‘Hungry’ for a Year 2 leap, Arroyo drawing buzz at Seahawks camp

Elijah Arroyo knows there’s more in the tank.

With impressive speed and athleticism for his 6-foot-5, 254-pound frame, the Seattle Seahawks tight end was billed as a big-time field-stretching threat when he was drafted as a second-round pick in 2025.

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But aside from a few flashes, Arroyo had a relatively underwhelming rookie year. He finished with 15 catches for 179 yards and a touchdown in 13 games before suffering a knee injury, which sidelined him for the final month of the regular season and most of Seattle’s playoff run.

“I feel like I left some food on the table (from) an individual standpoint,” Arroyo told Seattle Sports’ Wyman and Bob last week. “But that’s why I’m here now. There’s a lot of room for improvement, and it makes me hungry.”

So far, it appears Arroyo is laying the foundation for a potential Year 2 leap.

When asked earlier this week, veteran edge rusher Uchenna Nwosu singled out Arroyo as one of the Seahawks’ offensive standouts at camp.

“Considering what he went through last year – kind of up and down, battling injury, drafted pretty high, so high expectations – to come back this year and see the plays he’s making down the field, all the spectacular catches and his run-after-catch ability, man, it’s so awesome to see,” Nwosu said.

Arroyo also impressed former NFL linebacker Dave Wyman at a recent practice.

“He was fantastic,” Wyman said on Wyman and Bob. “I mean, there were some great passes by Sam Darnold, but (Arroyo) looked phenomenal. And I can’t believe he weighs 255 pounds. He doesn’t move like that.”

Arroyo said he’s been focused on altering his route-running approach.

“The biggest thing for me is just truly running routes like a tight end,” Arroyo said. “Sometimes when I get in space, I tend to try to shake people, like, shimmy and shake. But I’m 255 pounds, man. I’ve gotta be able to move people, use my body to get open.”

Arroyo showcased his receiving prowess at the University of Miami, where he led all FBS tight ends with 16.9 yards per catch during a breakout 2024 campaign.

It’s still early in camp, but could another breakout be in store for Arroyo this fall? Nwosu’s comments served as a strong endorsement.

“It’s like, OK, we see why they drafted you so high,” Nwosu said. “You have the ability, and just good to see him back healthy. He’s blocking his butt off in the run game. … He’s really doing his thing.”

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