This offseason, the Seattle Seahawks made decisions about who would be part of their future and which players could look for greener pastures. In free agency, Seattle lost Kenneth Walker III, Coby Bryant, Riq Woolen, and Boye Mafe.
However, some extensions were handed out, too. Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Derick Hall received contract extensions to remain with the Seahawks. Still, other players need contract extensions, and the question will be whether Seattle wants to give them to them.
One of the players whose contracts expire after the 2026 NFL season is veteran defensive lineman Leonard Williams. Seattle Sports’ Dave Wyman noted what it will take for the player and the team to reach a contract extension to keep Williams with the Seahawks beyond this upcoming campaign.
“I think it’ll be a combination of them finding a way somehow,” Wyman said in a July 9 video on the Seattle Sports’ YouTube channel. “[Seahawks general manager John Schneider] does a great job with the salary cap, but maybe Leonard Williams is willing to do what Derick Hall did and not take a top-of-the-market contract. Maybe they put incentives in there and things like that.
“That’s why John always leaves a little bit of dry powder going into the season in case they make a trade or somebody hits a bonus or whatever. It’s going to be tricky, though. I’m not saying it’s going to be easy… You have to find a way to keep Leonard Williams happy because he is one of the most versatile, solid players in the NFL.”
Seahawks Can’t Afford to Lose Leonard Williams
Meanwhile, Bob Stelton of Seattle Sports noted that it’s important for the Seahawks to keep Williams, given how vital the veteran is to the team’s defense and locker room.
“He’s such a huge part of what they do and what they’ve been able to accomplish here,” Stelton said. “Beyond who he is on the field, who he is in that locker room, and the way he’s respected by everybody in that locker room, he’s such a leader and a presence. But at some point, you look at his age, you look at all these other contracts coming up, and you have to prioritize.
“I’m assuming John and those guys behind the scenes, just because we didn’t realize it was the final year of his deal, I’m guessing they did. So, I don’t know. Maybe they’re looking at a shorter-term deal; maybe it’s a two-year extension. Maybe it’s something that takes them through age 35 or something along those lines.”
Last season with the Seahawks, Williams played 810 snaps, earning a 75.3 overall PFF defensive grade. Moreover, he generated 58 total pressures, eight sacks, 36 hurries, and 14 QB hits. Williams also recorded 39 solo tackles against the run.
Devon Witherspoon Is Also Looking for a New Contract
The other high-profile player in need of a contract extension is Devon Witherspoon. Wyman recently stated that general manager John Schneider should be willing to make Witherspoon the highest-paid cornerback in the league.
“If you watch him play, I remember two years ago, he danced his way around a block,” Wyman said in a June 27 video on the Seattle Sports’ YouTube channel. “The receiver could not block him because he is always a moving target. And he ends up making a tackle for a loss on some kind of speed option.
“You see him make all kinds of big hits that you would not think he would make because he is only 180 pounds. And then you see him time blitzes and he just gets the game. So I just think that they would be crazy not to. I think he is the best corner in the league, and I think the Seahawks should pay him that way, and I do not think he should take any kind of hometown discount.”
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