Every NFL team likely has several exclusive rights free agents that the team can choose to tender their contracts or not. For the Seattle Seahawks' first free agency moves of 2026, general manager John Schneider made the easy decisions to tender Ty Okada and George Holani.
Had Schneider not done so, the safety and the running back could have chosen to sign elsewhere. They are too valuable for the Seahawks, though.
Okada filled in for an injured Julian Love for nine games this past season and was very good. In fact, he was so productive and efficient that if fellow safety Coby Bryant left in free agency, Okada could get a look at becoming a full-time starter.
Seattle Seahawks tender Ty Okada and George Holani
He finished with 65 combined tackles, had 1.5 sacks, three tackles for loss, and one interception. In no area of Okada's game did he underperform, including being good in run support. He will now stay on the Seattle roster for at least one more season, but the 26-year-old could also be a staple as one of the glue guys on the team.
Holani might work out the same, though he likely won't have as important a role. The running back is capable of grinding out yards, but has a bit of an injury history and will probably never be anything more than an RB2. That doesn't mean he isn't good because he is, but he shouldn't expect to be a starter.
In two seasons, he has carried the ball 25 times and averaged 3.3 yards per carry. His longest carry is nine yards. Holani was productive at Boise State, though, and should he remain healthy and get consistent work, his statistics will probably tick up. He might be a valuable backup for several more years.
What appears clear, however, is that the Seattle Seahawks bringing back Okada and Holani implies the team is going to want to keep the roster from 2025 together as much as possible. And why not? The team won a Super Bowl this past season and should be a contender for the foreseeable future unless there is a lot of roster attrition.
Free agency gets underway in full on Monday, March 9, and reports of where players are headed when they can officially sign on March 11 will be rampant. Those rumors will include Seahawks such as running back Kenneth Walker, cornerbacks Riq Woolen and Josh Jobe, edge rusher Boye Mafe, and wide receiver Rashid Shaheed, among others. Hopefully, most return to Seattle.