Category Archives: Contracts

Contracts

Hall’s extension was a pleasant surprise

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In a move that certainly surprised us, Derick Hall decided not to follow Boye Mafe’s path toward big free-agent money, choosing instead to stay in Seattle for maybe 70% of what he could have gotten on the market next year.

That Hall chose to stay rather than chase the big bucks is a testament to what Mike Macdonald and John Schneider have built and continue to build in Seattle.

It’s the first big move the Seahawks have made to settle their defensive front beyond 2026 – Byron Murphy II had been the only guy among the top seven assured of returning in 2027.

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Contracts

Darnold should merit $55M — a fair price for Hawks to pay

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When it comes to mega extensions for Seahawks stars, the current focus is on Devon Witherspoon. But next year, it will be on Sam Darnold.

Darnold still is not getting respect from some corners of the NFL universe, but others know what he is worth.

Daniel Jeremiah recently told Seattle Sports 710 AM that he thinks Darnold will get around $50 million per year on his next deal.

“(If) he comes out and has a year that approaches what he did last year,” DJ said, “I would say he’s going to land in that ballpark.”

We think he will get around $55 million a year — and that will not be a problem for Seattle.

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Contracts

$45M in savings; Spoon deal & more business

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Dante Fowler Jr.’s signing for up to $5 million is a heck of a bargain swap for a guy who is at least an even trade for $20 million free-agent loss Boye Mafe.

Fowler’s arrival means all four key free agents who left – Mafe, Kenneth Walker III, Coby Bryant and Riq Woolen – have been replaced by cheaper players who are (or should be) equal to or better than the four who left.

The total APY for the departing four is close to $60 million, while the replacements – Fowler, Jadarian Price, Bud Clark and the corner combo of Julian Neal and Noah Igbinoghene — combine for less than $15 million. That is some great budgeting by John Schneider and cap guy Joey Laine.

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Contracts

Hawks quickly extend JSN — now signed for six years, $195M

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The Seahawks wasted no time in extending Jaxon Smith-Njigba, just days after picking up his 2027 option.

It’s a great deal for JSN — and probably an ever better deal for the Hawks.

The four-year extension reportedly is worth $168.6 million, a $42.15 million average that is being considered a new record for NFL wide receivers.

The Seahawks technically tore up the 2026 season as well — the last year of JSN’s rookie contract — so this deal in totality is for six years, $195.1 million. The Hawks are getting the 2025 Offensive Player of the Year for $32.5 million going forward.

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Contracts

Projecting the massive extensions coming for JSN & Spoon

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The last time the Seahawks did a market-setting deal with one of their superstars was in 2019, when Russell Wilson became the top-paid quarterback with a contract averaging $35 million and paying a record $65 million signing bonus.

Well, it’s that time again. The Hawks picked up fifth-year options for Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Devon Witherspoon on Friday – precursors to deals that should make them the highest-paid players at their positions.

The salary cap has jumped 60% since Wilson did his big deal, and the top receivers are now paid more than what he got while corners are over $30 million a year.

JSN – coming off a historic season (119 catches for 1,793 yards and 10 touchdowns) that merited the Offensive Player of the Year award — is expected to trump Ja’Marr Chase’s league-best $40.25 million average. Witherspoon figures to average a cornerback-best $32 million a year.

But there is a lot more to these kinds of deals, from the guarantees to the length to the structure.

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Contracts, Free agency, On the air

Schneider talks Shaheed, running backs, taxes & more

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John Schneider is pretty tight-lipped about Seahawks business, so it was hard to expect much out of him Thursday on his weekly appearance on Seattle Sports 710 AM.

But he offered a few nuggets on various topics: (1) how Seattle managed to keep Rashid Shaheed, (2) expectations for new additions Emanuel Wilson and Rodney Thomas, (3) the state of the running back position, (4) the Maxx Crosby saga and (5) the impact of the new millionaire tax in Washington.

Let’s break down the takeaways.

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Contracts, Free agency

Good first day as Hawks keep Shaheed, Jobe

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The first day of free agency went better than expected for the Seahawks, who managed to keep both Josh Jobe AND Rashid Shaheed.

The latter was a nice surprise, as the Seahawks stunningly paid market value to keep their superstar return man. On the other side, they kept Jobe at their price – a little lower than his projected market value.

Shaheed was, in our estimation, Seattle’s top priority among its six big free agents. The fact that John Schneider and company chose to give him a three-year, $51 million deal ($17 million per year) is proof that they valued him very highly.

Jobe is back on a three-year deal as well, at $8 million a year.

As expected, the Hawks lost Kenneth Walker III, Coby Bryant and Boye Mafe. They all got paid very well. Mafe got a shocking $20 million a year from Cincinnati, Walker got over $14 million from Kansas City, and Bryant got over $13 million from Chicago.

Let’s take a look at how these moves impact the Seahawks’ roster and coming moves.

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Contracts, Free agency, Trades

The expected plan: Shaheed, trades, comp picks, extensions

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With more intel and scuttlebutt emerging from the Combine, we think we have a good idea how John Schneider and the Seahawks are going to approach the new league year next week.

All signs point to Kenneth Walker III leaving Seattle along with Riq Woolen, Coby Bryant and Boye Mafe. Some fans are wondering why the team would not want to pay them top dollar when the Seahawks have the sixth-most salary cap space in the NFL: “Why not pay them all and run it back with the same crew?”

It is simple: The Seahawks have to plan beyond 2026, and they have better needs and desires for that cap space.

In a nutshell, here’s how we think it is going to play out:

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Contracts, NFL Combine

Hawks seem ready to replace Woolen, Bryant and Walker

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While John Schneider is staying pretty tight-lipped, as usual, about the Seahawks’ personnel plans, we have heard enough scuttlebutt from the Combine to have a pretty decent idea what is going to happen over the next couple of weeks.

For one, the draft lines up very well where the Seahawks might need to replace some guys – and the Hawks have been meeting with a bunch of prospects who could fit.

Two, we now have a very good idea where Schneider and the team stand on Kenneth Walker III – it is basically what we expected.

Three, we know a bit more about how and why the Hawks probably are going to handle extensions for Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Devon Witherspoon.

Let’s break it all down, using intel offered up by ESPN’s Brady Henderson and others.

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Contracts, NFL Combine

Combine week means time to get down to business

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It’s Combine week. And you know what that means: While the scouts are checking out the draft prospects, a bunch of bigger business is being done behind the scenes in Indianapolis.

A year ago, John Schneider was listening to trade offers for DK Metcalf while trying to get a deal done with Geno Smith’s agents (and declining a trade offer from Pete Carroll’s Raiders).

A few days after the Combine, Schneider traded both Metcalf and Smith and quickly pivoted to Sam Darnold and Cooper Kupp in the first week of free agency.

Nothing so drastic and dramatic is expected this week, although you can bet Schneider will check with the Raiders about Maxx Crosby again. He reportedly offered Smith and Metcalf for Crosby just before making the separate trades to Las Vegas and Pittsburgh a year ago.

Beyond that, Schneider and his guys will figure out the markets for Kenneth Walker III, Rashid Shaheed and their other free agents.

Last year, Schneider and team contract negotiator Joey Laine got both Ernest Jones IV and Jarran Reed re-signed just before the league year began. They surely hope to keep a couple more guys this time as well.

Here’s the latest.

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