The Seattle Seahawks are still the team everyone else is chasing.
ESPN released its latest 2026 NFL power rankings after free agency and the NFL draft, and Seattle remained at No. 1. That is not a small distinction for a defending Super Bowl champion that has already had to adjust parts of its roster after a busy offseason.
ESPN’s Brady Henderson identified guard as the Seahawks’ most improved position group, pointing to continuity up front and the arrival of fifth-round pick Beau Stephens as the biggest reason Seattle’s offensive line could take another step. Henderson noted that the Seahawks returned all 11 offensive linemen who played at least one snap last season, while Stephens now gives Anthony Bradford real competition at right guard.
That is the kind of good news that matters more in May than a generic No. 1 label. Power rankings do not win games, but Seattle’s path to repeating depends on whether the Seahawks can turn a strong roster into a cleaner, deeper one before Week 1.
Seattle Seahawks Are No. 1 in ESPN’s Latest Power Rankings
ESPN’s panel kept the Seahawks in the same spot they occupied in the outlet’s way-too-early rankings: No. 1.
The ranking reflects the obvious part first. Seattle is coming off a Super Bowl season, and the roster has not been stripped down. But Henderson’s explanation focused less on championship glow and more on something practical: the Seahawks may have improved without making a massive offensive line splash.
That is especially important because Seattle’s offense is going through transition elsewhere. Kenneth Walker III is no longer on the roster, and first-round pick Jadarian Price enters a backfield with a chance to matter right away. The Seahawks do not need their line to become a completely different unit. They need it to be more reliable, deeper and better equipped to handle injuries and competition.
Stephens is central to that. The Seahawks selected the Iowa guard with the No. 148 pick after trading back into the fifth round. Seattle’s official roster page lists Stephens as a fifth-round pick and guard, and the team’s draft video identified him as the No. 148 overall selection.
A fifth-round guard is not usually the centerpiece of a No. 1 power ranking discussion. In Seattle’s case, he fits the roster need. Bradford has starting experience, but the Seahawks clearly wanted another legitimate option on the interior. Stephens gives them that, and if he pushes Bradford throughout camp, Seattle wins either way.
If Bradford holds the job, the Seahawks have better depth. If Stephens wins it, Seattle may have found a low-cost starter after moving a future pick to get him.
Seahawks Adding Dante Fowler Could Further Cement Their No. 1 Position
The ESPN rankings were published after the draft, but Seattle’s case at No. 1 may look even stronger after the Seahawks added veteran pass rusher Dante Fowler Jr.
Fowler agreed to a one-year deal worth up to $5 million, giving Seattle another experienced edge option after the team did not use a draft pick on the position. The fit is easy to understand. Fowler has played with DeMarcus Lawrence and has familiarity with defensive coordinator Aden Durde from Dallas.
This is not the kind of signing that changes the franchise’s identity. It is the kind of signing that can protect a contender from a depth problem in November.
Seattle already has front-seven talent with players such as Leonard Williams, Lawrence and Derick Hall. Fowler adds another rotational rusher who can help keep the pressure package fresh. For a team trying to repeat, that matters.
The Seahawks’ No. 1 ranking is not built on one signing. It is built on the idea that their biggest offseason moves have been about reinforcing stress points. Guard competition protects the offense. Fowler protects the pass-rush rotation. Price gives Seattle another explosive back after Walker’s exit.
That is how a defending champion stays dangerous without needing to win the offseason headline cycle.
The Seahawks Depth Chart Is Being Sorted Out, but Jadarian Price Already Has a Claim
Seattle’s most interesting offensive role battle may not be at guard. It may be at running back, where Price has a clearer path to early work than most rookie backs drafted at the end of Round 1.
The Seahawks selected Price, a Notre Dame running back, with the No. 32 overall pick. NFL.com’s draft tracker confirmed Price went to Seattle in the first round, and the Seahawks later highlighted him as their new rookie back.
That internal context is important because Seattle’s backfield is not settled in the same way its offensive line is. Price was not drafted to be a luxury player. He was drafted after Walker’s departure, and Zach Charbonnet’s injury situation has made the rookie’s role even more significant.
That is where ESPN’s offensive line note and Price’s role connect. If Seattle is going to ask a rookie running back to carry meaningful work, the guard play becomes even more important. Stephens does not need to become a Pro Bowler immediately to justify the pick. He just needs to raise the floor of a position group that will help determine whether Seattle’s offense remains balanced.
The Seahawks are not No. 1 because everything is settled. They are No. 1 because the roster still has championship-level answers while the remaining questions are being addressed with real competition.
That is the best kind of May news for Seattle: not hype, but evidence that the defending champs may still be getting deeper.
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