The Seattle Seahawks were never going to match what the Cincinnati Bengals reportedly offered edge rusher Boye Mafe to sign with them in free agency. The deal, according to NFL insider Ian Rapoport, is for $20 million a season over three years. He was too expensive for Seattle, but he will be missed.
He was a good person off the field, didn't disrupt the team on the field, and understood his role and did it well. His sack totals weren't much in 2025 (he only had two), but he was eighth in ESPN's list of pass-rush win-rate among edge rushers. His ability to get pressure freed up his teammates to do well.
The issue for Seattle might go beyond just losing Mafe, though. The team might see DeMarcus Lawrence retire, Uchenna Nwosu be a cap casualty, and only Derick Hall remain from an elite group this past season, one that was big reason the team won the Super Bowl.
Seattle Seahawks lose edge rusher Boye Mafe to the Cincinnati Bengals in free agency
Still, $20 million a season is something general manager John Schneider was never going to give Mafe. The hope among 12s, of course, is that Schneider has a definite plan for all the players he is losing in free agency. The list already includes safety Coby Bryant (to the Chicago Bears) and running back Kenneth Walker (to the Kansas City Chiefs).
Seattle is bringing back cornerback Josh Jobe, but fellow corner Riq Woolen is still a free agent. So is wide receiver Rashid Shaheed, among others.
The NFC West is, obviously, no joke. The difference between the Seahawks and their key rivals, the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams, was not much. Any of the teams could have won the division if a game or two had gone differently. The same will probably be the case in 2026, too.
San Francisco and Los Angeles, however, have been adding talent this offseason. LA traded for top cornerback Trent McDuffie, and the 49ers signed productive veteran receiver Mike Evans. At this point, the 49ers and Rams look better than last season. The Seattle Seahawks don't. They appear worse.
But there is no reason to panic yet. John Schneider will still make moves in free agency, but he needs to hit some home runs in the 2026 NFL draft. Anything less than quality pick-ups could push the team to a third-place finish in the division next season.