The Seattle Seahawks raised some eyebrows around the NFL when they chose to hand 32-year-old defensive lineman Leonard Williams a lucrative new contract last week. Most of his teammates should be happy for the three-time Pro Bowler, but a handful of Seattle’s big-name players should be concerned about their futures with the franchise due to Williams’ big payday.
Williams’ new contract will pay him up to $90 million over the next three seasons. That’s a reasonable deal for a player who continues to play at a high level despite his advanced age. There’s risk that Williams may experience some sharp age-related regression over the life of the contract, but that’s a risk Seattle’s front office is clearly willing to take.
Even if Williams does play well enough to justify the deal, his new salary is going to force GM John Schneider and his staff to cut costs elsewhere on the roster. These three Seahawks may see their tenure with the team cut short due to the team’s new investment in Williams.
The Seahawks will let Uchenna Nwosu leave in free agency
This projects to be Uchenna Nwosu’s last year with the Seahawks. He’s still in the mix to earn snaps at outside linebacker, but earning over $20 million as a backup is not good business in the modern NFL. Seattle will need to offload his salary in 2027 to accommodate what they’re paying Williams.
It’s possible Nwosu could return if he takes a big pay cut, but Seattle should be looking for more dynamic options on the edge. He notched nine sacks last year, but his PFF pass rushing grade was only 57th among qualifying edge rushers. The Seahawks can find a cheaper, more dynamic option on the open market or in the draft.
Next year represents Nwosu’s age-30 season, which robs him of any meaningful upside in his career. The Seahawks might be able to afford an outside linebacker with his price tag, but they need that player to be more productive. Nwosu’s future lies elsewhere absent a surprisingly productive 2026 campaign.
Cooper Kupp is becoming a luxury the Seahawks cannot afford
Cooper Kupp is still a good NFL wide receiver entering his age-33 season. The problem for Seattle is that his current salary pays him like a borderline No. 1 option. That luxury is no longer practical for the Seahawks after paying Williams like a dominant defensive lineman.
Kupp is set to make $17 million in 2027, and it might be difficult for Seattle to work their way out of paying him that salary. The chances of him earning an extension are reduced after the Williams deal, though. Before committing that salary to the veteran lineman, Seattle might have tried to restructure Kupp’s deal and lower his annual salary by adding another year or two on the back end.
That option is likely off the table now. It’s more likely that Seattle will try to offload Kupp in a trade rather than extend him into his mid-30s. That might be a bitter pill for Sam Darnold to swallow, but this salary needs to be spent on a younger option who can grow into an above-average skill position player.
The Seahawks need to offload DeMarcus Lawrence
DeMarcus Lawrence is another big-name veteran who has big money left on his Seahawks contract in 2027. Paying Williams may necessitate the dumping of Lawrence and his salary if Seattle can find a taker in a trade.
That’s a difficult ask for the team’s front office. Lawrence is still an elite run defender, but age is starting to take its toll on his ability to torment opposing quarterbacks. That dropoff is only going to continue as he advances into his mid-30s.
The Seahawks could have considered giving Lawrence another year or two to mentor their defensive lineman before committing to the Williams deal. Now they have functionally made the choice to prioritize Williams over Lawrence. That’s the right call, but it’s still going to cost Seattle a quality member of their defense.
Add us as a preferred source on Google
