The Seattle Seahawks’ offseason got messy fast, but the organization didn’t flinch. That’s because this is exactly the kind of roster churn they’ve built for. When teams came calling with top-dollar offers after the Seahawks won their second Super Bowl in franchise history, Seattle lost four players - two of them full-time starters - in running back/Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III, safety Coby Bryant, edge rusher Boye Mafe and cornerback Riq Woolen.
For a lot of teams, that kind of turnover would trigger alarm bells. In Seattle, it just put the draft machine back in motion. NFL insider Ian Rapoport said the Seahawks’ steady use of the NFL Draft as a way to reload and replace departing players is part of a larger system, and general manager John Schneider remains the driving force behind it.
One month after those departures, the Seahawks answered with the 2026 NFL Draft. They used the 32nd overall pick in the first round on Jadarian Price, the player tabbed to replace Walker.
Price backed up a Heisman Trophy finalist at Notre Dame, but he still logged enough touches to make his case as one of the draft’s most dynamic and athletic running backs. He’ll have to earn everything in rookie training camp and team camp, but Seattle sees the kind of balanced skill set that can make him the new No. 1 back.
The back end of the defense got a similar reset. Bryant had his moments last season, but the Seahawks are comfortable with veteran Ty Okada stepping into a full-time role.
Even so, they didn’t leave the spot untouched. Seattle took safety Bud Clark in the second round, 64th overall, to help at safety and stretch the field.
Then came another move in the secondary: cornerback Julian Neal, selected in the third round at No. 99, as the Woolen replacement.
That kind of drafting pattern has become a Seattle trademark. Schneider and his staff have consistently used the draft to stock the roster with players meant to start right away or grow into those jobs. The Seahawks have seven offensive starters and four defensive starters who were drafted for that purpose, plus four more starters - including three on defense - who arrived as undrafted free agents or had previously been undrafted free agents with another team.
The range of those draft hits runs from the first round to the fifth. On offense, Price, wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, left tackle Charles Cross and left guard Grey Zabel are all first-round picks. On defense, defensive tackle Byron Murphy II and cornerback Devon Witherspoon were also taken in the first round.
And Seattle is already looking ahead. The 2027 NFL Draft could become the next place the Seahawks reload, depending on who is set to hit free agency.
Right guard Anthony Bradford, center Jalen Sundell, edge rusher Unchenna Nwosu and defensive tackle Leonard Williams are among the names and spots likely to be on the radar. For Seattle, the plan never really changes: keep the roster moving, keep the pipeline full, and let the draft do the heavy lifting.
In Other News...
Julian Love Puts Lumen Field Debate On New Seahawks Ownership
With the Seahawks new ownership group expected to finalize its acquisition next month, one of the first off-field questions around the franchise is already taking shape at Lumen Field. During the recent World Cup matches, a temporary natural grass surface was laid over the stadiums artificial turf, and safety Julian Love came away sounding like someone who would prefer the change to stick.
Love has made clear he wants natural grass to remain in place permanently, pointing to player safety and the wear-and-tear concerns that come with turf. His stance lines up with NFL Players Association data that has long fueled the debate, including injury figures that favor grass and a strong player preference in that direction, leaving the incoming owners with a stadium issue that is about more than just soccer. [Read more 🡒]
One Missing Detail Could Change How Seahawks Fans View This Sale
The pending sale of the Seahawks has quickly become one of the biggest ownership stories in the NFL, with the Paul G. Allen Estate moving toward a deal with a group led by venture capitalist Vinod Khosla. The bidding was competitive, and Khoslas group came out on top with a final offer of $9.612 billion, a figure that underscores just how valuable the franchise has become and how carefully the estate weighed each proposal.
What has added an extra layer to the process is the ownership structure behind the bid, since NFL teams must have a controlling owner with voting power and a designated successor. In this case, reports have pointed to Khoslas plan to have his wife, Neeru Khosla, serve in that role, a detail the estate has declined to address publicly. For Seahawks fans, it is the kind of behind-the-scenes wrinkle that can shape how a sale is viewed long after the paperwork is done. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Backup Quarterback Battle Suddenly Feels Bigger Than Expected
Rookie training camp has given Seattle an unexpected little subplot at quarterback, where Drew Lock and Jalen Milroe are working through a backup competition that now carries more weight than a standard summer battle. Lock brings the obvious edge in NFL experience, while Milroe has drawn attention for the kind of development and dual-threat ability that can change how a roster is built behind the starter.
The intrigue goes beyond who handles the No. 2 job on paper, because Milroes progress could affect how the Seahawks think about the position and even how they manage the cap. If the rookie keeps pushing, Seattle may have to decide whether experience, upside and financial flexibility all point in the same direction, or whether this competition ends up forcing a harder conversation than anyone expected in June. [Read more 🡒]