Two Seahawks listed among players with most to prove in the postseason

It’s not easy to make the NFL postseason (although it’s a lot easier than it used to be). Even for a young player with plenty of time left in the league, every playoff berth might be your last, and there’s immense pressure to make this appearance the one where you get to the Super Bowl. So everyone on all fourteen teams in the bracket has plenty to prove.

But there are a select few with an extra motivation to show up in a big way. A financial motivation. Those with contracts that expire this offseason, who are not guaranteed to earn large deals, can change the course of their careers significantly by giving it their all over the next month. A couple of well-timed plays could be worth massive money.

Bleacher Report has put together a list of eight players with the most to prove in this postseason. All eight of them become free agents this offseason, which is no coincidence, and all eight are going to drastically change their earning potential based on how they play in these upcoming games. The list includes two Seahawks.

While I’m sure they might have been thrown in had the list been expanded beyond eight players, you won’t find Ken Walker III or Riq Woolen listed, despite their approaching free agency. And that makes sense, since both players have been productive and effective enough in their careers to where even a disappointing playoffs would lead to a large payday.

However, the fate of edge rusher Boye Mafe is highly dependent on what he does next, so his inclusion makes plenty of sense. The 27-year-old is wrapping up a pretty disappointing 2025 season, which included a career-low in sacks at just two despite playing in every game. Amassing 18 sacks over his first three seasons, it was a pretty surprising contract year.

A disappointing contract year could still lead to a significant extension for Mafe. — Seattle Seahawks linebacker Boye Mafe (53) against the Arizona Cardinals. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Pass rushers, even ones not considered among the league’s elite, tend to get paid a lot, so there’s plenty of money waiting for Mafe in theory. But he’s now two years removed from his breakout season of nine sacks, and the Seahawks diminished his role significantly as the 2025 went on in favor of players like DeMarcus Lawrence and Uchenna Nwosu.

“Mafe was on the field for 50 percent of Seattle's snaps just once after Week 14,” the article points out, indicating that when the stakes were raised, Mafe’s opportunity to impact the game was reduced.

Things reset to a degree in the playoffs, so it’s not too late for Mafe to earn a lucrative deal. A couple of pivotal splashy postseason plays could earn him a shocking second contract. He is a piece of the best defense in the league, even if that part is small, so he can’t be counted out.

The second Seahawk on the list is also a part of that elite defense. Coby Bryant, who turns 27 this offseason, isn’t considered to be among the most vital pieces either, but he’s done a lot of good work over the last two seasons to earn an opportunity to cash in in a couple months. But there’s still plenty he needs to do if he wants to finish the job.

“The 26-year-old started 15 games for the Seahawks this season, mostly as a deep safety. His 66 total tackles aren't a gaudy number, but he nabbed a career-high four interceptions and posted the best coverage numbers of his career—the best completion percentage against (59.0) and passer rating against (54.0) of his career,” Bleacher Report says.

Coby has done a little bit of everything in the secondary since being drafted in 2022, starting out as a cornerback before finding his home as a safety. While his 2025 play has been good, the defense has not really missed him during his injury in the last two games of the year, so it’s not entirely clear how much the Seahawks need to retain him.

If he moves on to another squad this offseason, he has a strong resume, but isn’t likely to enter the upper echelon of safeties, which is not a position that guarantees big money just for competent, or even good, play. So highlight reel moments in the playoffs are a vital part of his upcoming negotiations, he just has to make them.

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