The Seattle Seahawks took care of one of their own ahead of the 2026 season.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the team and Williams agreed to a three-year, $90 million extension with $56 million guaranteed.
That $30 million average salary gives Williams the fifth-highest annual salary among all defensive tackles in the NFL. Quinnen Williams, Jeffery Simmons, and Chris Jones are now the only defensive tackles with more fully guaranteed money.
Williams was set to play out his previous three-year, $64.5 million deal in 2026 and hit free agency next offseason. Instead, the veteran gets a nice raise and will remain in Seattle for the next few seasons at least.
Williams Posted Elite Season in 2025
The Seahawks’ defense was awesome in 2025, and Williams was a big reason for that. The veteran collected 62 tackles, nine tackles for loss, and seven sacks, while earning his third Pro Bowl selection and first All-Pro selection.
Pro Football Focus gave Williams an elite 75.3 grade, which ranked 11th out of 134 qualified defensive linemen. Williams’ 58 pressures were the fourth-most of all pass rushers, and he earned elite marks as a pass rusher and run stopper.
The Seahawks won the Super Bowl, mostly thanks to the defense, so it was obvious they couldn’t afford to let Williams leave. Keeping Williams is especially important because fellow edge rusher Demarcus Lawrence has already announced that 2026 will be his final season. Plus, fellow lineman Jarran Reed will turn 34 during this season, so he may be on his last legs as well.
Now, the Seahawks can be comfortable knowing the defensive line will have Williams and Byron Murphy II for the next few seasons.
Perfect Deal for Both Sides
As mentioned above, the deal is obviously good for Williams. The veteran will now be one of the highest-paid at his position, and it’s deserved. It’s good for the Seahawks as well, as they keep a key part of their new identity.
Williams is obviously happy to be in Seattle, as he didn’t get to do much winning over the first part of his career. Williams spent parts of five seasons with both the New York Jets and New York Giants, but he’s reached new heights since being in Seattle.
With Williams locked down, it will be interesting to see if the Seahawks can add another ring in the next few seasons. There’s no denying this is still one of the league’s best rosters.
