Seahawks Reward Drake Thomas With New Two-Year Deal
Seattle Seahawks linebacker Drake Thomas (42) celebrates after recovering a fumble during the second half against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
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.
Entering the league as an undrafted free agent out of North Carolina State in 2023, Thomas initially signed with the Raiders, who released him at the end of training camp with hopes of bringing him back on the practice squad. But the Seahawks held him in high regard and claimed him off waivers, adding him to the roster as a key special teams cog.
Unfortunately, Thomas suffered a season-ending knee injury midway through his rookie campaign and faced a long road to recovery. With a new coaching staff led by Mike Macdonald coming on board, he quickly earned their trust with his outstanding work ethic as he managed to return to action in time for the start of the regular season, eventually receiving a handful of snaps as a sub-package linebacker towards the tail end of the season.
Emerging as one of Seattle’s best stories on the way to a Super Bowl LX title, Thomas usurped Tyrice Knight as a starter alongside Ernest Jones in Week 4, bringing a versatile skill set to the middle of Macdonald’s defense. Enjoying a breakout season functioning as a human missile flying sideline to sideline, he finished with 96 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 10 tackles for loss, and seven pass breakups, adding a critical interception in the red zone against San Francisco in the regular season finale to help clinch the NFC West title and No. 1 seed.
Thomas continued to play at a high level in the postseason, racking up 18 tackles and a tackle for loss as the Seahawks held their three opponents to 46 combined points before hoisting the Lombardi Trophy in Santa Clara.
Prior to the Super Bowl, Thomas made it clear that he had no interest playing anywhere except Seattle, crediting Macdonald and the coaching staff for helping him rediscover his game coming off a significant injury and showing the faith to thrust him into a larger role as a full-time starter after limited defensive snaps in his first two NFL seasons. Now, instead of playing on a one-year tender or becoming an unrestricted free agent, he will receive a nice pay bump while continuing to be a focal point alongside Jones with both players under contract for the next two years.
“I'm anticipating plays. I like to play in front of the snap, and I feel like I did that in college, but they brought that back out of me at this level as well,” Thomas said. “They kind of unlocked who I am as a player. And I feel like for a little bit, it was hard to get that because I wasn't 100% comfortable going through the injury, being new in the system, new coaches, new scheme. I feel like they really unlocked that decisive part of my game and allowed me to really go play free and play fast. They have a lot of trust in me and that means the world to me.”
With Thomas back in the fold, the Seahawks should be well-set at linebacker for the foreseeable future, bringing continuity to the middle of the defense. Three days away from the legal tampering period opening, general manager John Schneider can now shift his focus back towards other potential priorities among the team’s own free agents on the defensive side of the football, including cornerbacks Riq Woolen and Josh Jobe, safety Coby Bryant, and edge rusher Boye Mafe, who will all hit the market with expiring contracts.
As for the restricted free agent front, Thomas becomes the first player from that group to sign a new contract, while no other players have been announced with tenders to this point. Receiver Jake Bobo won’t be tendered and will become an unrestricted free agent, while the statuses of tight end Brady Russell, receiver Cody White, and defensive tackle Brandon Pili remain up in the air.
