This offseason, the Seattle Seahawks took a clear approach to shaping their roster, deciding which players would remain in their plans and which would continue their careers elsewhere. During free agency, the team moved on from Kenneth Walker III, Coby Bryant, Riq Woolen and Boye Mafe.
At the same time, Seattle made long-term commitments to a pair of young contributors. Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Derick Hall each signed contract extensions to stay with the Seahawks. Even so, other key players from the Super Bowl-winning team are still eligible for new deals, leaving the front office with more decisions to make.
One of those players is veteran defensive lineman Leonard Williams, who is in the final year of his contract, which expires after the 2026 NFL season. While speaking on Seattle Sports, ESPN’s Brady Henderson provided an update on the Williams contract extension.
“[A contract extension] is something they have discussed,” Henderson said during his July 29 appearance on Seattle Sports. “I don’t think you have those discussions unless they want to do a deal. So, I do think something gets done.
“I have no idea on the timing of that, but just hearing him talk about it and knowing the situation, I think you can logically look at it and say, ‘Okay, he’s in the last year of his deal. He’s an older player, but he’s still playing at an exceptionally high level. He’s a guy who, I think it’s been pretty clear over the years, takes really good care of his body.’”
Leonard Williams Major Part of Seahawks’ Culture
Despite being in his early 30s and that being the start of the decline for most football players, which might cause Seattle to hesitate on an extension, Henderson notes that Williams is a major part of the Seahawks’ culture.
“There hasn’t really been a durability question with him,” Henderson added. “Beyond that, he’s the kind of guy who represents exactly who they are and what they want to be.
“He’s one of the handful of players who is the best representation of that [and] not a ‘look at me’ guy, just someone who is unselfish and really buys into the ‘Mission Over BS’ approach. He’s still a game-wrecking player at 32 years old. So, hearing that tells me something is probably going to get done.”
Last season with the Seahawks, Williams played 810 snaps and earned 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.
Can Leonard Williams, Seattle Find Common Ground?
As far as what a deal could look like for Williams, Henderson doesn’t see the Seahawks paying him top-of-the-market money, which is what the Philadelphia Eagles did when they gave Jalen Carter a four-year, $152 million contract extension.
“You just saw what the top of the market looks like now with Jalen Carter,” Henderson added. “I wouldn’t anticipate Leonard Williams’ deal being in that neighborhood. Again, I have no intel on that part of it, but I think there’s a sweet spot where you can recognize that he’s 32 years old but still a game-wrecking player and still a huge part of the culture they have there.”
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