Leonard Williams is staying in Seattle.
According to ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler, the Seahawks and their All-Pro defensive tackle are nearing agreement on a three-year extension, and NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport reported the deal is worth $90 million. The agreement keeps Williams tied to the Seahawks after a massive season and gives the team another major piece it can count on moving forward.
Williams has become one of the defining players of Seattle’s recent run of success. Over the last couple of years, he’s put together career-defining production, earned national recognition and helped the Seahawks reach a Super Bowl. Last season, he was one of the most important players during that run, and NFL coaches, GMs and scouts voted him the best defensive tackle in the league.
He recently turned 32, but the Seahawks are betting on a player who still sits among the league’s elite at his position. Interior defensive linemen often remain effective into their mid-30s, and Williams’ level of play makes the commitment easier to understand.
The move also strengthens a Seattle interior that already includes Byron Murphy, whose breakout has become a major part of the team’s future. If Rylie Mills develops into more than depth, the Seahawks could have a front that is extremely difficult to deal with.
This extension fits a bigger pattern for Seattle. The team has already handed out record-setting deals to Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Devon Witherspoon, added Derick Hall on a mid-level agreement, gave Charles Cross a nine-figure contract near the end of last season and reached a modest deal with Abraham Lucas shortly before the season.
In other words, Seattle has spent the last year making sure its best players are locked up well before they can reach the market. The sheer number of extensions says plenty about how well the team has drafted and developed talent in recent seasons, and more deals are expected down the line.
There is always some risk in handing big money to a 32-year-old in a salary cap league, especially with so many other contracts still to sort out. But Williams has been too important, and too good, for this not to be a strong move for the Seahawks.
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Safety Nick Emmanwori remains a name to watch as he continues his recovery from ankle surgery on the preseason PUP list, and the team is also weighing whether it needs more help at safety and receiver after recent injuries thinned those spots. On offense, rookie running back Jadarian Price is suddenly in the spotlight with Kenneth Walker III sidelined, and Mike Macdonald has sounded cautiously upbeat about both Emmanworis progress and Prices readiness even with limited preseason reps. [Read more 🡒]