The confetti is still being swept from the field in San Francisco, and the parade floats haven't even hit the streets, but the Seattle Seahawks are already on the clock.
While a dominant 29–13 win over the New England Patriots has cemented Mike Macdonald’s squad as an organization to be aware of for the long haul, the price of success is about to come due.
GM John Schneider faces one burning question before April: With a roster full of expiring contracts and only four picks in the upcoming draft, which pillars of the championship foundation are truly irreplaceable?
The looming exodus for the Seattle Seahawks
Seattle enters the 2026 offseason with a projected $74 million in cap space -- the fifth-most in the NFL. On paper, they are rich. In reality, that "war chest" is already spoken for. The Seahawks have a staggering 18 players hitting free agency next month, including the heart and soul of their Super Bowl run:
- Kenneth Walker: The Super Bowl MVP is an unrestricted free agent. After a season where he proved to be one of the league's most explosive home-run threats, his market value is projected at $8–$11 million per year.
- The secondary: Corners Riq Woolen and Josh Jobe, along with safety Coby Bryant, are all out of contracts. Maintaining the league’s No. 1 scoring defense requires keeping its elite, youth-infused coverage unit intact.
- The Pass Rush: Breakout star Boye Mafe is due for a massive payday after leading a relentless front seven that tormented the Patriots in the title game.
Normally, a team allows expensive veterans to walk and replaces them with cheap rookie labor. Seattle doesn't have that luxury.
To build this championship roster, Schneider traded away significant capital, leaving the team with just four total picks in April (Rounds 1, 2, 3, and 6).
Picking at No. 32 overall, the Seahawks can't simply draft their way out of a mass veteran departure. If they lose Walker, Woolen, or both to the open market in March, they may not have the ammunition to replace them in April.
Because the urgency isn't just on the field. Offensive Coordinator Klint Kubiak has already accepted the head coaching job in Vegas, and before the draft, Macdonald must find a new architect for Sam Darnold, ensuring the quarterback’s late-career renaissance doesn't evaporate under a new system.
The Seahawks are in the enviable position of being world champions with money to spend.
However, the next 60 days could define the next five years. They must decide -- and decide quickly -- who the "untouchables" are. In the NFL, you can’t pay everyone, but if Seattle chooses wrong, the shortest reign in NFL history could begin the moment the draft kicks off in April.