Leonard Williams may be in the final year of his Seahawks contract, but the veteran defensive tackle isn’t treating extension talks like a distraction.
Williams said Tuesday that his camp and Seattle have already had some early conversations about a new deal, though nothing has been locked in.
“There’s been a few conversations, but nothing set in stone,” Williams said.
The 32-year-old is playing out the last season of the three-year, $64.5 million contract he signed in March 2024, shortly after the Seahawks acquired him from the New York Giants during the 2023 season. Because Seattle doesn’t allow extensions until players have one year left on their deals, Williams became eligible for a new contract this offseason.
For now, though, he’s keeping his attention on football.
“I try not to think about it,” Williams said. “When I focus on just being where I’m at, focusing on my team and how I can get better individually, things always tend to work themselves out.”
That approach makes sense for a player who has quickly become one of the league’s most disruptive interior defenders. Williams has made the Pro Bowl in each of his two full seasons with Seattle, earned second-team All-Pro honors in 2025 and piled up 18 regular-season sacks over that stretch. He added another sack during Seattle’s playoff run that ended with a Super Bowl LX championship.
Around the league, the respect is obvious. In ESPN’s annual survey of executives, coaches and scouts, Williams was named the NFL’s top defensive tackle. One defensive coordinator went even further, calling him “the most important player on that Super Bowl team.”
Williams says the praise matters, but only to a point.
“It’s an honor to get that recognition from my peers,” he said. “But I’m definitely not letting it get to my head.
I’m out here competing. There’s a bunch of young guys still trying to take my spot.”
With training camp now underway, the Seahawks are hoping those early talks eventually turn into a deal that keeps one of their most dominant players in Seattle for the long haul.
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