Watching Jeffery Simmons get a “market-setting” new contract from the Tennessee Titans showed the Seattle Seahawks an “extremely notable” warning sign about their own star defensive tackle.
The warning doesn’t involve the future of the interior defensive lineman many might expect. It’s not veteran Pro Bowler Leonard Williams, but rising star Byron Murphy II’s next contract that should be keeping Seahawks’ general manager John Schneider up at night.
As Seahawks Wire writer Justin Melo put it, “The Seahawks will have a sizeable decision to make regarding Murphy’s future after the 2026 campaign concludes. John Schneider will have to decide whether or not to exercise his fifth-year contract option. The overwhelming expectation is Seattle will take advantage of the option.”
Picking up the option is the obvious move for the Seahawks after Murphy changed the narrative about playing nose tackle in the modern NFL. Yet, Murphy’s upward trend makes it more likely the Seahawks will be dealing with a much bigger financial decision a year from now.
Byron Murphy On Track for Jeffery Simmons-Type Deal
Melo pointed out how “Murphy will also become eligible to negotiate a contract extension next offseason following his third NFL campaign. Simmons’ market-setting extension could have a huge impact on discussions. To possess that sort of leverage, Murphy must have another elite season in 2026. If so, the Seahawks won’t mind having to sign him to an eye-popping extension.”
That last note about Murphy enjoying another “elite” campaign is not far-fetched. Not after he proved to be the cornerstone of the league’s toughest defense last season.
Murphy was denied Pro Bowl-worthy respect in 2025, but buzz is building about the 6-foot, 306-pounder’s growing level of dominance. He’s a double-team magnet against the run, as well as a skilled enough pass-rusher to regularly collapse the pocket from the inside.
GettyMurphy has a chance to continue dominating enough to earn a monster payday in 2027.
Those qualities can eventually elevate Murphy into the same bracket as Simmons. It’s a bracket where a star D-tackle gets $105.8 million over three years, including $100 million guaranteed.
Murphy is on track for the same kind of payday, but the Seahawks need to juggle his next deal alongside the pending contracts owed two other defensive stars. Including an enduring game-wrecker who shares the trenches with Murphy.
Seahawks Must Secure Defensive Linchpins
Keeping the nucleus of their awesome defense together remains the priority for the reigning Super Bowl LX champions, but it won’t be easy. Not when cornerback Devon Witherspoon is also predicted to reset the market at his position.
Witherspoon is an integral part of what the Seahawks do on the back end and how they create pressure, thanks to his ability to play in the slot and outside the numbers. He’s valuable, but Williams is arguably more important.
He can line up on the edge or inside, and Williams is the closest the Seahawks have to a truly marquee pass-rusher. Keeping the 32-year-old in the lineup reduces a worrying underlying risk about head coach Mike Macdonald’s defensive scheme.
It’s one compelling reason why the Seahawks are urged to secure Williams’ future now, before he enters free agency next year. Getting the timing right for all of these extensions is the challenge for Schneider, especially if Murphy changes the order of priority by having a Simmons-type season.
Seahawks Warned About Jeffery Simmons Problem With Star DT