Super Bowl champions have taken step back and offseason failures mean they might not get out of stacked NFC West

The Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks have taken a step back this offseason.

Despite lifting the Lombardi Trophy last month, free agency hasn’t been kind to the franchise, which has now been put up for sale.

AFP

A Super Bowl talent drain was to be expected, but the exodus is striking.

Running back Kenneth Walker III, the MVP of February’s win against the New England Patriots, has been allowed to walk. He will play for the Kansas City Chiefs next season.

Cornerback Riq Woolen, linebacker Boye Mafe and safety Coby Bryant, who all contributed on that glorious 2025 run, followed him out of the building.

Seattle did retain a couple of key free agents in Josh Jobe and Rashid Shaheed, and signed three replacements in CB Noah Igbinoghene, RB Emanuel Wilson and S Rodney Thomas II, but the NFL team has taken a clear step back.

That is, at least according to talkSPORT play-by-play announcer Will Gavin, who believes the Seahawks will struggle to get out a stacked NFC North next season, behind the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers.

Seahawks have blown chance of back-to-back Super Bowl glory

“If we were to assume health right now, and I know that’s a big assumption, I don’t think that the Seahawks should be the favorite for that NFC West division,” Gavin told talkSPORT’s Across the Formation podcast.

“I would have the Rams above them, and I think that I would potentially consider the 49ers above them as well.

“My issue is, take the four losses that they’ve had from this roster, and in each individual decision, you can completely understand why a team who have just won the Super Bowl might have a talent drain.

“Kenneth Walker moves and goes to the Chiefs. Boye Mafe, huge contract to the Bengals. Riq Woolen going to the Eagles on that one-year, $12 million deal, and Coby Bryant now a Chicago Bear.

“Those are four players who had a huge part of this Super Bowl victory. Even Riq Woolen, who turned into a rotational corner for them, was a guy who I think the fans got frustrated with because in big moments he had some poor moments.

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“But I would say if you watch him down to down, he’s still a good corner. And I see who they have replaced him with.

“They keep Josh Jobe. They bring in Noah Igbinoghene. Emanuel Wilson. I would say, you cannot argue that they are not a roster who right now are worse.”

Seahawks had cap space to re-sign Super Bowl heroes

Gavin went on to suggest that the Seahawks had enough cap space, both this year and in 2027, to retain more Super Bowl-winning stars — had they wished.

He continued: “People keep saying, ‘But they’re a Super Bowl winning team. They have to accept that. That is the kind of talent drain you have.’

“Except, they’ve got $40 million in cap space that they’ve not spent right now. Next year, yes, they have some good young talent because they’ve had a couple of good drafts who they’re going to need to pay, but next year, they’ve got even more cap space.

“When you’re a team who have had the year you’ve just had, who had that magic down the stretch, who pulled together… The Seahawks are a team who could have easily been a return to the Super Bowl team this year.

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“They could easily be a team who could go back-to-back. I just think that in such a tough division with such a tough, tough schedule potentially this year, compared to last year when their out of division rivals were much easier: Spend the money, keep the guys, roll it back for one year, try and get them on a hometown discount.

“I was just a little bit surprised that they were so willing to let those guys go out the door. Pay Kenneth Walker $40m a year. They are now significantly worse at running back.

“And when you consider on top of that, they only have four picks total in the 2026 draft. Four picks total.

“For me, whilst they should still be a favorite in the NFC because they still have a huge amount of that Super Bowl talent left over, I think they have taken a step back and don’t have a lot of ways out.”

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Gavin’s message to the Seahawks is clear: You can’t stand still in the NFC West, and if you go backwards, you’ll almost certainly get punished.

Seattle should have had hopes of a Super Bowl repeat, but the rival Rams and Niners will hand them a harsh reality check in 2026.

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