The Seattle Seahawks are going to look different next season, especially defensively, as several key players left in free agency. Thankfully, veteran leader Ernest Jones didn't, but he has thoughts about the others who did, including Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker.
Jones isn't going anywhere soon. He signed a three-year extension in 2025 that will keep him in Seattle through 2027. He isn't just extremely productive on the field; he is an unquestioned leader in the locker room. He will be tasked with keeping the team's winning culture intact.
But he understands losing Walker and others makes next season a bit more difficult. Walker's absence might be the most strongly felt as backup Zach Charbonnet tore his ACL in the playoffs and might not be ready in Week 1. Seattle might be missing both of its top-two running backs from last season.
Ernest Jones delivers the tough truth about Seattle Seahawks free agency
Talking with Ian Rapoport on The Insiders on the NFL Network, Jones didn't mix words when discussing players like Walker (to the Kansas City Chiefs), safety Coby Bryant (to the Chicago Bears), cornerback Riq Woolen (to the Philadelphia Eagles), and edge rusher Boye Mafe (to the Cincinnati Bengals) leaving the team to get high-dollar deals elsewhere.
The NFL is a business, but watching so many players walk away isn't easy.
"Before anything, I'd love to have them back on this team, but I understand," Jones said. "We got families to take care of. You know, honestly, that's what we (won the Super Bowl) for...Those guys (leaving in free agency) deserve it. Now, it does suck for the Seahawks...(Kenneth Walker's) gonna go over there to Kansas City, and they're gonna love him."
Indeed, losing so many productive players isn't great for the Seahawks. The issue is that in some cases, their replacements are not readily evident. Seattle hasn't acquired an edge rusher to take Mafe's spot in the pass-rush rotation, for instance. The hope is that Ty Okada might be a good replacement for Coby Bryant, but Okada hasn't entered a season as a starter before.
The team has chosen to go a less expensive route in free agency. General manager John Schneider did re-sign wide receiver Rashid Shaheed for three years and as much as $51 million, and cornerback Josh Jobe re-signed for three years and an average of $7 million per season, but free agents added from other teams don't seem to upgrade the team.
The team might need to find answers in the 2026 NFL draft, but currently, the Seattle Seahawks only have four selections. That doesn't imply many new starters will be coming to Seattle.
No matter. Whoever the team chooses in the draft, one can assume that Ernest Jones will be a voice of wisdom for them in year one. That includes new free agent signings. The drawback is Kenneth Walker won't be around to impart his own wisdom.