What could really go wrong for the Seattle Seahawks in the 2026 offseason? Sure, several players left in free agency, but Jaxon Smith-Njigba and the rest of the team were spending the months trying to come down from the high of winning the Super Bowl. That will never be forgotten.
Time does move on, however. A new offseason brings new challenges, and replacing those players who left with only four draft picks initially was not going to be easy. General manager John Schneider worked his magic, and the team ended up with eight draft picks. Some late-round players even have a chance to make an immediate impact.
As far as some players already on the roster, what the team did in the offseason might have helped their careers. That is because the team clearly trusts them to help keep winning games. But one player isn't so lucky, and neither was the team's front office.
Winners from Seattle Seahawks 2026 offseason
Wide receiver Jake Bobo
Bobo will always be one of the most unsung players on the team. Nationally, fans might look at his raw statistics and decide he isn't worth the money the team will be paying him in the future. That kind of thinking would prove they know little about how the Seahawks go about business.
The wide receiver is exactly the kind of player every team needs to win at a high level. He happily does the dirty work on special teams, and his few offensive snaps, understanding his role is to support others. But make no mistake, just as Bobo did in the NFC Championship game when he caught a touchdown against the Los Angeles Rams, Bobo can make plays when he needs to.
He will be paid relatively well to do so, too. After the Jacksonville Jaguars made an offer to the restricted free agent, Seattle matched it. Losing Bobo was non-negotiable, literally. He will now make as much as $5.5 million over the next two seasons as a role player, yet an important one.
Defensive lineman Rylie Mills
Mills missed most of his rookie season after he injured his knee in his final season at Notre Dame. He was a fifth-round choice in 2025 who would have likely gone much higher except for the injury. That he landed in Seattle was just good luck.
It is telling what the team thinks of the player who didn't have any statistics until the Super Bowl, when he saw action on five snaps, but had a sack and a tackle for loss, that the team didn't address the defensive line much this offseason. The assumption is that Mills will become a far more important part of head coach Mike Macdonald's defense beginning in 2026.
Linebacker Drake Thomas
As with Mills, Thomas was fortunate that the Seahawks didn't try to find a new inside linebacker in free agency or the 2026 NFL Draft. He became a starter in Week 4 last season and was so impressive that former starter Tyice Knight now appears set up to be a long-time backup.
Most impressive is that Thomas was earning the trust of the Seattle Seahawks coaching staff as an undrafted free agent in 2023, even while he missed a lot of the season with an injury. He didn't play much defensively in 2024, either.
In 2025, though, once he got his chance, he made the most of it. He needs to work on his tackling efficiency, as he missed 17.1 percent of his attempts in 2025, but he was tremendous in pass coverage and had 18 quarterback pressures on a defense that doesn't blitz much. He could be special in 2026.
Losers from Seattle Seahawks 2026 offseason
Running back Zach Charbonnet
Charbonnet had no other choice but to watch the team make moves that could affect his future. He suffered a knee injury in the playoffs, and that will keep him out until likely December, at the earliest. As starter Kenneth Walker III left in free agency to sign with the Kansas City Chiefs, the Seahawks had to do something to address the void at running back.
They did so by choosing Jadarian Price in the first round. The given is that Price will be an explosive runner, but he needs to prove he can catch the ball well and pass protect. If he can do those in training camp, he should be the immediate and long-term starter.
But Seattle couldn't wait for Charbonnet to return to add depth. The team signed Emanuel Wilson in free agency, and he's a durable player who can grind out first downs in short-yardage situations. Backup George Holani is also healthy and has looked good in OTAs. Charbonnet might be headed toward free agency next offseason.
Seattle Seahawks front office
Success can have an ironic result many times. That was the case for Seattle with its front office. Due to general manager John Schneider's long run of success, teams came calling to take some of his most trusted advisors.
Assistant GM Nolan Teasley was hired by the Minnesota Vikings to be their new general manager, and Trent Kirchner, an employee with the Seahawks for two decades who was an elite scout for part of that time, went with Teasley. Minnesota is going to be better by hiring former members of Seattle's organization. Schneider has to rebuild the depth of his department, and that won't be easy.
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