Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider has been a maestro this offseason, orchestrating a series of moves that have set the stage for another competitive season. While the team bid farewell to notable players like Kenneth Walker III, Coby Bryant, and Boye Mafe, Schneider ensured the retention of key talents, making headlines with deals for wide receivers Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Rashid Shaheed. Not to be overlooked, cornerback Josh Jobe and EDGE Derick Hall also secured their futures in Seattle, with Hall signing a noteworthy four-year, $42.5 million extension.
These strategic decisions, paired with a robust draft class, have kept the Seahawks in the playoff conversation. Looking ahead, the task remains to secure the futures of several players entering the 2026 season in search of contract extensions.
One player who has stepped into the spotlight is Ty Okada. Originally an undrafted free agent, Okada has risen through the ranks to become a reliable starter, filling the void left by Coby Bryant's departure.
Last season, Okada tallied 65 tackles, six pass breakups, and one interception, and another solid performance could see him command a lucrative contract. The Seahawks will likely aim to ensure he's wearing their colors for years to come.
Zach Charbonnet was poised to take over as the lead running back following Kenneth Walker's exit, but a postseason ACL tear has delayed his plans. With Charbonnet sidelined for the start of the season, rookie Jadarian Price will get his chance to shine.
However, once Charbonnet returns to full health, he'll be eager to pick up where he left off after a breakout 2025 season with 12 touchdowns. A strong finish to the season could solidify his case for a new deal.
The Seahawks made waves by trading away Geno Smith and bringing in Sam Darnold on a three-year, $100.5 million contract. Despite skepticism, Darnold proved his worth, leading Seattle to a 14-win season and a championship. Now, entering the second year of his contract, Darnold is not just proving he was worth the initial investment but is making a case for an even bigger payday.
Another cornerstone of the Seahawks' defense is Devon Witherspoon. The fifth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft has blossomed into a premier cornerback, earning top grades from PFF this past season.
Seattle has already exercised the fifth-year option on his contract, signaling their intent to keep him long-term. While negotiations have yet to reach a conclusion, there's confidence that a deal will be struck, given Witherspoon's ascending value.
As the Seahawks gear up for the 2026 season, securing these key players will be crucial for maintaining their status as Super Bowl contenders. With Schneider at the helm, fans can expect a savvy approach to keeping the team's core intact.
In Other News...
3 Overlooked Seahawks Could Become Mike Macdonald Favorites Fast
Chazz Surratt, Rylie Mills and Rodney Thomas II are the kind of under-the-radar additions that can matter more in January than in September. Surratt has already carved out a real lane for himself by helping on special teams, the sort of work that rarely grabs headlines but usually earns trust inside a building. Mills, meanwhile, brings a different kind of intrigue after flashing in limited action and giving Seattle a glimpse of how disruptive he can be when he is on the field.
Rodney Thomas II fits the same theme in a different way, a veteran safety looking for a clean reset in a system that asks a lot from the back end. Under Mike Macdonald, there is room for players like this to move quickly if they can take to the details and give the staff reliable snaps when called upon. For a Seahawks team trying to stockpile dependable depth, each of these three has a path to becoming far more important than the outside noise suggests. [Read more 🡒]
Drake Thomas Just Changed The Seahawks Depth Conversation
Drake Thomas went from an undrafted flier in 2023 to one of the more useful pieces on Seattles defense, and the climb has forced a real rethink of the Seahawks linebacker depth. Concerns about his size and explosiveness were part of why he slipped out of the draft, but his football intelligence and versatility kept earning him more trust as the season went on, until his role was no longer easy to treat like that of a backup.
The Seahawks clearly noticed, too, by re-signing him after the breakout season and locking in a player who fits what they want on defense. Thomas gave Seattle production, reliability and the kind of flexibility that matters in a modern scheme, which is why his rise now feels less like a pleasant surprise and more like a roster decision the team had to make. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Backfield Buzz Just Made Charbonnets Camp Status Even Bigger
The Seahawks backfield is drawing extra attention as training camp nears, and not just because of the usual summer churn at running back. ESPNs Jeremy Fowler noted that rookie Jadarian Price has already caught the teams eye with his open-field vision, while Seattle also starts sorting through broader offensive changes under Brian Fleury, including more motion and shifts designed to keep defenses guessing.
For a group that already has several moving parts, Zach Charbonnets recovery remains the swing factor in how the depth chart takes shape early in camp. Fowler also highlighted encouraging chemistry between Sam Darnold and Rashee Shaheed as the offense evolves, but the real question for Seattle is how much clarity it gets before the roster ramps up with rookies reporting first and veterans joining soon after. [Read more 🡒]