Seahawks Pulled Off Steal Of The Offseason Signing Drake Thomas

The Seattle Seahawks secured their linebacker duo of the future on Thursday, signing starter Drake Thomas to a two-year, $8 million deal (maximum value of $9), per NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport.

Seattle locked down Ernest Jones IV ahead of the 2025 season, signing him to a three-year deal worth $28.5 million. Both are now under contract with the Seahawks through the 2027 season.

General manager John Schneider could have locked down Thomas, 26, for longer, but the former 2023 undrafted free agent likely understands he is entering his prime. If he continues to play well, he could get a much larger deal in two years or sooner.

At just $4 million per year, Thomas' contract ranks 37th in average annual value, per Over The Cap, among linebackers league-wide. And that's for a player who probably should've at least been a Pro Bowler in 2025.

Thomas overtook Tyrice Knight for the starting spot next to Jones in the first few games of the season, playing in all 17 games and starting 14. He finished with 96 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, eight pass deflections, one fumble recovery and an interception.

The #Seahawks and starting LB Drake Thomas have agreed to terms on a new 2-year deal worth $8M base with a chance to make $9M, sources say.

With 96 tackles and 3.5 sacks as a first-year starter, Thomas cashes in with a deal done by agent Jay Courie of @mgcsports. pic.twitter.com/WJocyYlDlx
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 5, 2026

After being an afterthought in 2024, Thomas solidified himself as one of the league's best linebackers. His numbers, although impressive, didn't even summarize his entire impact on a game-to-game basis.

Thomas was set to become a restricted free agent, so the Seahawks would have had time to match any offer sheet that was extended to the fourth-year linebacker. Instead, they went straight to bringing him back — highlighting how fond Mike Macdonald is of Thomas.

The move is also significant due to the history of the Seahawks' linebacker position. Bobby Wagner and Jordyn Brooks weren't brought back after the 2023 season, prompting Seattle to completely re-tool the position with free agents.

They signed Jerome Baker and Tyrel Dodson for the 2024 season, and both were off the team by midseason. That's when they made the trade for Jones, plugging in Knight next to him. Knight played well enough, but Thomas' emergence has given the Seahawks one of the best linebacker duos in the league.

Thomas originally went undrafted out of NC State and signed with the Raiders. He was waived as part of the final roster cuts before landing with the Seahawks. Now, he has a chance to secure a much larger contract in the future while the Seahawks retain precious cap space for other free agents.

The Seahawks still have 15 free agents to make decisions on, seven of whom are critical players who are also unrestricted. Regardless of how the rest of the offseason plays out, the Thomas deal will be the best value the team gets.

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