NASHVILLE, Tenn. — For the first time in his four-year NFL career, Seahawks receiver Jake Bobo appeared to be entering training camp this year without having to worry about earning a roster spot.

For once, he seemed assured of making the cut after the Seahawks gave him a two-year contract worth up $5.5 million with $4.5 million guaranteed in March, matching an offer sheet he had receive from the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Bobo, though, told a reporter last week that he didn’t plan to change his approach to training camp, understanding that in the NFL, nothing is ever really guaranteed.

“I’m having a hard time kind of flipping that switch in your brain off where you’re scratching and clawing for a job every snap,’’ said Bobo, who initially made the Seahawks 53-man roster as an undrafted free agent in 2023 when his energetic practice performances helped spawn the “More Bobo’’ mantra from teammates. He held on to a spot each year since despite a constant change in offensive coordinators.

“I think that’s a good thing,’’ Bobo continued. “I put a lot of pressure on myself and I think I perform at a higher level when I do that, so I’m not necessarily trying to come into this camp thinking any differently about my standing or where I’m at in the organization from my first year to now.’’

A week after making those comments, Bobo experienced the harshest reality of NFL life when he suffered a right knee injury during a joint practice Friday morning here against the Tennessee Titans that appears as it if may be season-ending.

“Seems like it’s going to be a serious knee injury,” Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said. “We’re going to get it imaged, but early returns, looks like it’s a long-term injury.”

The Seahawks had a few other players leave practice, but Macdonald said those were heat-related issues — it was almost 90 degrees during practice — most because of cramping, and nothing that should cause anyone to miss any time.

Bobo was injured when he made a contested catch near the sideline and appeared to hurt his knee as he was dragged to the ground. As he was being examined players on both sides took a knee around him and Bobo was then carted off.

After practice, the Seahawks took a knee as a team and said a prayer for Bobo.

“Hate to see it,” Macdonald said.

Bobo has become a team and fan favorite during his three years with the Seahawks as a backup receiver and as a core member of special teams after making the roster as an undrafted free agent out of UCLA in 2023. He has 34 receptions for 323 yards and three TDs in his Seahawks career and caught a 17-yard touchdown pass in the NFC title game against the Rams.

After Bobo became a restricted free agent following the 2025 season he signed an offer sheet with Jacksonville of a two-year deal worth up to $5.5 million with $4.5 million guaranteed.

The Seahawks matched it to assure he would stay and he seemed set to again make the 53-man roster as a member of Seattle’s receiving rotation.

“He’s a beast, man,” Macdonald said. “Just a great, great football player, great Seahawk. Hopefully we reflected that in our investment in him. But we love him, we’ll be there beside him as he recovers and pray it’s a speedy, speedy recovery.”

Quarterback Sam Darnold echoed those sentiments.

“It hurts, man,’’ Darnold said. “He’s just one of those guys that he just works, he talks a lot of stuff and just one of those guys kind of like ‘Spoon (cornerback Devon Witherspoon) in a way offensively (that) he brings the juice every single day and he just does his job. So it sucks to lose Bobo. But I know he’s going to attack it and be better whenever he comes back.’’

Evidence of how much Bobo means in the locker room arrived last March. The Seahawks initially gave him a right-of-first refusal tender for a salary of $3.52 million for 2026. However, that salary was not guaranteed. That tender gave Bobo the right to continue to negotiate with other teams but gave Seattle the right to match any offer.

Generally, free agents in that position don’t get other offers.

But Bobo did, in part because Jacksonville passing game coordinator Shane Waldron was Seattle’s offensive coordinator in Bobo’s rookie year in 2023 and recommended the team try to bring him in.

Many figured initially Seattle might not match that, especially since Bobo had seen diminished playing time last season on offense from his first two seasons, making only two catches on three targets for 20 yards compared to a combined 32 catches for 323 yards his first two seasons.

But the Seahawks did, with general manager John Schneider saying later that there was not much of a decision to make and the Seahawks wanted to assure he stayed.

The 4.5 million guaranteed for this season was set to almost double the $2.705 million Bobo earned his first three years in Seattle.

While the money and apparent roster security was nice, Bobo also said he simply never wanted to leave Seattle.

“It meant the world (that the Seahawks matched the offer sheet),’’ Bobo said last week. “Obviously this is where you want to be in this organization. For Mike and John to make that happen, it meant a lot.’’

Bobo’s injury means the Seahawks suddenly have some questions about the back end of their receiving rotation.

Seattle has one of the best top three receivers in the NFL in Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Cooper Kupp and Rashid Shaheed. Second-year player Tory Horton and Bobo have slotted in behind those three, projected to fill out Seattle’s gameday receiving rotation, with the likes of Cody White and second-year player Montorie Foster Jr., vying to force Seattle to keep a sixth or maybe even seventh receiver on the 53-man roster.

But now Bobo appears likely out for the season while Horton is also battling injuries.

Horton did not suit up Friday and has not practiced in a week. Macdonald has not specified the injury that Horton is dealing with, but he missed the second half of his rookie season in 2025 with a shin injury that required surgery.

“Still working through his stuff,’’ Macdonald said after Friday’s practice, then after a pause adding “he’s gonna be out for a period of time.’’

With those two out, White would likely move up to the fourth receiver spot for now.

Foster, a second-year player who was not on Seattle’s roster most of last season but was signed the week White was injured last December and then re-signed in January, has been a surprise player in camp and for now would have to be considered to have a legitimate shot to make the 53-man roster.

Seattle also traded a conditional 2028 seventh-round pick to the Jets for fifth-year receiver Irv Charles. But Charles has missed most of camp with a leg/foot injury and did not practice Friday.

If Horton’s issues are enough to potentially threaten his availability for the beginning of the season, the Seahawks could be on the market for any veteran receivers who may become available as the NFL cutdown date nears on Aug. 30.

But in the aftermath of Friday’s practice it was hard for the Seahawks to think about much other than the unfortunate sight of Bobo being carted off.

“Just like any sport, injuries happen,’’ Darnold said. “But it puts everything in perspective. You know he’s gonna come back better than ever. But you just never know when stuff like that is going to happen. So just every single play you just continue to push and give it all you can. I know that’s all he does and that’s why it’s such a shame that it happened to him. But I know he’ll be back.’’

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