The Seahawks just won the Super Bowl, but free agency is already testing their championship mettle.
Still, head coach Mike Macdonald isn’t breaking a sweat — and he may be right.
The Seattle Seahawks are riding high as the freshest Super Bowl champions of 2026, but their locker room looks very different from the one that hoisted the Lombardi Trophy. Superstar departures, including the league’s most explosive playmakers, could have sent panic through the franchise. Yet head coach Mike Macdonald remains calm, even optimistic.
The most glaring exit? Kenneth Walker III, last year’s Super Bowl MVP, who didn’t hesitate to join the Kansas City Chiefs as free agency opened. Alongside Walker, Seattle also lost key contributors: safety Coby Bryant to the Chicago Bears, cornerback Tariq Woolen to Philadelphia, edge rusher Boye Mafe to Cincinnati, and special teamer Dareke Young to Las Vegas.
For most teams, losing a Super Bowl MVP and several cornerstone defenders would be a nightmare. For the Seahawks, it’s just another challenge in a franchise accustomed to reloading on the fly.
“Zach Charbonnet and Kenny McIntosh are going to be rehabbing aggressively,” Macdonald told NFL Network’s Steve Wyche at the league’s Annual Meetings. “We’ll be smart with them, but when they’re ready, they’re ready. And George Holani has already shown he can step up. Our guys in the building are excited for what’s ahead.”
That confidence isn’t unwarranted. Charbonnet, returning from an ACL injury, scored 14 touchdowns last season, 12 of which came from six yards or less — making him an explosive short-yardage weapon. Meanwhile, Holani proved late in the season, including the playoffs and Super Bowl, that he can contribute at a high level when it matters most.
But here’s the twist: for these backs to shine, the Seahawks needed elite teammates to set up those opportunities.
That’s why general manager John Schneider spent heavily to retain receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, last season’s NFL Offensive Player of the Year, locking him into a six-year deal. The message was clear — Seattle is willing to sacrifice in some areas to remain a Super Bowl contender.
Even with $33 million in cap space and the draft approaching, Macdonald isn’t panicking about the running back room. Depth, talent, and strategic planning remain in place to ensure the Seahawks aren’t just defending their title — they’re building a sustainable championship formula.
In short, the Seahawks may have lost stars, but they haven’t lost their swagger. As Macdonald said, there’s no reason to lose sleep. For a team that’s used to reinventing itself on the fly, the next chapter of Seattle football looks just as dangerous as the last.
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