Seahawks Locking Up Restricted Free Agents, Maintaining Championship Core
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Seattle Seahawks fullback Brady Russell (38) reacts after a play during the second half against the Minnesota Vikings at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images [/caption]
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.
General manager John Schneider wasted little time getting a deal done with Thomas, avoiding using a more expensive second round tender that would have cost the Seahawks north of $5 million against the cap in 2026. Rewarding him for his efforts after stuffing the stat sheet with 96 tackles, 3.5 sacks, an interception, and 10 tackles for loss last season, they signed him to a two-year deal with a base salary averaging $4 million per year, a significant pay bump from his previous contract as an undrafted signee, with room to earn up to $9 million in the life of the contract.
By making the deal a multi-year pact, Schneider also kept the door open for Seattle to give Thomas an even bigger deal next year if he continues to play at a high level, something he has done in the past with restricted free agents who sign separate non-tendered contracts. It gives the franchise flexibility while also granting the player a chance to quickly earn himself a bigger contract with the Seahawks or with another team.
Sliding under the table as move that received minimal attention, Schneider also stuck to status quo by handing Stoll a new two-year contract. The Seahawks have always been proactive paying quality long snappers and the former undrafted signee out of Penn State has been fantastic since arriving in 2023, playing a key role in the success of kicker Jason Myers and punter Michael Dickson with consistently accurate snaps as part of the team’s special teams trifecta.
In the case of Bobo, as initial reports indicated, the Seahawks planned not to tender the popular receiver and negotiate a new deal with him as an unrestricted free agent. However, Schneider and company changed course, likely due to concerns about other teams making a serious play at signing him, ultimately tendering him at $3.52 million for the 2026 season to ensure they would have an opportunity to match if another team tried to steal him in free agency.
After catching only two passes in the regular season, it’s hard to envision Seattle keeping Bobo at that price point. But the franchise holds him in high regard for his blocking and special teams talent, and after catching a crucial touchdown in the NFC Championship Game against the Los Angeles Rams, the team obviously wants to keep him in the fold. Much like a franchise tag, placing a tender on the player extends the negotiation window for a separate contract with a lower cap hit. The tender can also be rescinded at any time until he signs it, which would make him an unrestricted free agent free to speak with other teams.
Based on Schneider’s prior track record, Bobo likely will eventually sign a one or two-year deal for less than the $3.52 million tender value, offering him a pay bump from his previous deal while still finding a middle ground salary-wise rather than a fully guaranteed tender.
The Seahawks took a bit more of a risk with the versatile Russell, who logged snaps at tight end and fullback last season while also being a key cog on every special teams unit, opting not to tender him before Wednesday’s deadline and allowing him to become an unrestricted free agent. Other teams expressed interest in him leading up to free agency.
But all along, the former Colorado standout had no interest in playing for anyone else and the two sides quickly worked out a two-year deal, ensuring special teams coordinator Jay Harbaugh would retain one of his best players.
As for Pili, without another true nose tackle currently on the roster and limited depth in the trenches defensively, his return seemed inevitable after he set a career-high with 12 tackles in 13 regular season games for the Seahawks in 2025. The massive defender gave the team invaluable reps rotating into the lineup and even pitched in on special teams, forcing a fumble on kick coverage in a blowout win over the Saints, more than earning himself a new contract with a slight pay raise.
Presenting a potential wild card to watch after Bryant’s departure, Finley could be in the mix for the fourth safety spot behind Julian Love, Nick Emmanwori, and Ty Okada after recovering from a torn ACL that cost him the entire 2025 season. Previously touted for his special teams talent, he was enjoying a strong offseason program before suffering the injury early in training camp.
Aside from maybe the exception of Thomas, who played at a Pro Bowl level next to Ernest Jones last season, none of these moves represent the splash signings fans hope for in free agency. But the Seahawks won the Super Bowl in large part due to their depth with key role players such as Russell, Bobo, and even Pili excelling on special teams and pitching in on offense/defense when called upon. Not having to break the bank in the process, these moves carry more significance than their sub headings as transactions would suggest.
