INDIANAPOLIS — Seattle general manager John Schneider says the Seahawks are operating as they typically would in the offseason despite the Paul G. Allen estate kickstarting the process to sell the team.
While meeting with local reporters at the NFL Scouting Combine on Tuesday afternoon, Schneider said he recently spoke with team chair Jody Allen, who instructed him to “go for it” and conduct their usual team-building process.
“Business as usual,” Schneider said.
Schneider said “no” when asked if the impending sale, which might take several months to complete, would impact Seattle’s budget when putting its roster together this offseason. When asked if he expects Allen to be the team’s owner when the 2026 season begins, the GM said, “I have no idea.”
The sale of the team was among the topics Schneider discussed at his news conference at a podium and in a separate conversation with local media. Here are some of the other takeaways from those sessions:
New Sam Darnold deal seems unlikely
Sam Darnold signed a three-year, $100.5 million deal last offseason, and his average annual salary ranks 18th among quarterbacks, according to Over the Cap. It is the largest deal Schneider has ever given an external free agent. Darnold can make an extra $10 million in incentives. On Feb. 13, $17.5 million of Darnold’s 2026 salary became guaranteed (he also has $25 million in roster bonuses over the next two offseasons). His cap number for 2026 is $37.9 million.
Geno Smith’s agent broached the idea of an extension in the summer of 2024 when the quarterback — coming off of consecutive Pro Bowl seasons — had two years remaining on his deal, but Schneider declined to negotiate. On Tuesday, Schneider was asked whether he’d have discussions with Darnold’s representatives about the quarterback’s contract.
“Sam signed a three-year deal,” Schneider said.
Darnold, who is also coming off of consecutive Pro Bowl selections, has not necessarily indicated he’d like to discuss a contract extension, but it is nonetheless notable that Schneider doesn’t seem interested in adding the quarterback to the long list of players on the offseason agenda.
Smith-Njigba, Witherspoon on the agenda
Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Devon Witherspoon are eligible for extensions after completing their third NFL season. As first-round picks, their contracts include fifth-year team options that must be exercised by May 1. Picking up each option would trigger fully guaranteed salaries in 2027 of about $24.3 million for Smith-Njigba and $20.7 million for Witherspoon, according to Spotrac.
“It’s been part of our planning process,” Schneider said of extensions for Smith-Njigba and Witherspoon. “The timing of it, I’m not sure.”
Smith-Njigba recently told WFAA-TV that he feels deserving of a contract that would make him the NFL’s highest-paid wide receiver. Ja’Marr Chase of the Cincinnati Bengals currently holds that title on a four-year contract worth $161 million.
It’s unclear whether Witherspoon intends to be the league’s highest-paid cornerback, but it wouldn’t come as a surprise if his representatives have their eyes on the top contracts, given Witherspoon’s resume. Sauce Gardner of the Indianapolis Colts is the richest cornerback in the league after signing a four-year, 120.4 million contract last offseason while he was still with the New York Jets.
Franchise tag an unlikely option
Schneider was asked whether he’d consider using the franchise tag on running back Ken Walker III, who is scheduled to be a free agent when the new league year begins March 11.
“That’s a good try,” Schneider said, laughing.
Schneider has used the tag only twice since becoming Seattle’s general manager in 2010. He tagged kicker Olindo Mare in 2010 and defensive end Frank Clark in 2019. Clark was then traded to the Kansas City Chiefs before the 2019 draft.
Using the franchise tag on Walker would put him on the books for $14.5 million in 2026, according to Over the Cap. The transition tag — which would allow Walker to negotiate with other teams while also permitting Seattle to match any offer — would cost $11.7 million.
The tag numbers can sometimes operate as a floor for the average annual salary on a multiyear contract. The transition tag might be relevant in that regard for Walker. Last offseason, Buffalo’s James Cook ($11.5 million per year) and the Rams’ Kyren Williams ($11 million) signed contracts in that range.
Walker finished the season strong after Zach Charbonnet tore his ACL in the divisional round of the playoffs, but Schneider said that won’t have an outsized influence on the contract negotiation.
“You have to look at the whole picture,” Schneider said. “He finished strong. He was having a great season (before Charbonnet’s injury), but both those guys were having a great season. … Ken did a great job stepping forward. Obviously, we relied heavily on him the last several games, and he came through.”
Walker played in all 20 games this season and was voted MVP of Super Bowl 60.
“We’d love to have Ken back,” Schneider said. “He knows this better than anybody: It’s about our 70-(man) roster, our collective and what that’s going to look like.”
When Schneider references the entire roster, it’s his way of reminding everyone — including Walker’s agent, perhaps — that making a heavy investment in one player or position group means fewer resources can be allocated to keep the rest of the roster intact. Schneider said he wants to bring “everybody” back and pursue another Super Bowl, but that’s obviously unrealistic.
“It’s going to be an interesting process,” he said.
Woolen, Bryant had “really good” seasons
Riq Woolen and Coby Bryant were Day 3 picks in Seattle’s 2022 draft class and will be free agents this offseason. Schneider liked what he saw from both defensive backs this season.
“Coby had a really good year,” Schneider said. “He had an awesome year. Went through the injury, came back from that a little bit quicker than we anticipated. I think we got him back maybe a week earlier than we thought. The instincts, the range in this (defense) — I keep telling people the guy won the (Jim) Thorpe award, man. He’s a pretty good football player.”
These are the top 12 safeties by average annual salary, with the percentage of their contract that was guaranteed at signing, according to Over the Cap:
- Kyle Hamilton: $25.1 million (81.7 percent)
- Kerby Joseph: $21.2 million (42.5 percent)
- Antonie Winfield Jr.: $21 million (53.5 percent)
- Derwin James: $19 million (55.3 percent)
- Budda Baker: $18 million (54.4 percent)
- Trevon Moehrig: $17 million (67.6 percent)
- Xavier McKinney: $16.7 million (34.3 percent)
- Minkah Fitzpatrick: $16.5 million (zero)
- Jessie Bates III: $16 million (56.2 percent)
- Jevon Holland: $15.1 million (66.9 percent)
- Cam Bynum: $15 million (53.3 percent)
- Amani Hooker: $13.5 million (71.6 percent)
A name absent from this list is Julian Love, whose deal averages $11 million and qualifies as a steal given his impact on Seattle’s defense. The Seahawks have shown a willingness to pay big money for multiple safeties — Schneider has done it twice now with Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor, then with Quandre Diggs and Jamal Adams — but it’ll be interesting to see if the team goes down that path again. A salary-cap adjusted version of Love’s deal would average $14.2 million per season.
Woolen is the No. 26 on The Athletic’s ranking of the Top 150 free agents, with a projected contract of $76 million over four years. Given Woolen’s talent, production and physical profile at a premium position, he might have a more robust market than some of Seattle’s other unrestricted free agents.
Schneider said Woolen’s performance in the season opener against the San Francisco 49ers was “shaky,” but he liked how the cornerback bounced back the rest of the season.
“I thought he (had) a really nice season,” Schneider said. “A really good season.”
Seahawks would “love” to retain Shaheed
Schneider called the midseason trade to acquire receiver Rashid Shaheed “a huge blessing.” At the time, the GM anticipated pairing Shaheed with rookie wideout Tory Horton and having both of them operate as the primary downfield threats in the offense. But after a breakout performance against the Washington Commanders in Week 9, Horton missed the rest of the season with a shin injury. Shaheed then took over as the No. 3 receiver and helped Seattle win a championship.
“We’d love to have him back,” Schneider said.
Shaheed, who turns 28 in August, has said from the day he arrived that he’d like to sign a long-term contract with the Seahawks. Given the potential long-term investment in Smith-Njigba and Cooper Kupp’s $17.4 million in 2026, adding a third lucrative receiver salary to the budget could be tricky.
Schneider believes defense wins championships, but between Shaheed and Walker, two very important pieces of Seattle’s Super Bowl team might be expensive to retain.
“It’s gonna be a challenge,” Schneider said. It’s gonna be a challenge to figure this year’s puzzle out. It’s a really cool team, and they’re all special people. So, gonna try to retain as many of those guys as we possibly can as long as we can keep that collective 70 together.”