I will jump on a live stream at some point today. In the meantime here’s an open thread and a note on all the big news relating to the Seahawks.
Ken Walker has agreed to terms with the Kansas City Chiefs on a deal wirth $43m over three years
It was expected that Walker would depart, with the Chiefs a heavily speculated destination. I think it’s fair to say every Seahawks fan respects Ken and appreciated his talents. Yet re-signing running backs to big second contracts, unless they’re in the Christian McCaffrey talent-bracket, is often a mistake.
Walker needed a heavy rotation in 2025 to finally get through a full season. He has played in fits and starts, with frustrating games to go with explosive performances. You have to judge a player based on his four years in Seattle. In my opinion, he is not worth +$14m a year.
You might be weaker at running back next year. That’s life. But you can’t stare that reality in the eye, panic, and splurge $14m on a runner. Walker is being guaranteed $28.7m by the Chiefs reportedly. That’s a lot of money when you’ve already had to put a big Charles Cross extension in escrow, with Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Devon Witherspoon up next.
Walker was a good player for the Seahawks. It wasn’t worth breaking a NFL record for a free agent running back contract to keep him. Prior to his end-of-season playoff run, nobody would’ve imagined he’d get $14m a year. We shouldn’t let the recency of his Super Bowl MVP influence our judgement now. The Seahawks certainly didn’t.
Coby Bryant has agreed to terms with the Chicago Bears on a deal worth $40m over three years
This is a more expensive deal than Kam Curl received with the Rams, working out at about $13.3m a year based on the information we have at the moment. I can understand why the Seahawks did not match this offer.
Bryant is a good player. He is not a difference maker. I would not fear losing him for a critical game in a way I’d fear losing Julian Love. With that in mind, you have to set a price limit and stick to it. I think the Bears went beyond Seattle’s limit and the Seahawks opted to move on.
Ty Okada is a perfectly acceptable replacement. They could add a veteran, or look to the draft. There are actually some cornerbacks in the draft who could transition to safety just like Bryant did — Chandler Rivers or Keionte Scott for example.
Nothing about this free agency period so far is making me feel envious or disappointed. This is how the NFL works. If you succeed, other teams will want your players. The reaction can’t be to wet your pants and start spending beyond talent just for the sake of it.
Patient, calculated drafting and acquiring is the key to success. The Seahawks showed that last year.
Josh Jobe re-signs with the Seahawks for $24m over three years
This always felt like the most likely deal to get done for a player to stay in Seattle. Jobe has carved out a role over the last two seasons, proving to be a more trusted alternative to Riq Woolen. He’s not likely to challenge any Pro-Bowl voting battles in the future but this was an important keep.
It looks like $8m a year for Jobe which is very reasonable for a starting cornerback. The Seahawks will almost certainly add another cornerback to replace Woolen, possibly from within a deep draft class.
Boye Mafe joins the Bengals for $60m over three years
We’ll need to see what the actual numbers are but if Mafe has joined the Bengals for $20m a year, that’s pretty remarkable. He was a situational rusher in Seattle who never managed to convert pressures to sacks. Increasingly he felt like someone the Seahawks were not minded to keep. As with Walker, they made no attempt to re-sign him last summer. So the writing was on the wall.
I’m not convinced a change of scenery is going to unlock things. He is a rotational rusher whose career in Seattle stalled. Even so, he will need to be replaced. The draft has some options for #32 and #64. The Seahawks might look at the trade market too, especially if DeMarcus Lawrence opts to retire.
Rashid Shaheed stays in Seattle on a three-year deal worth $51m
The Seahawks, having watched other players depart today, stepped up to keep Shaheed. I think $17m a year is a little bit steep in isolation for a player who hasn’t come close to a 1000 yard receiving season. However, put it into this perspective. He’s cheaper than Boye Mafe and other receivers are getting way more.
The X-factor difference here is Shaheed’s game-changing ability as a returner. Look at the impact he had against the Falcons, Rams and 49ers. It was huge. So while he might not be a classic WR2 foil and his receiving production could be inconsistent — in the modern NFL with dynamic kick-offs — I think his ability as a returner is worth paying for.
