The Seattle Seahawks have a bunch of new players on the team, especially offensively, and how quickly they acclimate will go a long way toward deciding how well Seattle starts this coming season. But the veterans already on the team might decide if the team makes the playoffs or not.
One of those veterans is edge rusher Boye Mafe, who is entering the final year of his rookie contract. Many pundits predicted Mafe to be a breakout star in 2024, including Pro Football Focus (subscription required) who named Mafe one of two edge rushers who could have monster seasons last year.
Mafe was fine last season, but his numbers decreased compared to 2023. Some of this was due to use and some due to minor injuries. One problem was glaring, though, no matter how many fewer snaps Mafe got last year. He whiffed on 20.5 percent of his tackle attempts and that is unacceptable.
Seahawks' Boye Mafe could set himself up for a huge payday in 2026 with a great 2025
The edge rusher is only 26 years old and did have nine sacks two years ago, so he has flashed the potential to have double-digit sacks and get constant pressure on quarterbacks. His run defense was slightly better last season, too, but good enough to give an enormous contact.
The Seahawks have plenty of money to spend in 2026 as they currently rank eighth in cap room next offseason with $55,885,412. The team has a number of players they might need to try to re-sign, however. The list includes Mafe, running back Kenneth Walker III, and cornerback Riq Woolen, while also trying to extend left tackle Charles Cross. The money is going to go fast.
Mafe will have a huge say in what he can expect next offseason. After having nine sacks in 2023, he had 6.5 in 2024. He is capable of getting to 12 or more, most likely. There is no reason he cannot do that in head coach Mike Macdonald's system. He needs to stay healthy and show growth as a player.
Mafe should also get the snaps needed to be great this coming season. While the Seahawks have a deep edge rusher group with Derick Hall, Uchenna Nwosu, and DeMarcus Lawrence, Mafe could receive the largest number of reps. His versatility is better than Hall's, and he stays healthier than Nwosu or Lawrence.
The top 12 edge rushers in the NFL per average annual salary make at least $20 million a season. If Mafe can get to 13 sacks and 25 tackles for loss in 2025, some team is going to pay him a lot of money. The Seahawks might not be that team, but Seattle certainly would be happy with Mafe's play this coming year if he gets to those numbers.