Many NFL observers have made a big deal about the Seahawks losing two starters and two major backups this offseason. Some argue that those four losses – along with an offensive coordinator change — are enough to even make them questionable as contenders in 2026.
But Brian Nemhauser (HawkBlogger) recently performed a fun exercise that confirmed what we and other savvy observers already knew: The Seahawks certainly did not get any worse this offseason.
On the contrary, on defense anyway, the Hawks are likely to be even better off (as we have said).
To recap the change in personnel, the Hawks chose not to pay Boye Mafe, Kenneth Walker III, Coby Bryant and Riq Woolen. Mafe got a deal worth $20 million per year from Cincinnati, Walker got $14.3 million from Kansas City, Bryant was paid $13.3 million APY by Chicago and Woolen received a one-year deal worth $12 million from Philadelphia.
Seattle instead paid Rashid Shaheed $17 million APY and Josh Jobe $8 million, extended Jaxon Smith-Njigba for over $40 million and Derick Hall at $14 million, added Dante Fowler Jr. for $5 million in 2026, and drafted Jadarian Price (slotted at $4.2 million per year) and Bud Clark ($2 million).
Ty Okada was an ERFA, so he is making a little over $1 million – maybe the best bargain on the team. The three top options to replace Woolen would count just $4.1 million total in 2026, if they all made the team.
The Hawks paid a premium for Shaheed, but they got everyone else at a good to great price — without sacrificing talent.
As Nemhauser showed in his podcast, the defense is better off with the guys it kept – Hall, Jobe, Okada — than the guys who got paid big money elsewhere.
In fact, having Hall, Jobe, Okada on the field at the same time made the defense twice as good as having Bryant, Woolen and Mafe out there. Check out the EPA/play and success rate (lower is better) for each trio.
We have suggested that the defense will be upgraded by the new additions. Clark, who seems to have incredible upside in Macdonald’s defense, should end up an upgrade over Bryant – if not in 2026 then in 2027 and beyond. Woolen is addition by subtraction (the team is well rid of his untimely gaffes), even if third-rounder Julian Neal or veteran addition Noah Igbinoghene does not step up. And Fowler might offer better pass-rush production in the reserve role where he is replacing Mafe.
Even if those three somehow are no better than the three they are replacing, the defense figures to “run it forward” anyway – with natural progression of Nick Emmanwori and other young defenders as Macdonald creates even more vexing schemes for his opponents.
The one key is the continued stellar play of Leonard Williams and Byron Murphy II up front, with quality rotation from Jarran Reed, Rylie Mills and the rest.
As for the offense, the 2025 EPA/play was better without Walker on the field. But success rate was a little better. We think Price might be more consistent between the tackles, while offering the same explosiveness. Of course, that all remains to be seen.
The passing offense should take a step forward, with Shaheed and Sam Darnold growing their chemistry and Macdonald and Brian Fleury intending to use the backs as receivers more this year. Fleury also might have a few tricks involving tight ends – Elijah Arroyo certainly is an untapped weapon.
The Seahawks return the second-highest percent of snaps among Super Bowl champions since 2010. Of the four others in the top five, two returned to the Super Bowl the next season.
While the Rams again loom as the biggest obstacle and are the Super Bowl favorites after adding Myles Garrett and Trent McDuffie, the Hawks clearly are going to be even better as well and will have a great shot at running it forward to another title.
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