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Seahawks $20 million problem is quickly becoming impossible to ignore

One more step to closure.
Lee Vowell
Lee Vowell

12th Man Rising

Coby Bryant of the Seattle Seahawks is intense / Michael Owens/GettyImages

The Seattle Seahawks are in the midst of what is likely a playoff-bound season in 2025. No matter what happens in Week 16 on Thursday Night Football against the Los Angeles Rams, Seattle is probably going to make the postseason.

Heck, the Seahawks could lose their remaining three games (it should be said that they shouldn't do so) and still make the postseason. That would mean the team finished 11-6, likely with a road playoff game. That might be a better matchup than some of the other ones the team might have, however.

Still, the offseason awaits every team, no matter if one wins two games or wins the Super Bowl. Free agent decisions must be made, and that will affect how well future seasons go. Among the many key decisions general manager John Schneider has to make is whether to re-sign his team's own free agents.

Coby Bryant might be pricing himself out of playing for the Seattle Seahawks past 2025

One of those is safety Coby Bryant, who became a starter midway through 2024 and has made the most of his chance to play. He has undoubtedly been one of the unsung successes that has propelled the Seahawks to probably being playoff-bound. Every team could use a player like Bryant, and that's part of the problem.

How much do the Seattle Seahawks want to pay him this offseason to return? The team also has to possibly re-sign cornerback Riq Woolen, running back Kenneth Walker, edge rusher Boye Mafe, and wide receiver Rashid Shaheed. Is there enough money for Bryant? Maybe, but that might be spent elsewhere, too.

Bryant could conceivably get about $20 million with a multi-year contract in 2026. That would be comparable to what the Denver Broncos paid Brandon Jones in 2024 to entice him to come to Denver from the Miami Dolphins. As far as quarterback rating allowed and run defense efficiency, the two players match up. Bryant is better at taking the ball away.

In Week 15, Coby Bryant sealed the Seattle Seahawks' close victory against the Indianapolis Colts with a last-second interception. This is the kind of play he had made regularly through his nearly two seasons of starting. But can the team do better at safety? Or do the Seahawks already have Bryant's replacement already on the roster in terms of rookie Nick Emmanwori?

Seattle reportedly tried to work out a deal with Coby Bryant before the season began, but couldn't come to terms with the safety's agent. Maybe Bryant simply wants to play elsewhere. But if he moves on, Seattle likely would be just fine. Bryant might find himself in a worse situation.

Lee Vowell

Lee Vowell

Lee is a writer who covers the NFL, tennis, and music. He has been writing professionally since 2011 and has been published in many various shadowy outlets. He wrote his first paper in college about Bugs Bunny and has a rather eclectic group of favorite teams and bands, but he failed at his dream of becoming a top-10 ATP tennis player.