Did the Seahawks Make a Mistake Re-Signing Rashid Shaheed?

The Seattle Seahawks weren’t aggressive in trying to chase after the outside free agents this offseason. The Seahawks were more focused on retaining most of the players that helped the team win its second Super Bowl in franchise history. Among the players re-signed this off-season and remaining with the Seahawks are wide receiver/return specialist Rashid Shaheed, cornerback Josh Jobe, linebacker Drake Thomas, safety Ty Okada, and more.

Most of the attention will be focused on the players that the front office didn’t retain, like Super MVP/running back Kenneth Walker III. They have been criticized for the moves they didn’t make, but now the Seahawks are facing criticisms for a move they did make.

Looking Back at the Shaheed Deal

Rashid Shaheed during Super Bowl LX. — Feb 8, 2026; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Rashid Shaheed (22) against the New England Patriots during Super Bowl LX at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Before the Seahawks and Shaheed agreed to a new deal, the team already lost Walker and safety Coby Bryant. It was a relief for the team to finally get a player back on a new deal, as Rasheed and the Seahawks agreed to a three-year, $51 million deal. This ensures the Seahawks would keep their new number two receiver and the top returner in the league.

Originally, the move was regarded as a huge win for both sides. After a few weeks, there are some speculations that the Seahawks should’ve focused somewhere else for a number two receiver. ESPN’s Seth Walder and Ben Solak regraded the top 60 moves during the offseason after nearly a month. Walder isn’t as high on the move for Seattle to re-sign Shaheed as the move is now a B-.

Among the reasons for the lower grade was Shaheed’s lack of solid, consistent production in his nine regular-season games with the Seahawks since being traded during the trade deadline. He only caught 15 receptions for 188 yards, and all three of the Seahawks' touchdowns were on special teams. Walder preferred the Seahawks try to sign Romeo Doubs, now with the New England Patriots.

Why the Deal is Poorly Graded

Rashid Shaheed during the Super Bowl parade. — Feb 11, 2026; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Rashid Shaheed (22) high fives fans during Seattle Seahawks Super Bowl LX parade. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images | Kevin Ng-Imagn Images

There can be reasonable criticism for the Seahawks to trust Shaheed as the number two receiver due to his lack of production. The same couldn’t be said for his impact as a returner. There is a reasonable belief that full off-season work with the team and developing better chemistry with quarterback Sam Darnold should help create productivity.

Once Shaheed gets more comfortable with the offense and Darnold, he should feel more like a quick target in the short passing game. Darnold will also know when to drop his passes to him on deep routes.

While another pass-catcher like Doubs would make sense to be the number two receiver, he and other receivers during free agency aren’t as explosive and dynamic as Shaheed when he gets the ball on offense. Most of these receivers have shown what they can do already; Shaheed has the opportunity to develop as a playmaker for Seattle.

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