Seahawks Locking Up Restricted Free Agents, Maintaining Championship Core
While the Seattle Seahawks have lost several former starters in free agency, including running back Ken Walker III and safety Coby Bryant, the franchise has made keeping most of its championship core together a top priority.
Aiming to keep the band together for the most part, the Seahawks have worked swiftly to retain several of their restricted free agents early in the free agency window. The process started in earnest one week before the new league year kicked off with linebacker Drake Thomas signing a two-year, $8 million deal to avoid becoming an unrestricted free agent without a tender, ensuring both of the team’s starters at the position would be under contract through 2027.
With free agency officially starting on Wednesday, Seattle has continued to lock up restricted free agents with new contracts, starting with the decision to place a right of first refusal tender on receiver Jake Bobo. Later in the day, the team signed long snapper Chris Stoll to a two-year contract and welcomed back reserve safety AJ Finley on a one-year contract. On Thursday, one day after he became an unrestricted free agent without a tender placed on him, tight end/fullback Brady Russell returned on a two-year deal of his own and defensive tackle Brandon Pili inked a one-year deal worth $2 million.
Reign Transfer Jordyn Huitema to Chicago for $500K
Just three days before the start of the 2026 NWSL season, the Seattle Reign announced they transferred starting striker Jordyn Huitema to the Chicago Stars for a fee of $500,000 on Thursday. The deal brings in $200,000 in allocation money and $300,000 in intra-league transfer money. The move signals the largest outgoing transfer fee in club history.
The allocation money can be used in trades or to eat up cap hits in other deals, while the intra-league funds can be put toward transfer funds. Seattle will likely hold off until the summer window before making a move.
Huitema, 24, spent four years in Seattle, with her 70 games played with the Reign ranking 11th in club history, while her 13 goals rank eighth. The Canadian forward from British Columbia is currently a starter with her national team and started in 18 of her 22 games with the Reign last season for three goals and two assists.
Sounders Announce Extensions for 4 Players Ahead of Concacaf Run
The Seattle Sounders made sure to hold on to some key pieces of their 2025 Leagues-Cup-winning team, extending four players on Tuesday with multi-year extensions.
Defenders Alex Roldan and Nouhou and strikers Osaze De Rosario and Danny Musovski each inked extensions, with the first three set to stick around through the 2028-29 campaign with options for 2029-30. Musovski's deal runs through 2027-28 with an option for 2028-29.
Roldan and Nouhou have each become staples in the backline, with Roldan occupying the right back spot of the 4-2-3-1 alignment while Nouhou stays on the left. Nouhou, a top talent for Cameroon in the upcoming FIFA World Cup, is arguably the best duelist on a Sounders side full of great defenders.
Are Spring Demotions Setbacks for Montes, Morales? Analyzing Mariners Roster Moves
Through the course of Spring Training, there will always be players who impress and players who don’t. It’s quite a small sample in these early games - there’s a reason that farm teams play over the course of a whole year - but it can give a sense of readiness when it comes to facing big league or near-big league opposition. The Mariners made a series of moves on Wednesday, March 11 that indicated how they feel about a number of prospects in their organization, sending five non-40 man players to minor league camp and optioning two more guys to Triple-A.
But what do each of these moves mean for the players involved? Are they significant setbacks in their journey to the Show, or was it something that was bound to happen? As we’ll see, it depends on the player.
Lazaro Montes still has a ways to go before making his MLB entry.
There has been some serious billing for Laz Montes over the years, with occasional comps to premier sluggers like Yordan Alvarez and some very clearly high marks on his raw power.
Huskies Yield First Commit from Junior Day Event With Servite Linebacker Isaiah Leilua
A few days after holding a “Dawghouse Weekend” Junior Day event, the Washington Huskies have received their first known commitment from the 30-plus recruits who visited campus.
Three-star linebacker Isaiah Leilua, an inside linebacker from powerhouse Servite High School in Anaheim, California, chose Washington over reported offers from Oregon, Ohio State, Michigan, USC, Arizona, Arizona State and Penn State.
Leilua is the fourth Class of 2027 Washington commit who plays inside linebacker in high school. That position makes up half of UW’s current eight-member class.
In the way-too-early 247Sports composite rankings, Leilua’s verbal commitment moved the Huskies up to fourth.
Seahawks Take Another Hit in Secondary as Riq Woolen Signs With Eagles
Closing in on the end of the second and final day of legal tampering in the NFL, Riq Woolen officially won’t be returning to the Seattle Seahawks, instead taking his talents to another recent Super Bowl champion in the NFC.
Ending a frustrating couple of days for Woolen and his representatives, who likely expected more interest from teams in regard to multi-year offers, the former Pro Bowl cornerback has agreed to a one-year deal with the Philadelphia Eagles worth up to $15 million. Other terms of the contract have yet to be disclosed.
An instant success story as a fifth round pick out of UTSA in 2022 after turning in a historic combine workout with sub-4.3 speed at 6-4, Woolen surprised by earning a starting job out of training camp as a rookie for Seattle, finishing with a league-best six interceptions and finishing as a finalist for Defensive Rookie of the Year honors. He looked to be on the fast track towards becoming one of the NFL’s elite shutdown corners.
Seahawks Lock Up Rashid Shaheed With Massive Three-Year Extension
Hours after losing standout running back Ken Walker III to the Kansas City Chiefs, the Seattle Seahawks made sure to prevent Sam Darnold from losing another one of his top skill position weapons in free agency.
According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, the Seahawks opened up the checkbook for the dynamic playmaking receiver and return specialist, retaining Shaheed on a three-year, $51 million contract worth $17 million per season. Under terms of the agreement, he will receive $34.7 million in guarantees over the life of the deal.
Acquired at the trade deadline by general manager John Schneider from New Orleans in exchange for a fourth and fifth-round draft pick, Shaheed becomes the latest in a long line of midseason pickups who stuck around beyond being a half season rental in Seattle. Previously, the franchise worked out long-term deals for linebacker Ernest Jones and defensive tackle Leonard Williams when both players were slated to become free agents after being acquired in deadline trades.
Report: Josh Jobe Returns to Seahawks on Three-Year Deal
On a day where Seattle Seahawks fans saw Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker head to the Kansas City Chiefs and Coby Bryant sign with the Chicago Bears, morale was getting low for the team retaining most, if not all of their free agents.
Finally, Seahawks fans get some good news, however. Cornerback Josh Jobe has reportedly agreed to return to Seattle on a three-year deal.
Seahawks Lose Super Bowl MVP as Ken Walker III Bolts for Chiefs
Riding the wave of momentum created by winning Super Bowl LX MVP for the Seattle Seahawks last month, Ken Walker III has cashed in to team up with Patrick Mahomes in Kansas City.
According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network and as confirmed on social media by the player himself, Walker will take his talents to the Chiefs backfield, signing a three-year deal worth up to $45 million as part of the highest-paid contract for a free agent running back in NFL history. Under terms of the deal, he will receive $28.7 million guaranteed.
Finishing his tenure in Seattle with a bang, Walker put the Seahawks on his back during the second half and postseason, rushing for 868 yards, six touchdowns, and 4.8 yards per carry in his final 12 games, including three touchdowns in a 41-6 beatdown of the 49ers in the NFC Divisional Round. That dominant stretch culminated with the former second round pick out of Michigan State torching the Patriots for 135 rushing yards in Super Bowl LX to earn MVP honors, making him the hottest backfield commodity heading towards free agency.
Sounders Earn Second Clean Sheet, Notch Road Win over St. Louis
A night full of pressing left both sides tired, but the Seattle Sounders prevailed 1-0 over host St. Louis City on Saturday night thanks to an early second-half goal from Kalani Kossa-Rienzi. It was the first road win of the season for the Sounders (2-1-0 W-L-D), who warded off plenty of late chances from City (0-2-1) in front of a rowdy home crowd at Energizer Park.
Keeper Andrew Thomas earned that clean sheet, picking up five saves while Sounders defenders escorted five shots away on their own. Paul Arriola got his first extended run of the season, while veteran defensive pieces like Cristian Roldan and Jackson Ragen shined to hold St. Louis to a goose egg.
While points on the road are something to celebrate, as the Sounders check off game two of five consecutive MLS fixtures on the road while Lumen Field undergoes World Cup alterations, it wasn't all good.
Kraken GM Jason Botterill Breaks Down McMann Acquisition, State of Team After Trade Deadline
Striking at close to midnight - at least proverbially - the Seattle Kraken acquired Bobby McMann from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for a 2027 second-round pick and a 2026 fourth-round pick right before the NHL Trade Deadline on Friday.
McMann, 29, is a forward on the final season of a two-year contract with a $1.35 million AAV. He has 19 goals and 32 points through 60 games this season, which ranks second-most on Seattle behind captain Jordan Eberle (42 points).
Of course, that production came with superstar Auston Matthews at center. According to Natural Stat Trick, McMann had 238:09 of 5-on-5 ice time on a line with Matthews and Max Domi, the most of any single line combination in Toronto this season.
Jordan Eberle Signs Two-Year Extension With Kraken
The captain is staying aboard.
Just a couple of hours before the NHL Trade Deadline on Friday, the Seattle Kraken agreed to re-sign Jordan Eberle to a two-year, $11 million extension, locking him up through the 2027-28 season.
Seahawks Reward Drake Thomas With New Two-Year Deal
Making their first signing to retain one of their own free agents before the start of the new league year next week, Drake Thomas looks to be part of the Seattle Seahawks long-term plans.
Per a team source, the Seahawks have agreed to terms with Thomas on a new two-year deal, locking up the restricted free agent through the 2027 season. The contract, which was negotiated by agent Jay Courie of MGC Sports, features $8 million in base salary with incentives that could push the value to $9 million. The average of $4 million per year comes in at less than a second-round restricted free agent tender, which would have cost the team north of $5 million for 2026.
Seawolves Players, Coaches Discuss American Rugby at Preseason Town Hall
SEATTLE, Wash. - One of rugby's most enduring traditions is that, when all is said and done and the 80 minutes are played, the sides mingle with each other over beer and pizza. The Seawolves' usual post-match stomping ground is Watershed FC, a pizza bar within the Starfire Sports complex where players can be found after a match, win or loss, chatting with each other and with the fans.
That same kind of environment existed in the Hall on Occidental on Wednesday evening as the Seawolves hosted their season ticket member town hall. Doors opened at 6:00 pm and it was not long before the fans began to stream through into bench seats beside wooden tables. The chats were cordial as always between the Seawolves and their fans to begin the evening as they waited for the main festivities to begin - those being, of course, a series of Q&A sessions emceed by Seawolves chief operating officer Drew Dambreville and some surrounding announcements.
Among all the festivities ran a through-line: that of developing the game of rugby in the United States.
Lauren Whittaker Wins Two WCC Awards, Gonzaga WBB's Turner and Haile Also Honored
For just the second time in league history, a player has won both the WCC Player and Freshman of the Year awards. After an outstanding season, Gonzaga women’s basketball forward Lauren Whittaker collected the accolades in her first year coming off a torn ACL. Coincidentally, the New Zealand native was named to the conference’s first team as well as the all-freshman squad.
Joining her on the All-WCC First Team was sophomore guard Allie Turner, who won the West Coast’s Freshman of the Year last year and stacked another strong season for the Bulldogs. And also standing out in her first season of collegiate basketball with the Zags was forward Jaiden Haile, who picked up hardware as the league’s Sixth Woman of the Year and was selected to the conference’s all-freshman team as well.
What did each of these players do individually that contributed to GU finishing second in the WCC?
Malonga, Quinn Fall Short of Unrivaled Championship in Loss to Mist
Dominique Malonga and Noelle Quinn’s Breeze lost to the Mist in the Unrivaled semifinals on Monday, March 2, but the 20-year-old Seattle Storm star once again proved why she will soon be one of the best players in the WNBA, possibly as soon as next season.
The Breeze lost 73-69, falling one win short of the Unrivaled championship. Malonga finished with a team-high 18 points (9 of 14 shooting), 14 rebounds, two assists and two blocks. It was Malonga’s third-straight double-double, second in the playoffs and ninth of the season.
Graham Ike Wins Player of the Year, Gonzaga Freshmen Honored in WCC Postseason Awards
Three different Zags received recognition in the WCC’s annual postseason awards, with forward Graham Ike taking home the WCC Player of the Year while guards Davis Fogle and Mario Saint-Supéry were each named to the conference’s All-Freshman Team.
Ike was also selected to the All-WCC First Team, but he was the lone Bulldog to be on the West Coast’s First or Second Team, or even an Honorable Mention.
Breaking down the hardware campaigns for Gonzaga’s three campaigns, how did each of them contribute to the team’s strong season?
‘We Were Committed’: Kraken Stick to Game Plan, Earn Massive 2-1 Win vs. Hurricanes
The Seattle Kraken knew exactly what they needed to do when the Carolina Hurricanes rolled into Climate Pledge Arena on Monday.
Entering the game with the second-best record in the NHL, Carolina averaged the second-most shots on goal per game (32) and had totaled the most combined shots on goal plus shot attempts (2,347 Fenwick For).
So it wasn’t a surprise when the Hurricanes outshot Seattle 36-15 by the end of the night. What was a surprise was that the Kraken put more of theirs into the back of the net.
Seawolves Announce Full 2026 Roster; How Does Depth Chart Look Going Into Season?
The Seattle Seawolves announced their full roster on Monday, March 2, with a total of 31 players set to compete in 10 matches across the 2026 Major League Rugby season. Of these 31 players, 12 are returners from the 2025 roster while 19 are newcomers from elsewhere in the rugby-playing world, both from other MLR teams and clubs around the world.
Some of these players figured out a deal with Seattle soon after the offseason started, while others were reportedly more last-minute. But with the number of sides and games reduced from 2025, so too is the number of players reduced, down from 38 to begin the 2025 season and 39 once the mid-season signing of Nick Boyer is taken into account. This new sizing is consistent with other rosters around the MLR this year, and these players have the benefit of greater protections thanks to the MLR’s first collective bargaining agreement being signed earlier this offseason between the MLR Player’s Association and the MLR.
With all that in mind, who are all the players that will don green and blue in Starfire Sports this season, and how might the Seawolves be looking at utilizing them?
Dominique Malonga, Former Storm Coach 1 Win Away From Unrivaled Championship Appearance
Seattle Storm star Dominique Malonga and former franchise head coach Noelle Quinn are one win away from reaching the Unrivaled championship.
Malonga and Quinn’s Breeze handily beat the Rose 69-50 on Saturday, Feb. 28, to advance to the semifinals. The duo of Malonga, the 2025 WNBA No. 2 overall pick, and Paige Bueckers, the first pick, have been dominant in Unrivaled this season.
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