The Seattle Seahawks had an incredible season in 2025, culminating in the team winning its second Super Bowl.
The team is led by head coach Mike Macdonald, whose defense performed remarkably well throughout both the regular season and the postseason. Seattle ranked sixth in total defense, 10th in passing defense, third in rushing defense and first in scoring defense. One of the key contributors to this strong defensive performance was starting safety Coby Bryant.
He finished the season fifth on the team in tackles with 66 and second in interceptions with four. However, Bryant's four-year rookie contract ends March 11, raising the question of whether he will stay in Seattle. Fox Sports' Greg Auman predicts that Bryant will not return to the Seahawks but will instead join the Las Vegas Raiders.
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"Bryant, 26, is another part of Seattle's amazing 2022 draft class, a fourth-rounder who has deftly shifted from corner to safety and has seven interceptions in the last two seasons," Auman wrote. "Like any Super Bowl team, the Seahawks will be hard-pressed to keep all of their young talents coming off rookie contracts. It might be a choice between Bryant at $12 million-$14 million a year over their young corners. We have Seattle with five free agents in the top 50, and that could increase with success in the Super Bowl."
The immediate ripple effect of Bryant’s potential departure would test the depth of Seattle’s championship defense. His transition from cornerback to safety provided versatility in the secondary, and his seven interceptions over the past two seasons helped fuel the league’s top scoring unit. If he leaves, the Seahawks must decide whether to prioritize other young defensive backs coming off rookie deals or invest heavily to maintain continuity in the back end.
From a broader perspective, this is the reality of winning in today’s NFL. Super Bowl teams often face roster turnover as breakout contributors command significant raises. Bryant might simply price himself beyond what Seattle can reasonably allocate, given other pending free agents. Historically, championship defenses that maintain elite play either draft and develop replacements quickly or strategically retain cornerstone pieces while letting complementary players walk.
If Bryant lands with the Raiders, it could strengthen a struggling AFC team while forcing Seattle to reshuffle its secondary before training camp opens this summer. The defending champions will begin their title defense in September and whether Bryant is on the field in navy and green will be one of the defining storylines of their offseason.