The Seattle Seahawks are entering 2026 with a strange kind of respect and doubt all rolled into one. They’re the defending Super Bowl LX champions after beating the New England Patriots, but they still aren’t being treated like the top dog in their own division.
That’s the reality in the NFC West, where the Los Angeles Rams remain the team drawing the most attention. Seattle had to battle them all year for the No. 1 seed in the conference, then went through them again in the NFC Championship Game to reach the Super Bowl. The Seahawks also had to get past the San Francisco 49ers along the way, making their path through the division one of the toughest in the league.
Even with all that on the résumé, Seattle is still being cast as the underdog. But there’s no question this is an elite group.
Peter Dewey of SI Betting ranked the Seahawks second overall in his NFL Power Rankings, with only Los Angeles ahead of them. Dewey also pointed to Seattle’s recent success against the Rams as a reason the Seahawks could be a strong bet.
"It's hard not to love Seattle's roster entering the 2026 season, but the Seahawks will have a harder schedule after winning the NFC West last season," Dewey wrote.
"Still, I think they're pretty favorably priced in this market (+1100) considering they beat the Rams on multiple occasions, including the NFC title game, last season."
That confidence wasn’t handed to Seattle. A year ago, the Seahawks weren’t the division favorite, and they still won it. By the time they arrived at the NFC title game, they were even slightly favored over the Rams.
Now the challenge shifts again. Los Angeles has reinforced its defense with Myles Garrett and Trent McDuffie, and that’s enough to keep the Rams at the center of the conversation heading into 2026. For now, that means Seattle may keep getting overlooked.
But the Seahawks have already shown they can handle that. Under Mike Macdonald, they’ve built the kind of toughness and belief that can travel through a brutal division and still come out on top.
In Other News...
Seahawks Suddenly Have A WR5 Problem They Didn't Expect
Jake Bobo was in line to be Seattles fifth receiver this season, a useful depth piece coming off a two-year contract extension signed earlier this year. Instead, a knee injury during a joint practice with the Tennessee Titans has changed the picture quickly, with head coach Mike Macdonald calling it serious and potentially long-term.
The Seahawks now have to sort through other wideouts to fill that WR5 role while Bobo begins his recovery. For a roster that had already penciled him into a specific spot, it is an unexpected hit to receiver depth and a reminder that the back end of the depth chart can become a real issue in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Entering A New Offensive Era With One Big Reason For Hope
Grey Zabel is already sounding like one of the early believers in Seattles new offensive direction, and that matters for a team trying to reset after a major change on the sideline. Brian Fleury is taking over in his first season as offensive coordinator after stops with the 49ers, Bills and Browns, and the Seahawks are asking a new voice to keep the unit moving after Klint Kubiaks run ended with a Super Bowl title and a move to Las Vegas.
For Zabel, the confidence seems to start with the way Fleury is being received inside the building, where a fresh system can either settle quickly or take longer to click. Seattle has every reason to want a smooth transition, because the bar was already raised by the success that came before, and the first signs of buy-in from a veteran voice like Zabel suggest the Seahawks may not be starting from scratch after all. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Suddenly Face A Jake Bobo Problem They Didnt Expect
Jake Bobos re-signed status made him one of the quieter but more useful parts of the Seahawks receiver room, the kind of player coaches appreciate even when he is not grabbing headlines. He brought value beyond the box score, with a reputation for steady special teams work and a locker room presence that fit well in Seattle as training camp moved along.
Now the Seahawks are dealing with a much different reality after head coach Mike Macdonald confirmed Bobo suffered a serious knee injury that could linger well beyond this season. It creates an unexpected opening in camp and the preseason, with other receivers suddenly getting a clearer path to make their case while Seattle waits to see how long Bobos absence lasts. [Read more 🡒]