Earlier this offseason, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler conducted a poll in which Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Leonard Williams was voted the league’s best at his position heading into the 2026 season. One coordinator even called him “the most important player on that Super Bowl team.” Now, with the regular-season opener just weeks away, the Seahawks have finally shown how important he is by offering him a contract extension.

Per reports, Williams and the Seahawks have agreed to a new contract extension. Under the terms of the deal, Williams has signed a three-year, $90 million contract, making him one of the highest-paid defensive linemen in the league with an average annual value of $30 million. His contract includes $56 million in guaranteed money.

With the new deal, Williams is now tied with Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Vita Vea as the fifth-highest-paid DT in the league, behind Jalen Carter, Quinnen Williams, Jeffery Simmons, and Chris Jones. Williams signed the deal after helping the Seahawks win their second Super Bowl title during the 2025 season.

In 17 starts, Williams recorded 62 combined tackles, 33 solo tackles, 9 tackles for loss, and 7 sacks, as the Seahawks orchestrated the No. 1 defense in the league. At the start of this offseason, however, Leonard Williams was entering the final year of his three-year, $64.5 million contract extension that he signed ahead of the 2024 season.

“I try not to think about it, honestly,” Williams said earlier this offseason about his contract. “I’ve always been that type of guy. I’ve had a lot of contracts at this point in my career, and I’ve always noticed players that focus on their contract end up not playing well. They end up having their head in the wrong place. I’ve noticed that when I focus on being where I’m at, focusing on my team and how I can get better individually, things always tend to work themselves out.”

Williams is signed through the 2029 season, as the Seahawks made another expensive move just before the season. Earlier this offseason, Seattle had already signed wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba on a four-year, $168.6 million contract extension, making him the highest-paid receiver in the league.

Seattle then signed Devon Witherspoon on a four-year, $132 million deal, making him the highest-paid CB in the league. He’s now under contract for the next six seasons at a total cost of around $158.3 million. And with Williams now under a new deal as well, it won’t be wrong to say that the Seahawks have invested heavily in their Super Bowl-winning roster.

For broader context, Williams has $29.6 million in dead cap for the 2026 season. However, considering his new three-year deal, it remains to be seen whether Seattle will restructure his contract in the future, especially with the team currently having around $20.4 million in salary-cap space heading into the 2026 season. For now, the Seahawks have agreed to terms with another Super Bowl champion ahead of the start of the regular season.