The Seattle Seahawks created one of the NFL's better wide receiver tandems by signing former triple crown winner Cooper Kupp this offseason. While there are concerns about overlapping skill sets, their combined talent is undeniable. But the positional room gets murky after that, leaving fans wondering who will be the man behind them -- or so we thought.
Seahawks fifth-round rookie receiver Tory Horton has reportedly been among the biggest stars of their training camp thus far. He's legitimately pushing veteran free-agent acquisition Marquez Valdes-Scantling for the No. 3 spot on the depth chart. The Colorado State standout's case for a spot on Seattle's 53-man roster is "airtight," according Brady Henderson of ESPN.
It's seemingly a matter of how much the Seahawks can depend on Horton from the jump. Their preseason opener against the Las Vegas Raiders is his first test show he's ready to be the third musketeer to Seattle's dynamic duo.
Tory Horton can claim Seahawks' WR3 role over Marquez Valdes-Scantling with strong preseason
"... the question with [Horton] no longer seems to be about his health or his chances of making the team but rather how much he could contribute right away," Henderson wrote. The No. 166 overall selection has routinely been turning heads with impressive route-running, acrobatic grabs or impressive run-after-the-catch ability. So much so that he's been working with the first-stringers and relegalted Valdes-Scantling to the second unit.
Henderson floated the idea of Valdes-Scantling being a possible cut candidate, which is a reflection of Horton's efforts and the journeyman's impact (or lack thereof). The newcomer is thriving as the retread fails to make his presence felt in any facet of the game. At this rate, Seattle will have no choice but to adjust its expectations and personnel accordingly.
A 2025 exhibition meeting between the Seahawks and Raiders has more intrigue than your average tune-up match. Las Vegas' head coach and quarterback tandem of Pete Carroll and Geno Smith facing their old team in new threads is a fun narrative. However, Horton may ultimately be the most fascinating story, especially if he performs well.
MVS might be losing ground to upstart wide Seahawks receiver
"Valdes-Scantling will need to start showing that he can still stretch the defense if he wants to hold off Tory Horton in Seattle's receiver corps -- and perhaps to secure a spot on the roster," Henderson said. "Because for the first two weeks of camp, the rookie fifth-round pick has been consistently making plays while the veteran hasn't made many."
Horton being out there with the 1s in practice as MVS works with the reserves an encouraging development. The former wants to learn and get better, and isn't shy about doing so, firing off questions to Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold. Having a strong work ethic to pair with a tremendous athletic profile gives Seattle a potential weapon.
A physically gifted player, Horton's Relative Athetlic Score (RAS) ranks 66th out of 3,816 receivers from 1987 to 2025. The crazy part is he did so while operating at less than "70 percent" health during the Scouting Combine (h/t The Tacoma New Tribune's Gregg Bell). Despite already having the inside track on MVS, the Raiders present an opportunity to extend his runway.
Kupp has battled his fair share of injuries over the years, making the third receiver in Seattle's pecking order incredibly important. Horton is one turned ankle from being on the field regularly in two-wide sets if he can beat out MVS.