The Seattle Seahawks have several players on the roster who need to prove themselves this year. In fact, Seattle has 33 players whose contracts will expire at the end of this season. So literally, they have dozens of guys who need to prove they belong on the team.
That doesn't even include some key players. Guys like Sam Darnold, Cooper Kupp, and DeMarcus Lawrence are on multi-year deals, but they can be cut loose with minimal pain after this season. Well, minimal pain compared to what the Broncos went through to ditch Russell Wilson.
Talk about dodging a bullet. You can be sure that John Schneider had a clear vision of that situation when negotiations started with Geno Smith.
These three key Seattle Seahawks are in their prove-it seasons
The gentlemen under discussion today carry no such concerns. All three are on their rookie contracts, which will expire after the 2025 season. All three have, at one point or another, provided the Seahawks with stellar play.
All three have also raised serious questions regarding their ability to either maintain that level or take the next step forward in their careers. Seven players in all will see their rookie deals expire, but these are the standouts of the group.
Before we dive in, let me address the situation of the four players I haven't included here. First, neither linebacker Drake Thomas nor wide receiver Dareke Young is a key contributor to the cause. That doesn't mean they might not find themselves playing larger roles this year, but so far, neither of them has been that guy.
As for right tackle Abe Lucas, yes, his injury history has put him in that questionable group. But he seemed to have overcome that last season, and it looks like all systems are go for him in 2025. Safety Coby Bryant needed to find the right role.
He found that at safety, and will undoubtedly continue to be a key piece of Mike Macdonald's defense, no matter where Nick Emmanwori fits in. So, on to the three players who need to ball out.
Riq Woolen
There's no disputing that Woolen is a phenomenally talented player. His spectacular rookie season (six interceptions and a passer rating allowed of just 48.7) drew immediate comparisons to another Seattle fifth-round draft pick at corner who's a lock for the Hall of Fame. The comparisons fell off after 2023, nor did they return after last year. It's not that Woolen was bad, but holes showed up in his game.
Entering the final year of his contract, he seems rededicated to his craft. I find this quote from Woolen, per Michael-Shawn Dugar in The Athletic (subscription required), fascinating: “I just want to show people that I’m Tariq Woolen, (and) I’ve gotten better in every aspect of my game progressively each year... Now I just gotta put it all together. That’s what I feel like is going to happen.”
Woolen says that he's gotten better every year, then immediately acknowledges that he has to be consistent; in his words, "put it all together." Beyond that, what interests me is referring to himself as "Tariq."
Could that be a clue that he's taking a more mature approach? I love the name Riq, but frankly, he can call himself He Hate Me as long as he plays smart and hard, as he did in his rookie year. I just find it intriguing that he appears to be going back to his given name, when he had his greatest success.
Boye Mafe
Unlike his counterpart in the defensive backfield, Mafe took a year to acclimate himself to the NFL. Heading into his sophomore season, I expected Mafe to show the same explosive growth that Frank Clark did from 2015 to 2016. He nearly mirrored Clark's output, as both men registered three sacks as rookies, then tripled their sack totals in their second seasons (Clark actually reached 10 sacks).
Unlike his predecessor, Mafe didn't maintain that arc. Clark had one fewer sack but boosted his quarterback hits. Mafe saw both his sacks and QB hits drop last year, so the pressure is on him to see if he can duplicate Clark's big contract-year jump. Whether or not the Seahawks will be the team to ink that next deal rests on Mafe's shoulders.
Kenneth Walker III
K-9 has taken a lot of heat for his baseline stats last year. There's no denying that he averaged just 3.7 yards per rush last year, far less than stablemate Zach Charbonnet's 4.2-yard average. That's the third straight year Walker's average has declined. Add that he missed six games last year with various injuries, and the twin specters of Chris Carson and Rashaad Penny are unavoidable.
However, there's good reason to believe that Walker can bounce back better than ever this season. His biggest problem last year was that he would often hesitate and wait for a seam to open, or cut back to find another gap. Too often, the Seahawks' offensive line was incapable of providing that opening, however brief.
Charbonnet's style fit the talent (or lack thereof), as he would just take whatever was there. Seattle's new zone blocking scheme suits Walker much better, as we've already seen in training camp. Expect a major resurgence for K-9 this season, all the way to the bank.