Seattle Seahawks may have trouble keeping Rashid Shaheed

The Seattle Seahawks will get a week or two to savor the franchise’s second Super Bowl championship, but the thing about winning the last game of the NFL season is the business of the offseason is that much closer than usual.

Seahawks face challenges to repeat as Super Bowl champions

In fact, the window to use franchise or transition tags starts in just a week on Feb. 17, with the deadline to do so fast approaching on March 3. And then the “legal tampering” period of free agency is just a month away, opening on March 11.

The Seahawks have some big things to tend to, as well, with five notable players set to be free agents: cornerback Riq Woolen, safety Coby Bryant, pass rusher Boye Mafe, wide receiver and returner Rashid Shaheed, and running back and Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III.

NFL Network insider Daniel Jeremiah told Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk on Tuesday that Walker should be the No. 1 priority for the Seahawks to re-sign, partly because of the situation with the offensive player on the list.

“To me, (Walker) I would actually put at the top (of the priority list to bring back), which is surprising. And one of the reasons I say that is because Shaheed’s going to be the hardest to keep of all these guys,” said Jeremiah, a former NFL scout.

The Seahawks made a big trade during the season to bring in the 27-year-old Shaheed, and he made the fourth- and fifth-round picks in this year’s NFL Draft that cost Seattle to get him plenty worth it – particularly on special teams. He had a kick return and a punt return for a touchdown for Seattle in the regular season, then opened the playoffs with another kick return TD to give the Hawks an immediate 7-0 lead over the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Divisional Round.

A departure the Seahawks have already suffered is why Jeremiah isn’t so sure Shaheed will be back. Shaheed has now played under Klint Kubiak, who was the New Orleans Saints offensive coordinator in 2024 and the Seahawks OC in 2025, on two different teams. And Kubiak was just hired to succeed Pete Carroll as the Las Vegas Raiders head coach.

“I love (Shaheed) and I know what you gave up for him and I know the value that he has,” Jeremiah said. “The problem is when your offensive coordinator goes to maybe the most offensively-starved team in the National Football League, and he’s had him at two locations now.”

What Macdonald said about Seahawks’ offensive coordinator search

Shaheed could be in for a big payday, too, and the Seahawks need to keep in mind a potentially large extension for another receiver: 2025 NFL Offensive Player of the Year Jaxon Smith-Njigba.

“Unless (Shaheed) just so values the winning component that you can get him without going to the top, top, top of the market, I think he’s going to have big offers elsewhere,” Jeremiah said. “And knowing the JSN price tag is coming, I think that one will be the most difficult to get done, even though he might stack up higher on the priority list.”

Hear the full Brock and Salk conversation with NFL Network insider Daniel Jeremiah in the podcast at this link or in the player below. Catch Brock and Salk live from 6-10 a.m. weekdays on Seattle Sports.

Seattle Seahawks may have trouble keeping Rashid Shaheed

Tags: