Unlike many other teams, the Seattle Seahawks aren't entering a season that is likely to lead to massive changes. Probably the only way that happens is if the team is highly successful once again, and coaches are promoted by other teams, just as Klint Kubiak was this past offseason.
Defensive coordinator Aden Durde or special teams coordinator Jay Harbaugh could be looking forward to head coaching interviews next offseason. That's the hope because it means Seattle has battled for another Super Bowl victory this season.
But the NFC West is no joke, and any slippage by the Seahawks, Los Angeles Rams, or San Francisco 49ers could mean a team plummets in the standings. If that happens to Seattle, the team would try to get better by making changes. To avoid that from happening, the following employees of the organization need to be excellent in 2026 and beyond.
These Seattle Seahawks are entering the 2026 season on the hot seat
Center Jalen Sundell
Sundell isn't a bad player, of course. He offers good athleticism for his position, but he isn't overly powerful. He does have the advantage of having played with left guard Grey Zabel at North Dakota State, though, and that experience helped Zabel be good faster than he might otherwise have been in 2025.
According to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), Sundell ranked 19th of 40 qualified centers last season. He was slightly better in pass protection, likely due to his athletic ability. He didn't allow a sack until Seattle played the San Francisco 49ers in the playoffs.
Entering 2026, Sundell is the clear starter at center. He has to prove again that he is worthy of keeping the spot in 2027 and beyond, however. If he digresses, Seattle could find his replacement in the 2027 NFL Draft.
Right guard Anthony Bradford
For the last three seasons, the microscope has seemingly been on Bradford at right guard. And yet, the Seattle Seahawks still keep running him out as the starter for every game he is healthy enough to play in. He has stretches of being fine, and he has bouts of extreme ineffectiveness, too.
Now, the right guard is in the final year of his rookie deal. He is basically facing a prove-it year with the Seahawks, and if he can't be any better than he has been, the team needs to make a change for the long-term performance of the offensive line. He hasn't been good enough to lock down his spot for the foreseeable future.
In three seasons, he has allowed 13 sacks and had 19 penalties. He's only slightly better as a run-blocker, but he's been awful in pass protection. No one should expect him to suddenly be better in the coming season, but if he is, it would be a welcome surprise.
Offensive coordinator Brian Fleury
Fleury should be a good offensive coordinator, but some concerns are entering his first season with the Seahawks. For one, he's never called plays. Piggyback that onto the fact that he is following Klint Kubiak, a seasoned OC who, in his only season with the team, helped lead them to a title.
Had Kubiak failed in 2025, he wouldn't now be the head coach for the Las Vegas Raiders, but he also wouldn't have left a legacy of success for the next coordinator to match. Seattle is still well-suited to compete for championships for many more seasons. Poor offensive leadership by Fleury would complicate matters.
While excellence from Fleury is to be expected based on his coaching history and knowledge of both sides of the ball, he still has to prove he is capable of being the head of an offense while calling plays for the first time. That is a lot of pressure.
Edge rusher Derick Hall
Obviously, Hall isn't going anywhere anytime soon. He has a year left on his rookie deal, and he signed a three-year extension this past offseason. He is good against the run and solid at quarterback pressure, though slightly inconsistent. That's why he is on this list.
By signing the extension, Hall also increased the need to increase his raw statistics. He had only two sacks last season. He had a good pass-rush win rate, but that doesn't stop a play. Putting a quarterback on his back with a sack stops a play.
In 2024, Hall did have eight sacks, so he is capable of producing a decent number. He might still be a very valuable piece of the defense, but unless he has more than eight sacks, a lot of fans are going to try to point out that he is overpaid.
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