The Seattle Seahawks are coming off the high of winning the Super Bowl. While they had superstars such as Jaxon Smith-Njigba, it was the quality starters that made them play at a high level.

Now that the season has concluded, the Seahawks will turn their heads to free agency and attempt to keep their key players. It won’t be easy. Everybody wants a piece of their Super Bowl roster and will be willing to overpay. They’ve already lost their offensive coordinator, and rumors have spread of teams interested in their stars if they reach free agency.

Seattle won’t be able to bring everyone back, so who returns to the Seahawks in 2026?

RB Kenneth Walker III (UFA)

If you asked me before the playoffs, I’d probably tell you Seattle is better off not extending Kenneth Walker III. Paying running backs is always a gamble. One injury could change their play forever, but it’s hard to deny the Super Bowl MVP a second contract.

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Walker put together a 1,027-yard season in a joint backfield. The fourth-year running back averaged 4.6 yards a carry and showed flashes of his stellar rookie season. Despite his strong year, the Seahawks would have to commit a hefty payday to Walker, and other teams will be interested in the breakout star.

Walker would be looking at a contract similar to that of Chicago Bears RB D’Andre Swift, set at $8 million per year. But if a team is willing to bid up, Walker can earn closer to $11 million per year, similar to Los Angeles Rams RB Kyren Williams. The Seahawks also won’t be outleveraged in the deal. They’re coming off a successful season and have a more than serviceable RB2.

If Walker were to stay in Seattle, it would likely be at a discount and a shorter deal. But I do believe they work out a deal with the Super Bowl MVP.

Prediction: Re-sign 3-year $28 million

WR/KR Rashid Shaheed (UFA)

Rashid Shaheed was an underrated star for the Seahawks. He came over in a trade with the New Orleans Saints and more than justified his 4th and 5th-round draft capital.

Shaheed was a force as a return specialist, scoring three times on special teams for Seattle in 2025, including playoffs. The fifth-year player also added 687 yards and two touchdowns as a receiver.

Shaheed is a hard prediction. With the Seahawks having plenty of talent entering free agency, the luxury of paying for a return specialist becomes complicated. You wouldn’t want Shaheed to be the reason you can’t afford your Super Bowl MVP.

I think Seattle could easily find the cap space to pay Shaheed. His projections are a little hazy, with anywhere from $9 million to $15 million (I like the former), but the urgency of obtaining their other free agents may push the talented returner down their list of priorities. In this scenario, I believe another team would slide in and snatch Shaheed for a hefty contract.

Prediction: Walk (Jets)

CB Tariq Woolen (UFA)

Cornerback Tariq Woolen is the high-potential starter. He could earn a big payday if his agent could sweet-talk the right team, but inconsistencies have followed him since being drafted. The Seahawks would either be paying Woolen a significant contract to be a CB2, or he’ll have to take a pay cut, and I don’t see any of those scenarios happening.

There is a team out there willing to pay Woolen CB1 money. An example is cornerback Paulson Adebo for the New York Giants. He was a solid performer for the Saints, but nothing that screams superstar. Yet, he earned a 3-year $54 million contract.

Woolen will be a sought-after player in free agency, and many teams will be willing to pay him. While he’s not entirely off the table for Seattle, I think it’s a long shot he returns to the Super Bowl champs. Teams such as the Philadelphia Eagles and Rams make a ton of sense.

Prediction: Walk (Rams)

EDGE Boye Mafe

Edge rusher Boye Mafe had a down season statistically with the Seahawks in 2025, but he was a core piece of their elite pass rush.

The Seahawks are pretty comfortable with the depth in their pass rush. They didn’t have a double-digit sack pass rusher, but they had quality starters throughout. Between Mike Macdonald‘s system and their personnel, they ranked as a top pass-rushing group in the NFL despite being on the bottom end of blitz rates.

With Seattle likely to lose some pieces in their secondary, I find it only makes sense for them to retain key members of their pass rush. Mafe only logged 3.0 sacks in 2025, but he played a pivotal role throughout the playoffs and even earned himself another two sacks in their Super Bowl victory.

Mafe’s market is pretty rough to predict. Success in previous seasons and his big showing in the Super Bowl could inflate his price, but his down season may also level it out. With Mafe confident he could have better seasons and earn more money, and the Seahawks wanting to retain their pass rush, I see them agreeing to a shorter prove-it deal.

Prediction: Re-sign 2-year $16 million

S Coby Bryant

Safety Cboy Bryant has been one of the top of his position in recent years, but that may price him out of the Seahawks range. Bryant is projected to receive around $15 million per year.

With the emergence of second-round pick Nick Emmanwori and Julian Love locked under contract through the 2027 season, retaining Bryant doesn’t become a top priority. I don’t think it’s out of the picture, however. Emmanwori is versatile and could play in the box, making retaining Bryant not a hindrance to his development.

But the Seahawks would be committing a lot of money to a position they could feel confident in if he departs. A team such as the Cincinnati Bengals, which eagerly needs to improve on defense, could justify a big payday for the 27-year-old safety.

Prediction: Walk (Bengals)

CB Josh Jobe

Fourth-year cornerback Josh Jobe becomes a more attractive re-signing if Woolen departs. While the cornerback market remains hot, Jobe will be a significantly more affordable target.

Jobe is predicted to get around $10 million a year. While still quite hefty, a healthy price for a quality starter. I believe if it becomes clear Woolen won’t return as a starter, the Seahawks can confidently add Jobe to a three-year contract.

I also think the Seahawks can afford to pay him what he asks for. With two seasons in Macdonald’s system and quality playing time, he could prove to be a solid starter opposite of Witherspoon.

Prediction: Re-sign 3-year $31 million

WR Cooper Kupp (Cut Candidate)

Cooper Kupp isn’t a free agent, but I don’t believe he’ll be playing 2026 on the same contract he signed in 2025.

Kupp put together 593 receiving yards with Seattle in 2025. He was a solid WR2 beside Jaxon Smith-Njigba, but his production didn’t justify the 3-year $45 million contract he signed in March. This doesn’t mean he won’t be a Seahawk next season, however.

Seattle will likely approach Kupp about a reworked contract. Restructuring Kupp to a $10 million a year contract is a lot more reasonable and keeps the veteran on a contending team for the back half of his career.

Prediction: Pay-cut ($10m a year)