Seahawks Should Go Ahead and Extend Leonard Williams

The Seattle Seahawks have been busy on the practice field during training camp. The Seahawks are also at work in the front offices, trying to secure the team’s future by locking down some of their key players with extensions. Seattle already extended wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba and edge rusher Derick Hall and now looks to extend cornerback Devon Witherspoon soon. It appears that star defensive tackle Leonard Williams might be extended before Witherspoon.

Seahawks Should Extend Williams this Training Camp

Leonard Williams during a 2026 minicamp practice. — Jun 9, 2026; Renton, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99) during minicamp at Virginia Mason Athletic Center. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The front office has some big decisions to make for the remainder of the offseason. They need to figure out how to give Williams and Witherspoon without breaking their own market, as they will have to pay more star players in the future, including defensive tackle Byron Murphy II, quarterback Sam Darnold and slot cornerback Nick Emmanwori.

That being said, there is no better time than the present. Williams is entering into the final year of his three-year, $64.5 million deal with the Seahawks. He is set to earn $29.6 million this season and is coming off two elite seasons in Seattle. In the last two years, Williams has accumulated 126 total tackles, 70 solo tackles, 25 tackles for loss, 50 quarterback hits, 18 sacks and four pass breakups.

He just turned 32 years old and is entering his 12th year in his career, but he seems to be in his prime. Williams was voted No. 1 in ESPN Jeremy Fowler’s rankings of top defensive tackles as voted by NFL executives, coaches and scouts. There aren’t many players in the league that match the consistency and high-volume playmaking of stopping the run and getting to the quarterback from the defensive tackle position and the strongside defensive end.

Seahawks Need to be Smart About How to Pay Williams

Leonard Williams and Devon Witherspoon during the Seahawks' Super Bowl parade. — Feb 11, 2026; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (left) and cornerback Devon Witherspoon shake hands during the Super Bowl LX trophy celebration at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It is pivotal that the Seahawks extend Williams sooner rather than later. It was also a good idea for the Seahawks to give him an extension before Witherspoon, based on several measures. Since Williams doesn’t have many high-caliber years left in the league as opposed to Witherspoon, the Seahawks could pay him more upfront than in the back half of the contracts like JSN and offensive tackle Charles Cross.

Paying Williams would give the Seahawks an idea of how much is left to plan for their other key players. General manager John Schneider and his front office staff have a history of carefully planning out contracts and making sure they clear the salary cap for other players in the future.

There might be the opportunity that Williams might be more willing to secure a team-friendly deal where length is more important to him than the actual salary he would be getting, especially if it helps Witherspoon and Murphy get the money they deserve.

Williams and the Seahawks’ front office don’t have a contract value set in stone, according to ESPN’s Brady Henderson. The ball is moving towards a potential extension to be completed soon. Williams is one of the core players of the Dark Side Defense and his continuous domination would put him among the top defenders in team history.

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