​Seattle Seahawks tight end AJ Barner has room to grow if he is to be regarded as a top 10 NFL tight end, but he’s not far from that level based on how he performed last season. Barner was left off ESPN’s top 10 NFL tight ends list this year despite posting a solid campaign in 2025. The Michigan product amassed 519 receiving yards last season, ranking 20th among tight ends, and scored six receiving touchdowns. While his yardage total trailed some of his peers, Barner ranked fourth in the league in receiving touchdowns at the position, and he did so despite playing in a run-heavy offense. That system also featured 2025 AP Offensive Player of the Year Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who was one of only five players to reach at least 160 targets last season, logging 163.
Barner shows plenty of potential, but cracking the top 10 may require another year of consistent production. In Seattle, the combination of Rashid Shaheed and Barner figures to create a two-tier target hierarchy, with Barner likely sliding into a 2A or 2B role as the Seahawks’ second-most targeted receiver next season. Alternatively, he could settle into the third option in the passing attack if Shaheed commands the majority of targets. The Seahawks could also pivot toward a more pass-heavy approach if the season begins with Zach Charbonnet sidelined at the outset, which would open up more opportunities for Barner to accumulate catches and yards.
This evaluation is rooted in Barner’s 2025 performance and the Seahawks’ offensive composition, but the door remains open for him to ascend into the top 10 with sustained production and a more favorable distribution of targets. If Seattle leans into the passing game more consistently, Barner could capitalize on increased opportunities to prove himself among the league’s premier tight ends. This analysis originally appeared on Seahawks Wire.