The Seattle Seahawks got back to the top of the football world last season. The team knocked off the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl, and there’s reason to believe they can get back there.
The team still fields one of the most talented rosters in the league and appears to be set up for long-term success. However, consistently winning in the NFL is extremely hard. The Kansas City Chiefs repeated as champions in 2023 and 2024, but nobody had done it before that since the New England Patriots in 2003 and 2004.
With that being said, let’s identify the things that have to go right for the Seahawks to repeat.
Sam Darnold Has to Keep Being Elite
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Before 2024, Sam Darnold was just known as a first-round bust. The quarterback had struggled at multiple stops and seemed headed for backup duty for the rest of his career.
However, the quarterback surprisingly dominated in 2024 with the Minnesota Vikings. Darnold led the team to a 14-3 record while throwing for 4300 yards and 35 touchdowns. It seemed fluky, but Darnold went to Seattle and led the team to a Super Bowl win while crossing the 4,000-yard mark yet again.
If Darnold performs like that again for a third year in a row, there’s no limit to what the Seahawks can accomplish.
Jadarian Price, Zach Charbonnet Have to Make Up For Loss of Kenneth Walker
The Seahawks saw star running back Kenneth Walker III walk in free agency. Walker joined the Chiefs, and it’s hard to see such a key piece of the offense leave.
Walker rushed for over 1,000 yards in 2025 and also caught 31 passes for 282 yards. That’s a ton of production to replace, especially considering Walker was sharing the backfield with Zach Charbonnet. Charbonnet is still around, and he’s going to have to make up for the loss of Walker.
Rookie Jadarian Price will also be relied upon heavily, but will he be able to contribute immediately? The Seahawks need both running backs to be at their best.
Pass Rush Has to Continue to Get Home
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The Seahawks had a top-10 pass rush in 2025, ending with 47 total sacks. That’s not surprising considering the Seahawks’ defense was elite in pretty much every category.
The pass rush wasn’t as good as it was because of one or two stars, though. Instead, it was a group effort, with four players having at least six sacks. All four of those players are still on the team, so there’s reason to believe the pass rush won’t be any worse.
It would be nice if Uchenna Nwosu could step it up a little, or if DeMarcus Lawrence could go out with a bang.
Secondary Has to Stay Elite
The Seahawks have an enviable secondary. Devon Witherspoon is one of the best corners in the league, while Nick Emmanwori and Julian Love are elite behind him. The only thing is, the team doesn’t have much depth, and they saw two key contributors leave.
Riq Woolen and Coby Bryant left in free agency. The Seahawks will turn to Josh Jobe and Ty Okada, respectively, to replace those two. Jobe and Okada have been solid in rotational roles, but they have big shoes to fill.
If the two new starters are just as good as the previous ones, this secondary will still be among the league’s best.
