Barner showed some promise as a goal-line option in his rookie season, as the 2024 fourth-round draft pick finished with seven red-zone targets to Noah Fant's five. The 6-foot-6 Barner scored four touchdowns, while the 6-foot-4 Fant has just one TD over the last two seasons combined. While Barner's big frame and 82-inch wingspan are useful in short-yardage situations, Fant's a more fluid route runner, and the Seahawks added TE Elijah Arroyo in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft as part of an offseason offensive makeover that also included significant changes at QB and WR. Fant has had at least 414 receiving yards in each of his six NFL seasons, while the plodding Barner (4.84 speed) was limited to 245 yards as a rookie and had only 610 receiving yards in 40 college games between Indiana and Michigan.
