The Seattle Seahawks have opened contract discussions with the player that should sit at the top of their financial priority list.
Bleacher Report identified Leonard Williams as Seattle’s most important contract decision before the 2026 season.
The veteran defensive tackle is entering the final year of the three-year, $64.5 million deal he signed after his first season with the Seahawks.
The recommendation came with a firm take from B/R’s Gary Davenport: “He’s not going anywhere.”
Seattle appears interested in reaching the same conclusion.
Williams confirmed that his representatives and the organization have already discussed a possible extension, though the talks remain in their early stages.
“There’s been a few conversations, but nothing set in stone,” Williams said, per Seattle Sports. “I think we’re all focused on the season starting right now, and we know that that’s towards the end of the season. We have time to figure that out when the time comes.”
Williams Has Made His Extension Case
GettySEATTLE, WASHINGTON – JANUARY 25: Leonard Williams #99 of the Seattle Seahawks celebrates after defeating the Los Angeles Rams 31-27 in the NFC Championship game at Lumen Field on January 25, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. The Seahawks won 31-27. (Photo by Jane Gershovich/Getty Images)
Williams has provided Seattle with the production it expected when the team acquired him from the New York Giants midway through the 2023 season.
He recorded 11 sacks and a career-high 16 tackles for loss during his first full year with the Seahawks.
Williams followed with 62 tackles, seven sacks and nine tackles for loss across 17 starts in 2025.
His 18 sacks over the past two seasons are the most among NFL defensive tackles. Williams earned Pro Bowl selections in both years and added second-team All-Pro honors after helping Seattle finish with the league’s top scoring defense in 2025.
An ESPN survey of league executives, coaches and scouts then ranked Williams as the NFL’s best defensive tackle entering 2026.
His value has continued to show during training camp.
The Seahawks’ official website noted that the 32-year-old chased a running play approximately 20 yards downfield during practice, the kind of effort that reinforces the lofty norm within Mike Macdonald’s defense.
Williams is also coming off a postseason in which Seattle controlled the line of scrimmage on its way to a championship.
Bleacher Report pointed to his role in that run while making the case that the Seahawks should keep him beyond 2026.
Rising Market Adds Pressure to Seahawks Decision
GettySANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 03: Leonard Williams #99 of the Seattle Seahawks enters the field prior to a game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium on January 03, 2026 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
The complex part for Seattle will be finding a number that reflects Williams’ performance without paying him as if he were entering the prime of his career.
His current contract averages $21.5 million per season.
Spotrac lists Williams with a $29.6 million cap hit in 2026, the second-highest figure on Seattle’s roster.
The defensive tackle market has also moved since Williams signed his deal.
The Philadelphia Eagles agreed to a four-year, $152 million extension with Jalen Carter, pushing the top of the market to $38 million per season.
Williams will not receive that type of contract at 32, but Carter’s extension raises the price for every productive interior defender.
Williams’ current average already ranks outside the top 10 at the position despite his standing among evaluators and his recent sack production.
An extension would give the Seahawks a chance to reduce his immediate cap charge and spread money across future seasons. And it would help a future championship run to keep the defense’s key figure after another strong year.
Williams said he has learned that focusing on a contract can interfere with performance, so he plans to leave the negotiations to others and prepare for the season.
The Seahawks have more reason to move with urgency, as the cost of keeping him is unlikely to fall if his current form continues.
Seahawks’ $64.5 Million All-Pro Named Biggest Contract Decision During Training Camp