Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald looks on from the sidelines against the Washington Commanders. Amber Searls-Imagn Images

Seahawks Dubbed NFL's Least Improved Team Following Free Agency

Originally posted on Seattle Seahawks on SI
By Randy Gurzi | Last updated Mar 17, 2026 2:00 PM ET

After winning Super Bowl LX, the Seattle Seahawks watched some of their top players leave in NFL free agency.

It's a common theme when teams taste such success, as other franchises begin to take a longer look at the players who helped bring home a title. That led players such as Boye Mafe, Kenneth Walker III, Coby Bryant, and Riq Woolen to secure contracts elsewhere.

Seattle kept a couple of their free agents, keeping cornerback Josh Jobe and wide receiver/kick returner Rashid Shaheed. Even with those signings, Seattle had far more talent leaving than joining. That's why two ESPN analysts named them the least improved team in the league following free agency.

Seahawks have to deal with many departures

First, it was Jeremy Fowler, who believes the Seahawks were calculated in their moves. While they might not have improved, he says they're banking on the upcoming draft to help fill the remaining voids.

"The Seahawks. They had six key free agents and lost four of them, retaining wideout Rashid Shaheed and cornerback Josh Jobe. The step back was calculated. Instead of overpaying to keep the Super Bowl roster intact, the Seahawks can replenish by drafting quality players with their compensatory picks," Fowler wrote. "Seattle also must budget for a Jaxon Smith-Njigba megadeal. Still, adding one more key player for coach Mike Macdonald -- perhaps a third safety -- would help the secondary.

General manager John Schneider has been excellent in the draft, so there's reason for hope.

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The other analyst to select Seattle was Pamela Maldanado, who believes they still need to add help on the edge. She also said the team kept its core intact, so it doesn't sound as though she expects them to panic.

"The Seahawks. Walker's explosiveness is gone from Seattle, Boye Mafe is missing from the pass-rush rotation and the secondary lost Riq Woolen and Coby Bryant. None of those moves breaks the team, but they collectively thin out the Seahawks' depth," Maldonado wrote. "Seattle kept the core intact, but this looks more like roster maintenance than improvement. The team should look to sign another edge rusher to replace the pass-rush depth lost and keep Macdonald's defensive front rotating fresh.

Seattle was a surprise team in 2025, shocking many people as they went on to win a title. Now, they need to prove they can still contend even with the list of players who left.

— Enjoy free coverage of the Super Bowl champions from Seattle Seahawks On SI —

Sign Up For the Seahawks Daily Digest - OnSI’s Free Seattle Seahawks Newsletter

This article first appeared on Seattle Seahawks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: