Potential 2026 Seahawks quarterback target making news in the wrong way

The Seattle Seahawks will not want to revisit some of the drama from this offseason anytime soon—likely never again. Two key players, quarterback Geno Smith and wide receiver DK Metcalf, were unhappy with their contract situations and requested trades. Seattle obliged, and now they are gone.

General manager John Schneider abides by many principles when running the team. One is not to get into bidding wars, and one is not to be forced into a poor position by a player's demands. If someone isn't happy being a Seahawk, and part of that issue is how much they are making, Schneider would rather they be gone.

This is a logical approach because chemistry can make a team great or tear it apart. While the Seahawks were great in the first half of the 2010s, when a play-call mistake took a second Super Bowl victory away, many of the players began to lose faith in the state of the team. That, as much as anything, caused a slow regression for Seattle.

Seahawks might be quarterback-needy in 2026 draft but might pass on Vols' Nico Iamaleava

Schneider is not going to want to battle players, and he certainly does not want to do that in contract negotiations.

This is why taking a certain quarterback prospect in 2026 might already be off the table. Schneider is unlikely to choose a QB in the 2025 draft after the team signed Drew Lock in free agency. The team now has three quarterbacks, and adding a fourth would not seem wise. Seattle is also probably only going to keep two on its active roster.

That could change next year, especially if Sam Darnold fails in his first year with the team. His contract is structured so that he has no guaranteed money in years two and three of his deal, so he basically has a prove-it deal with the Seahawks. If he cannot prove it, Seattle could look for a new QB in 2026, which could come in next year's draft.

Based on what University of Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava has done recently, though, he might not be the kind of player Schneider wants to take. The issue is not a non-football problem, but rather how Iamaleava handles his NIL situation.

He wanted his deal restructured with the Volunteers, and he was originally planning on holding out of the team's spring game in protest of a new deal not being completed. On Saturday, it was reported that he is so unhappy that the team is moving on from him, and he will transfer.

This is like an NFL player holding out of training camp because they aren't happy with their contract. The Seahawks do not have a history of many players doing that. Earl Thomas did (and that did not turn out well), and so did Kam Chancellor. A quarterback holding out is yet to be a problem, and one Schneider would not want to start.

If Iamaleava is causing havoc over whether he can get $4 million versus $2 million, just imagine how he might be with any potential extension he would get in the NFL if we are talking about a difference of tens of millions of dollars?

Iamaleava is a rising sophomore, but he had a redshirt year. He can turn pro after the 2025 season. He is expected to be a first-round choice as he is 6'6" and has a fantastic arm. He is also turnover-averse, so he could play right away for an NFL team.

But Schneider will notice his college holdout. If the Seahawks need a quarterback and have a chance to take Iamaleava, Schneider might pass.