4 Seahawks Players With Most to Prove Entering Contract Years

Seattle Seahawks OTAs will begin on May 26 and run through June 4. These are the voluntary portions of the offseason, with mandatory minicamp taking place over a three day period on June 9-11. From there, training camp will happen in late July as the Seahawks prepare to defend their Super Bowl title.

The pressure will be on everyone, especially head coach Mike Macdonald, as the Seahawks are no longer the hunters, but the hunted. Teams will bring their best every week as they look to Seattle as a measuring stick.

In addition to the team having pressure as a whole, there are players who are facing individual strain. Here we look at four such players who happen to be entering a contract year in 2026 and need to show they deserve another deal.

Dante Fowler Jr., EDGE

Dallas Cowboys EDGE Dante Fowler Jr. goes through a drill during practice at the Ford Center at the Star Training Facility. | Chris Jones-Imagn Images

After Boye Mafe signed a three-year, $60 million contract with the Cincinnati Bengals in free agency, Seattle decided to sign Dante Fowler Jr. to a one-year contract worth up to $5 million. Seahawks On SI's Michael Hanich says Fowler is a systematic fit, and the veteran pass-rusher had his eyes on Seattle for a while before signing.

The stars are aligning for him to be a third-down specialist, but Fowler needs to show he can deliver. He was in a similar situation in 2025 when he signed with the Dallas Cowboys, who needed Fowler to help replace Micah Parsons. Fowler finished with just 15 tackles and three sacks. That said, he fits in Macdonald's defense much better than the scheme Matt Eberflus ran in Dallas last year, which might be enough for him to get a second deal in Seattle.

Anthony Bradford, G

Seattle Seahawks QB Sam Darnold looks to throw as OG Anthony Bradford blocks against Carolina Panthers DT Derrick Brown. | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

The interior of the Seattle offensive line has been an issue for a couple of seasons now. Grey Zabel shored up the left guard position, but now they need to see if Anthony Bradford can step up and lock down the right guard spot long-term.

Bradford struggled in 2025, earning a 50.6 overall from PFF, and a 40.8 in pass protection. That placed him 57th out of 81 qualified guards for the overall score and 76th in pass blocking. There's not much competition for him outside of rookie Beau Stephens, but Bradford still has to perform at a higher level to stick around beyond this year.

Derick Hall, EDGE

Seattle Seahawks linebacker Derick Hall reacts after a sack against the New England Patriots. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

While Fowler is in line to play a role as a third-down specialist, Derick Hall has a chance to prove he can be a full-time starter. A second-round pick in 2023, Hall had eight sacks during his second season, but saw that number drop to just two in 2025.

He now enters the final season of his rookie deal and will battle Uchenna Nwosu for snaps. Not only can he win playing time by beating out the veteran, but Hall can also increase his value ahead of free agency with a strong showing.

Zach Charbonnet, RB

Seattle Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet rushes the ball against the San Francisco 49ers. | Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images

Another second-round pick in 2023, Zach Charbonnet was set to take over as the RB1 should Kenneth Walker leave in free agency in 2026. Walker did wind up leaving, but Charbonnet's status to start the season is in doubt after he suffered a torn ACL in the playoffs.

The Seahawks decided to protect themselves by selecting Jadarian Price in the first round of the NFL draft, and could secure the starting spot. That will put more pressure on Charbonnet to step up as he not only recovers from a serious injury, but also enters a contract year.

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