March 18, 2026, 6:01 a.m. PT
The first wave of NFL free agency is officially over. The Seattle Seahawks managed to retain wide receiver Rashid Shaheed and cornerback Josh Jobe despite them having red-hot markets. The Seahawks lost keynote starters Kenneth Walker III, Boye Mafe, Coby Bryant, and Riq Woolen.
General manager John Schneider managed to retain depth players like Drake Thomas and Josh Jones. His external dealings have been limited to rotational additions like Emanuel Wilson, Rodney Thomas, and Noah Igbinoghene. Schneider thrives when value deals become available, and the second wave of free agency could lead to some favorable opportunities for a shrewd negotiator like Schneider.
Losing Mafe to the Cincinnati Bengals leaves the Seahawks a little shorthanded at defensive end. As things stand, DeMarcus Lawrence, Derick Hall, and Uchenna Nwosu are the three roster-worthy players at the position. The way Mike Macdonald likes to rotate, the Seahawks could use another body there.
One of the most underrated signings the Seahawks could make is former Tennessee Titans EDGE Jihad Ward. Here’s an interesting fact. Among all the EDGEs who were slated to be available in free agency, Ward played the sixth-most snaps in 2025. He trailed only Jaelan Phillips, Jalen Redmond, Dre’Mont Jones, Cameron Heyward, and Danielle Hunter in that department. Those are some heavy hitters.
The Titans were bad at EDGE, forcing Ward into a larger role. The experienced veteran thrived, taking advantage of his extended opportunity. Pro Football Focus credited Ward with six sacks and 47 pressures. The Seahawks could definitely use that production, especially in a rotational role.
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