Why analyst says AJ Barner is Seahawks’ X-factor in ’26

When the Seattle Seahawks selected tight AJ Barner in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, the Michigan product was viewed as a blocking tight end without much upside in the passing game.

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Barner had just finished winning a national title with the Wolverines in a run-heavy offense where opportunities in he passing game were limited, especially in the tight end room with 2025 first-round pick Colston Loveland was also in the mix. And his receiving numbers were modest during his four previous years at Indiana.

But Barner has proved to be a more dynamic threat in his passing game while also showing off the blocking skills he was known for in his first two seasons with the Seahawks.

Barner finished second on the Seahawks with 52 receptions and six receiving TDs, and third with 519 receiving yards during a breakout season with Seattle last year. And he added a wrinkle to the offense handling quarterback duties for the “Barn Yard” on short-yardage plays – the Seahawks’ version of the popular “Tush Push” – converting for a first down on nine of his 10 rushing attempts during the regular season.

Could the Seahawks get even more from Barner in 2026? Seahawks Radio Network analyst and former NFL wide receiver Bryan Walters believes so. He explained why Barner is his pick as Seattle’s X-factor in 2026 when he joined Seattle Sports’ Bump and Stacy on Thursday.

Walters highlighted new Seahawks offensive coordinator Brian Fleury as a big reason. He was the tight ends coach for four of his seven seasons in San Francisco before arriving in Seattle.

“I think AJ Barner could be the Seahawks’ X-factor this year,” Walters said. “Just everything thrown in front of him, you know that he’s capable of making those plays. He’s going to be asked to do a ton in the run game. You know Brian Fleury is going to want to run the ball, but I also think with Brian Fleury’s tight end background, he could probably raise AJ Barner to the next level.”

Walters pointed to 49ers tight end George Kittle as an example of what that could look like. Kittle, another Day 3 draft pick from a Big Ten school, has made seven Pro Bowls and five All-Pro teams during his nine-year career, which includes four seasons with at least 1,000 receiving yards. He’s also known for being an excellent blocking tight end.

Barner has quite a bit of ground to make up to match the sort of receiving numbers Kittle has produced, but at 24 years old, he’s entering his third NFL season at the same point Kittle was a rookie. Kittle’s breakout came as a 25 year old during his second season in 2018.

“You look at what George Kittle was with the 49ers, what he is with the 49ers, how dangerous he can be. Can AJ Barner get to the George Kittle level? Can he become that top three, maybe top-five tight end in the league and be kind of feared by teams that way?” Walters said. “I hope so. But I think the cards are kind of stacking up to prove that, to get that opportunity with Brian Fleury calling the plays.”

SAM DARNOLD TO AJ BARNER TOUCHDOWN!

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Hear the full conversation at this link or in the audio player in this story. Listen to Bump and Stacy weekdays from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. or find the podcast on the Seattle Sports app.

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