The traditional statistic for ranking defenses in the NFL is total yards. Whichever team gives up the fewest total yards is generally considered the league's best. By that metric, the Houston Texans were the top defense in the NFL in 2025. The Seattle Seahawks finished in fifth place.
But stats can lie.
I won’t push the argument that Seattle is better than Houston too hard. The Texans, under Demeco Ryans and Matt Burke, are phenomenal. But if I were to make the case for Seattle, here’s what I might say.
Seattle Seahawks defense – better, worse, or the same for 2026
The Seahawks led the league in points allowed, slightly ahead of Houston. They led the league in yards-per-rush and were second in net-yards-per-pass-attempt. They were second in yards-per-play – not to the Texans, mind you, but to Denver. In fact, the Seahawks were the only defense to finish in the top two in all five of these benchmark categories.
By any metric, the Seahawks had an outstanding defense in 2025 – maybe the best in the league. Maybe second to Houston. Will things stay that way in 2026?
Let’s look position by position to see how the 2026 Seahawks may fare on defense
Interior line
This may be Seattle’s single biggest strength, though in reality, Seattle's defense is as good as it is because it has no holes. But most coaches will tell you it all begins in the trenches. The Seahawks return their two core players – Leonard Williams and Byron Murphy II. They also have valuable rotational veteran Jarran Reed.
At 33, Reed could be slowing down. But Williams, who just turned 32, has shown no signs of aging. Murphy should continue to improve, and if second-year man Rylie Mills builds on what he showed late last year, this unit could be even better.
The same is true if any of the many nose tackles now on the roster can push Brandon Pili to improve that depth spot. I’m counting on a nice season from Mills and minimal drop-offs from Williams and Reed.
Verdict: slight improvement
Edge rusher
Boye Mafe is out. Veteran Dante Fowler Jr. arrives to take his place. That is, unless youngsters like Jared Ivey or Connor O’Toole vault over Fowler into a key rotational role. Either way, Seattle should be OK on the edge.
But Mafe was an undervalued presence. He was in the league’s top ten in pass-rush-win-rate. Though he didn’t get a lot of sacks himself, his pressure helped others reach the QB.
I think Fowler – or one of the younger players – can pick up the pass rush slack, and I suspect Derick Hall, who nominally advances one square into Mafe’s 2025 role, is due for a very good season. I do worry a bit about the run defense, though.
Verdict: No change
Inside linebacker
Mike Macdonald’s defense began its turnaround in 2024 when Ernest Jones arrived from Tennessee. Last year, Drake Thomas morphed from special-teamer into a reliable playmaker. And Tyrice Knight remains on hand to provide quality depth.
This spot is secure, with several young players looking to work their way into the back end of the rotation. I will be eager to see how Thomas fares with a full season as a starter on his resume. He is a bit of a wild card, and I could envision him getting better or worse in 2026.
Verdict: No change
Cornerback
How big will the loss of Riq Woolen be? The up-and-down corner was technically only an occasional starter in 2025, but he nonetheless was a steady presence on the perimeter. It is hard to replace a 6’4” cornerback with sub-4.3 speed in the 40.
You want proof of that? John Schneider made eight picks in the 2026 draft. He spent three of them on corners. He also signed a former first-round pick in Noah Igbinoghene.
Those moves suggest there is some concern about how this defense will function without Woolen. To be clear, Seattle has enough players to handle the corner. The question becomes whether they will have enough to allow their best player – Devon Witherspoon – the freedom to roam the field.
With that freedom, he is a devastating force. If he has to play more of a traditional perimeter role, the defense falls off a little bit.
Verdict: Slight decline
Safety
Starter Coby Bryant is out. But Seattle should not have too much trouble replacing him. Ty Okada returns after logging serious snaps in 2025. Julian Love, who missed half of last season, is healthy. Schneider drafted the very talented Bud Clark to play a major role as a rookie. And the team already had several other prospects similar to Okada who will be battling it out to provide deep depth.
Then there is Nick Emmanwori. The second-year man is nominally a safety. As such, he is among the most exciting playmakers in the league. The problem with calling him a safety is that this season, he is likely to line up in every position apart from nose tackle.
And maybe he’ll even take a turn there. With an evolving Emmanwori alongside Love, Okada, and Clark, I expect the Seahawks to not simply weather the loss of Bryant, but to actually thrive.
Verdict: slight improvement
We should expect another strong year from Mike Macdonald and Aden Durde’s troops. The fact that their defense-first head coach and ascendent defensive coordinator are both returning bodes very well.
My only concerns are whether the new edge rotation will remain elite against the run and whether we may end up missing Woolen more than we realized. But I’m pretty confident neither of those issues will be significant once we get into the middle of the season.
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