Seahawks Re-Sign Brandon Pili, Bolster Interior Defensive Front

The Seattle Seahawks have nearly re-signed all the guys that they want back from the Super Bowl LX-winning squad. Seattle's main goal has been to retain its own players, and they got another key depth piece back.

Seattle and defensive tackle Brandon Pili agreed to terms on a one-year, $2 million deal on Thursday, per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, keeping the entirety of the team's league-best defensive front intact.

While Pili wasn't a big name on the Seahawks' defense, he was a steady fill-in and rotational player who played a bigger role than most realized. In a year when the Seahawks aren't adding many outside additions, retaining depth players is critical.

Pili played 152 defensive snaps in the regular season (18%) at the end of the defensive line rotation. He finished the season with 12 tackles and a forced fumble in 13 games played (one start). Those stats are far from exceptional, but it's exactly what Mike Macdonald needed out of a rotational player.

Aug 15, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Brandon Pili (95) celebrates following a safety against the Kansas City Chiefs during the second quarter at Lumen Field. | Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

Keeping a consistent player on a cheap deal is exactly what Macdonald and general manager John Schneider want to get the best 70-man roster possible.

The Seahawks have only lost four players in free agency: safety Coby Bryant, edge rusher Boye Mafe, running back Kenneth Walker III and cornerback Riq Woolen.

Pili, along with Leonard Williams, Byron Murphy II, Jarran Reed and Mike Morris, made up the best run-defending interior defensive line in the NFL in 2025, and that group is all back next season. They were joined by 2025 fifth-round pick Rylie Mills in the postseason, and he posted his first career sack in the Super Bowl.

The Seahawks allowed a league-best 3.7 yards per carry last season, forcing opponents to beat them through the air. With an exceptional secondary, that was no easy task either. It was a major focal point for Seattle after having an atrocious run defense for consecutive seasons.

Heading into 2026, the Seahawks can have confidence that they are getting their best players back for another Super Bowl run. The losses have hurt, but it's not a reason to think they can't be right back in the mix next season. Pili, while an unsexy signing, is helping ensure that it is maintained.

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