This is the least important draft for the Seahawks since 2021. Other than running back, they have no roster holes for 2026 — and they are set to make a very strong run at a Super Bowl repeat.

But what about 2027 and beyond? That is where this draft comes in.

The Hawks have many questions after 2026 about their defensive front: Leonard Williams, Uchenna Nwosu and Derick Hall will be free agents, DeMarcus Lawrence is expected to retire and Jarran Reed likely will be released ahead of his age 34 season.

They need to figure out who will be playing around Byron Murphy II after 2026.

Do they plan to extend Williams (32 in June) for a couple of years? Are they willing to pay Hall $20 million a year? Or will Nwosu (29) be a healthy and cheaper option?

With so many questions up front, it seems paramount for them to start looking for answers in this draft. There are several ways they could do it.

Chase edges with top pick

The consensus mock draft on Mock Draft Database has the Seahawks taking Notre Dame running back Jadarian Price at 32 – a move plenty of fans seem to support.

But Mike Macdonald has said he wants quick wins in the pass rush, and the Hawks really should be looking at moving down and then taking the best speed rusher available wherever they land in the second round.

The top guys expected to be on the board between 32 and 50 are Cashius Howell, Malachi Lawrence and R Mason Thomas. We outlined all of those VMAC visitors previously. If Clemson’s T.J. Parker slides, he could be an option as well.

Fowler the fallback?

It’s entirely possible that the Hawks choose to go corner or Price with their top pick (whether it’s 32 or a trade down).

That explains why the Hawks brought in veteran pass rusher Dante Fowler Jr. this week. He could be a fallback for not adding a top pass rusher.

Word is interest is strong between the Seahawks and Fowler, who played for DC Aden Durde in Dallas in 2022-23.

The 10-year vet has bounced around to five teams and still can add to a team’s pass rush. He had 10.5 sacks for Dan Quinn’s Commanders in 2024 and three sacks and 20 pressures for Dallas last year.  

If he were signed, it likely would be after the draft – when the COMPetition ends.  

Of course, Fowler over a draft pick would not be a helpful move for the future – just a move to help win the Super Bowl in 2026.

Trade 64 for a vet

Another option is to trade for a veteran. Myles Garrett seems very unlikely, but we have talked about ideas for using pick 64 for either Jonathan Greenard or Kayvon Thibodeaux.

Both are what you might call “rehab trades” due to injuries to the two talented pass rushers. If the Hawks could get a 2-4 or 3-5 pick swap for either, that would be a nice deal.

Deaux has been hampered by injuries and is scheduled to be paid $14.75 million in his fifth year. Greenard is coming off a shoulder injury, is owed $19 million in both 2026 and 2027 and wants a raise.  

Another name has created excitement among various fan bases: Dexter Lawrence. The two-time All-Pro defensive tackle of the Giants has asked for a trade.

A reunion with Williams, his former Giants teammate, would be pretty cool — but highly unlikely.

Even if the Hawks could do it using pick 64 (and maybe Reed), Lawrence wants a raise, too. They are going to be paying Murphy starting in 2028, and it seems unlikely they would want to pay $25 million a year to two tackles.

That’s a lot of money to invest in one position, along with big contracts for Sam Darnold, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Devon Witherspoon.

Schneider recently told Albert Breer that paying all of the Legion of Boom stars back in 2013-15 hurt the Seahawks in other areas (specifically, offensive line).

“Looking back at that group, there was a lot of challenge from the outside, like, ‘You can’t keep all these guys together,’” Schneider said. “We had one of the great defensive backfields — and defenses in general — of all time. So we’re going to pay the Mike linebacker, we’re gonna pay the Sam linebacker, we’re gonna pay the strong safety, the free safety, the top corner. What happens there is (A) you can get real top-heavy and (B) you’re taking away from other aspects of the team.”

It sounds like Schneider will not fall into that trap again.

Other teams are likely to offer more for Lawrence anyway, so he does not seem like a realistic option.

What if they don’t add to front?

If the Hawks don’t use a top pick on a pass rusher, in some form, they still could end up making a move in the summer. If Greenard and Thibodeaux are not traded this week, they still might be on the block later this year and the Hawks could use some of their big 2027 bounty of picks for one of them.

Our guess is the Hawks might extend Williams before the season. But Nwosu and Hall are playing for new contracts. If the Hawks do not bring back either, they will have a totally new set of outside rushers in 2027.

The Hawks are projected to have 12 picks in the 2027 draft – and it could bump to 13, if Durde gets his own team (the Hawks would get a third-rounder in each of 2027 and 2028 for losing him). They certainly figure to use one of their high picks next year for an edge rusher.

So, even if it appears the Hawks have not done anything for their pass-rushing future by the end of next weekend, they still will have chances to address it later.

It will be really interesting to see how their plan for that part of the team comes together.