It’s been a surprisingly dizzying start to the offseason for the Seahawks, who — in the span of about 55 hours the week before last — traded or released their three highest-paid and maybe best-known players, and then — in the span of about five days this past week — replaced them.
After Friday’s agreement with 2021 NFL Offensive Player of the Year and Yakima native Cooper Kupp, though, the Seahawks might be ready to take a little bit of a breath and recalibrate for a few days.
Seattle’s own personal free agent frenzy resulted in the Seahawks signing or re-signing seven players for a total of just over $237 million in the span of six days, which according to OverTheCap.com is the third-most in the NFL behind only the Vikings ($245 million) and Patriots ($238.5 million).
True, much of that was to make up for the roughly $108 million in cap space the Seahawks shed by trading Geno Smith and DK Metcalf and releasing Tyler Lockett. (And Seattle is taking roughly a combined $48 million dead cap hit for those three.)
Here are five questions and an attempt at answers in the wake of an especially busy week.
What has been the national reaction to the signing of Kupp?
Kupp agreed to a three-year deal worth up to $45 million Friday afternoon. As of Saturday afternoon, more specific details such as the guarantees and cap hit had not yet become available, so a real assessment of Seattle’s financial commitment can’t yet be made.
But the initial reaction to the move was generally positive with the obvious caveat of Kupp needing to stay healthy.
The Pro Football Network gave it a B, writing in part: “If there was any doubt after the Sam Darnold signing, the Seahawks are definitely not rebuilding despite trading away Geno Smith and DK Metcalf. While not a one-for-one replacement for Metcalf, Kupp becomes the clear No. 2 receiver next to Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
“… $15 million is a perfectly reasonable deal considering that superior over-30 wide receivers in Chris Godwin (with Tampa Bay) and Davante Adams (with the Rams) both got deals worth $22 million per year. He comes with health issues that make his floor fairly low, as Kupp has missed at least five games three years in a row and can’t be expected to play 17 games.”
Pro Football Focus was a little more lukewarm, giving it an “average” ranking, writing: “The Seahawks are gambling on Kupp’s health … However, if he can play in all 17 games in 2025, he is still a productive receiver. Kupp averaged 1.88 yards per route run in 2024, tied for 32nd among wide receivers.”
Is there a concern that Kupp and Smith-Njigba have both largely played out of the slot in their careers?
Wondering how the Seahawks’ top two receivers will fit was an obvious initial question given that each has played primarily in the slot in their careers.
As Pro Football Network wrote: “This looks like a case of the Seahawks simply compiling as much talent as possible. Kupp and Smith-Njigba are not an elegant fit, as both played over 60% of their snaps in the slot last season. Moreover, Darnold targeted the perimeter far more often in Minnesota, ranking in the bottom five in slot target percentage in 2024.”
Others, though, noted that JSN’s numbers came in Ryan Grubb’s scheme and that he figures to be used differently now that he’s in Year 3 of his career and in a different scheme under new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak.
ESPN analyst Matt Bowen, who played safety in the NFL from 2000-06, said he doesn’t see an issue.
“The scheme fit in Seattle works here for Kupp and there will be opportunities to see consistent target volume as the No. 2 receiver.
“… Under (Kubiak) the Seahawks will deploy more motion/movement and use the play-action pass game. That’s a positive for Kupp, who can get free access off the ball based on formation and reduced sets, as well as schemed concepts that create zone voids and defined throws for Darnold.
“Both Kupp and Smith-Njigba inside/outside flex to play on the perimeter or in the slot, which gives the Seahawks more alignment versatility in three wide receiver sets.”
Bowen projected Kupp to get 110 targets, 75 receptions, 862 yards and five TDs.
That would compare favorably to Metcalf’s 108 targets, 66 receptions, 992 yards and five TDs in 2024.
Seattle would surely take that.
So what now for the Seahawks?
As of Saturday afternoon, none of the contracts for Darnold, Kupp, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Josh Jones or DeMarcus Lawrence had been processed on the sites that publicly display them, so it was unclear how much cap space the Seahawks have remaining.
Seattle had just over $60 million in cap space before those five agreements.
The official setting of draft picks this past week showed Seattle will also have to devote about $4.2 million in cap space to its rookie class.
The Seahawks certainly still have some room to make more signings.
But the free agent cupboard is also now pretty bare. Only three of the top 25 on NFL.com’s list of top free agents remain unsigned (one of whom is Aaron Rodgers) and only eight of the top 53.
Seattle, like the rest of the NFL, might view free agency as now down to the so-called “phase two,” when most of the players available are those most likely to sign shorter, cheaper and often regarded as “prove-it” deals.
Seattle will still get an offensive lineman or two, though, right?
That seems a given since the only OL addition is Jones, who projects as a depth piece at both tackle spots.
Adding a guard/center or two makes obvious sense.
Signing Kupp, though, and solidifying immediate needs at receiver seem to mean Seattle has even more flexibility to use any of the 10 draft picks it now has — including five in the draft’s top 52.
Shortly after the Kupp news broke Friday, NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah offered a thought on X that Seattle could get North Dakota State guard/center Gray Zabel at No. 18 and Georgia center Jared Wilson at No. 52.
At this point, the veteran free agents available will surely be judged against whichever rookies the Seahawks think they could get in the draft for a similar investment — or among those who might still be available later this spring and summer.
Seattle, though, has one free agent on its radar in Bears guard Teven Jenkins, who ESPN reported is expected to make a visit Monday.
One who is off the radar is former Eagles guard Mekhi Becton, who late Friday night reached an agreement with the Chargers on a two-year, $20 million deal.
Any other specific needs still to be filled?
A depth chart of likely starters can easily be filled out now at every position other than maybe interior offensive line, with Lawrence replacing Dre’Mont Jones at defensive end, Kupp/Valdes-Scantling in for Metcalf/Lockett at receiver, Darnold for Smith, and Ernest Jones IV and Jarran Reed returning.
But depth is always needed everywhere — especially on each line, and maybe particularly with another interior defensive lineman or two — as is simply finding good value players.
Maybe overlooked in all of the high-profile offensive moves is the work Seattle did in getting its defense pretty set.
Along with Lawrence, Jones and Reed, Seattle also re-signed cornerback Josh Jobe, who projects at the No. 3 CB spot heading into the season.
That means Seattle has 17 of what were the 22 players on its final defensive depth chart of the 2024 season under contract and added Lawrence.
“I feel tremendous about those moves,” Macdonald said Thursday of the signings on defense. “Just getting those guys back … I think we’re building something cool on defense.”
