weekly value.

That is why Macdonald’s wording is important. He did not simply say Horton is “working through it” or “on schedule.” He said Horton received “good news” that could “accelerate” the recovery.

For a player who already had a training camp target in sight, any chance to get limited spring work would matter. Even a small workload before the end of the offseason program could help Horton re-enter the receiver rotation, reconnect with the quarterbacks and avoid arriving at camp completely cold.

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Seahawks Still Have to Be Careful With Horton’s Timeline

Macdonald also made clear that the Seahawks are not locking themselves into a specific date.

“You don’t have a timetable until you do,” Macdonald said, describing Horton’s recovery.

That caution is worth noting. Horton’s rookie year ended because of a shin injury, and Seattle has little reason to push him through May or June work if the bigger goal is having him ready for training camp and the regular season.

The Seahawks are also not short on receiver options. Jaxon Smith-Njigba is entrenched as a major piece of the offense, and Seattle re-signed Rashid Shaheed after acquiring him during the 2025 season. Seahawks.com noted in March that Shaheed’s return and Horton’s expected training camp availability could give Seattle a dangerous speed element when paired together.

That pairing is part of what makes Horton’s recovery so intriguing. Horton does not need to carry the passing game to matter. He needs to be healthy enough to threaten defenses vertically, compete for rotational snaps and give Seattle a return-game option with real explosiveness.

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Mike Macdonald Also Gave Updates on Other Seahawks Injuries

Horton was not the only injured Seahawk Macdonald discussed Tuesday.

Macdonald said tight end AJ Barner is “itching to get out there,” but the Seahawks will “probably see him come training camp time.” He also said Zach Charbonnet is doing a great job, though the team should have a better idea on his status when it circles back in July.

Demarcus Lawrence was not seen on the field, and Macdonald said the veteran edge rusher is “on his plan” and “working through some things,” adding that Lawrence is in “great spirits” and will be with the team “at some point.”

But the most concrete piece of positive injury news from the press conference centered on Horton. The Seahawks still do not have a full return date, and Macdonald stopped short of saying Horton is ready for regular practice.

Still, after an injury-shortened rookie season, Horton now has a chance to enter training camp with momentum rather than uncertainty. For a young receiver trying to carve out a bigger role on a defending champion roster, that is a meaningful development.

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