The Seattle Seahawks have spent their offseason building something rare: a roster that feels pinned down for the long haul.
That kind of stability usually comes after a championship, and Seattle has been acting like a team that knows it has the right pieces worth keeping. The result is a roster with a lot of the important stuff already spoken for, and not just for next season.
The offensive line is the clearest example. For years, the Seahawks have cycled through fronts that were either good enough or actively shaky.
This time, the picture is different. Charles Cross is under contract through 2030, Abraham Lucas through 2028, and Grey Zabel brings three years plus a fifth-year option, with a likely extension after that.
Jalen Sundell is also in the mix, with exclusive rights next year and restricted status in 2028, which makes keeping him around a pretty simple matter if his play holds up. Past 2026, the only unresolved spot is right guard.
The same kind of certainty shows up at receiver. Jaxon Smith-Njigba is locked in through 2031, and the Seahawks also have Rashid Shaheed through 2028 on what looks like a better and better deal as the league keeps handing out new contracts to third-tier wideouts.
Tory Horton is tied to the team on the same timeline through his rookie deal. In an offense that doesn’t lean on wide receivers as heavily as most, Seattle can reasonably count on Shaheed and Horton as the second and third options at the position.
The depth behind them is less stable, but that’s usually how the back end of a receiver room works anyway.
Up front on defense, yesterday’s Leonard Williams extension only reinforced the bigger picture. Byron Murphy technically has two seasons left, but the expectation is that his option gets picked up and that an extension follows when the time comes.
The projection here is that he stays through 2032 and spends a long stretch alongside Williams. Rylie Mills is still more of a question than a finished product, but he’s at least something, and he’s got three years left with a possible fourth as a restricted free agent.
That three-man interior rotation looks strong and, just as important, it’s already in place for a while.
There’s a similar feel in the secondary. Devon Witherspoon, with his record-setting extension through 2031, is the headliner.
Nick Emmanwori still has three years on his rookie deal, and an extension down the road feels like the obvious outcome. Whether he ends up as a slot corner, a safety, both, or something stranger, he isn’t going anywhere.
Josh Jobe is signed for three years on a manageable deal, and the Seahawks also added Julian Neal and Bud Clark in the second day of the draft, players who at minimum should be something. The one area that may need attention sooner rather than later is safety, with Love and Okada carrying uncertain futures.
Seattle’s long-term commitments go well beyond the obvious core pieces. Michael Dickson is locked up through 2029.
Derick Hall, extended this offseason, is under contract for four seasons. Jadarian Price is on his four-year rookie deal with an option in 2030, and Elijah Arroyo has three more cheap seasons ahead of him.
So what’s actually missing? A quarterback.
Some running back depth. A blocking tight end.
A right guard, if Beau Stephens doesn’t develop into the answer. A few edge rushers and linebackers.
A safety. A kicker.
That’s a pretty manageable list, especially for a team that already has so much of the roster secured. Some of those gaps can even be handled with a few more extensions. John Schneider has cooked.
In Other News...
Seahawks Suddenly Have A Kicking Problem As Milroe Makes His Case
The preseason tie with Kansas City left Seattle with a little of everything to sort through, but the biggest late-game swing came on Jason Myers missed 52-yard field goal as time expired. The Seahawks had a chance to walk off with a win, only to watch the kick drift away after a game that also featured some encouraging signs on offense and defense, including a debut interception from defensive back Diggs.
Jalen Milroe was one of the nights bright spots, showing the kind of poise and playmaking that can keep him in the conversation after completing 16 of 26 passes for 223 yards and a touchdown. Jacardia Wright, meanwhile, had a quieter night, and Myers continued struggles will linger as Seattle evaluates its special teams heading into the rest of the preseason. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Backfield Suddenly Has A Bigger Zach Charbonnet Problem
Zach Charbonnets recovery is still hanging over the Seahawks backfield as the season opener approaches, with the young running back remaining on the Physically Unable to Perform list after tearing his ACL late last season. Head coach Mike Macdonald said theres no new update on Charbonnets status, which keeps Seattle in the same holding pattern it has been in through camp.
For now, the Seahawks are preparing to lean on other options at running back, with rookie Jadarian Price and George Holani expected to see larger roles if Charbonnet stays out. The club has already been bracing for him to miss at least the first half of the season, so the real question is no longer whether Seattle can plan around the absence, but how long it will have to do so before Charbonnet is ready to rejoin the mix. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Defense Looks Elite But One Position Still Demands Attention
Seattles defense has looked the part of a unit built to carry real weight this season, with the front and linebacker groups standing out as clear strengths and the coaching staff drawing praise for getting the most out of the roster. The Seahawks have shown they can mix physicality with speed, and the overall structure has them right there with Houston among the leagues best defenses.
Even so, there is still a spot on the depth chart that deserves a closer look, especially with some older pieces in the mix and the usual questions about how much can be asked of rising players over a long season. Development remains part of the story for contributors like Derick Hall and Julian Neal, but Seattles next defensive challenge is making sure one vulnerable area does not become the thing that drags down an otherwise elite-looking group. [Read more 🡒]