Because the Seattle Seahawks embark on their quest to grow to be solely the third crew this century to repeat as Tremendous Bowl champions, they accomplish that with an possession change hanging over the group’s head.
However as basic supervisor John Schneider spoke with reporters on the mix in Indianapolis on Tuesday, six days after it was introduced that Jody Allen has formally put the Seahawks up on the market, he conveyed an expectation that the state of affairs will not have a lot of an affect on Seattle’s offseason.
Particularly, Schneider was requested whether or not the sale course of will affect his day-to-day job in any approach, equivalent to his time calls for or price range.
“No,” he mentioned. “I had an amazing discuss with Jody the opposite night time and he or she’s like, ‘Let’s go for it, let’s rip it.’ It is simply enterprise as ordinary for us. Enterprise as ordinary and all soccer.”
Schneider, although, mentioned he plans to fulfill this week with Denver Broncos basic supervisor George Paton for recommendation on the sale course of, as Paton went by it in 2022 when that group was offered.
Schneider answered “no” when requested later if he expects something to alter by way of the crew’s free agent spending with a sale on the horizon. He additionally mentioned he would not know whether or not Allen — who controls the crew because the chairperson of the property of her late brother, Paul — will nonetheless be in cost when subsequent season begins.
In its announcement final week, the property mentioned the sale course of is “estimated” to proceed by the 2026 offseason. No information has emerged since then about potential consumers.
The extra urgent matter for Schneider and the Seahawks is attempting to maintain collectively the roster that gained a club-record 14 video games through the common season and three extra within the playoffs to safe the franchise’s second Lombardi Trophy. Schneider is aware of it will not be straightforward, with six key gamers set to grow to be unrestricted free brokers.
That group is headlined by working again Kenneth Walker III, the MVP of Seattle’s 29-13 win over the New England Patriots in Tremendous Bowl LX. Additionally set to grow to be free brokers are broad receiver/Professional Bowl kick returner Rashid Shaheed, cornerbacks Riq Woolen and Josh Jobe, security Coby Bryant and outdoors linebacker Boye Mafe.
“It is going to be a problem to determine this yr’s puzzle out,” Schneider mentioned. “It is a actually cool crew they usually’re all particular folks. So we’ll attempt to retain as lots of these guys as we probably can. So long as we will hold that … that collective 70 collectively.”
Schneider shared the same sentiment about viewing free agent choices by the lens of the complete roster — 53 lively gamers and 17 on the observe squad — whereas answering an earlier query on Walker.
“We would like to have Ken again, and he is aware of this higher than anyone — it is about our 70 and our collective and what that is going to appear like,” he mentioned. “We’ll have these conferences down right here. We’ll begin speaking to all of the brokers and we’ll have a greater really feel of the place we’re going in the direction of the tip of the week. We need to have all people again. Proper whenever you get accomplished with one thing particular like that, you are like, ‘Let’s run it again. Let’s run it again.’ It is going to be an fascinating course of.”
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported final week that Seattle doesn’t plan to make use of the franchise or transition tag on Walker. Schneider declined to remark Tuesday on a possible tag.
The Seahawks entered the offseason with a wholesome cap state of affairs. OverTheCap.com tasks them to have roughly $59 million in efficient cap area, sixth most within the NFL. Nevertheless, along with their six key free brokers in addition to the uncertainty over whether or not 33-year-old defensive finish DeMarcus Lawrence will retire, they’ve two star gamers in line for enormous raises.
Cornerback Devon Witherspoon and broad receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba are each eligible for extensions that might seemingly put them at or close to the highest of the pay scale at their respective positions. Schneider confirmed Tuesday that the group’s rule of not redoing contracts with a couple of yr remaining is not going to preclude extensions this offseason for both of its two first-round picks from 2023, as 2027 can be an choice yr if exercised.
That rule would, nevertheless, apply to quarterback Sam Darnold, who has two years left on the three-year, $100.5 million deal he signed final March.
ESPN’s Ben Child contributed to this report.
