The Seattle Seahawks have some needs in the 2026 NFL draft, but none are overly dire. Should edge rusher DeMarcus Lawrence decide to retire, though, that changes everything. General manager John Schneider would seemingly need to re-shuffle his priorities and take an edge rusher first.
To be sure, any rumors or suggestions about Lawrence are purely speculative. He hasn't said he wants to retire, at least not publicly. Had he told the team that it was his intention, most likely the news of that would already be out. The assumption at this point is that Lawrence will return in 2026.
Still, some in the know, such as Jerry Trotta of The Landry Hat, have logically mentioned that the edge rusher could be treating this offseason as he did recently with the Dallas Cowboys, where Lawrence played his entire career before joining Seattle last offseason. In other words, the 33-year-old could be weighing whether to hang up his cleats.
DeMarcus Lawrence retiring would reshape the Seattle Seahawks' 2026 NFL draft
Trotta recently wrote in reaction to Lawrence saying he signed with the Seahawks knowing he would never win a Super Bowl in Dallas, "It was an all-time shot-call from Lawrence. However, the Seahawks are currently in limbo with regard to his status for next season...while head coach Mike Macdonald thinks Lawrence will be back, that is no sure thing."
To be clear, no confirmed reports have said DeMarcus Lawrence is close to retiring, even while his past actions might lend credence to the suggestion of the same. He appears set to be a member of the Seattle Seahawks next year, and possibly the season after.
That is how long the edge rusher is currently signed for. He has $5 million guaranteed for next season, but none in 2027. His cap hit in 2026 is nearly $12 million, however. Should Seattle not have Lawrence, Seattle would save just $2,516,666 of his $11,783,333. $9.3 million would be dead money.
But more important than the money is the spot he plays, and how John Schneider would have to address the vacancy. The team lost Boye Mafe to the Cincinnati Bengals in free agency, leaving the Seahawks with an outside linebacker group that consists of Lawrence, Uchenna Nwosu, and Derick Hall. A solid bunch, but thin.
If Lawrence decided to retire, the Seahawks would hope he would do so before the draft, or at least announce he was doing so. This way, Schneider could take one of Seattle's earliest picks on an edge rusher, such as Texas A&M's Cashius Howell, whom the team recently visited with.
Of course, even if DeMarcus Lawrence does play with the Seattle Seahawks in 2026 as expected, Schneider might still be wise to take an edge rusher in round one or two. Eventually, Lawrence will retire, and having a built-in replacement would be the smart move.