5 players who have made the most money in Seahawks history

Comparing NFL contracts is unfair to those players who played prior to, well...now. While what former Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Steve Largent made in 1983, for instance, might have been more than the average person, the number pales in comparison to what players make now. The same goes for Hall of Fame safety Kenny Easley.

In other words, while they were better than most players ever, they did not get paid nearly as high as what 99 percent of players make today. They cannot help being born at the wrong time to get paid tens of millions of dollars. The cost of living increases but not former NFL greats' salaries.

Many players hope to make it to professional sports because the money made could be generational wealth. They make good money and they also help out their great-grandchildren they likely will never know. Sports is a business and a good one, but older players sadly get left out. As far as Seahawks-specific, here are the five players who have made the most during their time with the team.

Five players who have made the most from the Seattle Seahawks in their careers

No. 5 - Left tackle Walter Jones

Career earnings with Seattle: $65,446,112

Just imagine what Jones would make if he were at his peak currently. Trent Williams of the San Francisco 49ers has a deal that pays him a total of $138,060,000. His potential career earnings is $248,879,199. Williams is one of the best left tackles ever, but so was Jones.

Maybe the NFL should have some kind of structure that pays former players about what they would make today. Sure, that is impossible. Jones, however, was a seven-time All-Pro selection who gave up 23 sacks in more than 5,500 pass block snaps. He was worth every penny that Seattle paid him, but he deserved even more compared to the money made today.

He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2014, his first year of eligibility. He is one of the better players in Seattle football history if not the best.

No. 4 - Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck

Career earnings with Seattle: $62,925,000

Hasselbeck got paid because he was a quarterback. He is now arguably the second- or third-best quarterback in Seahawks history, but he was also helped by an ungodly great offensive line and running back Shaun Alexander. Hasselbeck was a good leader, but he wasn't one of the five best quarterbacks in the league - he made the Pro Bowl three times in 17 seasons.

Still, he got Seattle to its first Super Bowl ever. A successful team is very uncertain of making a change at the most important position so replacing Hasselbeck might have been a mistake had the team done so. He was worthy of what he got paid.

No. 3 - Wide receiver Tyler Lockett

Career earnings with Seattle: $76,099,057

This is where things get a bit odd. The final two players on this list are not ever going to make more money with Seattle, but Lockett will. The receiver should end up second on this list in terms of career earnings if he plays through 2025, which is when his current contract ends. That is in question as Seattle is tight against the cap next offseason and moving on from the then-almost 33-year-old receiver might be a real option.

If Seattle does release Lockett - and we are not saying that should happen - the team would save $17 million. If Lockett stays on the team, his career earnings could reach $105,803,752. He is a nice person and wanting good things to happen to good people, Lockett making that much money would be, well...good.

No. 2 - Linebacker Bobby Wagner

Career earnings with Seattle: $91,758,441

Wagner, of course, has been with the Seahawks and left the team twice. Any money he might have earned during his time with Seattle is completely worth it. He was a great leader in the locker and a future Hall of Famer on the field (he is a six-time First-Team All-Pro and led the league in tackles three times). The shame is that he ever left - or even left twice.

Of the players on the top-ten currently highest-paid Seahawks ever, Wagner is second-best behind Jones. He has an argument for the best ever. The truth is, though, that should DK Metcalf stay on the team for the foreseeable future - and he should - the receiver will far exceed Wagner. Metcalf's current earnings will allow him to get to $79,686,150. With his next deal, he could get close to the player who is number one of this list.

No. 1 - Quarterback Russell Wilson

Career earnings with Seattle: $181,362,520

The weird part with Wilson is that he earned far more per season with the Denver Broncos than he did with the Seahawks. The quarterback played two years in Denver and will earn $124 million. In 10 seasons with Seattle, he made $181m340,123. Sure, that is not chump change either way, and Wilson will continue to make money in the league, so maybe Seattle got off cheaply.

After all, Wilson is the best quarterback in Seahawks history. The raw statistics bear that out and there is no real argument for any other QB as far as being Seattle's best. Seattle likely let Wilson walk at the right time, however, as he has not been overly good since he left Seattle in 2022.

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