Two Seahawks players listed among worst NFL free agency contracts

The Seattle Seahawks weren't expected to be a major player in the 2025 NFL free agency period but that changed once they traded away quarterback Geno Smith and wide receiver DK Metcalf.

The Seahawks also brought in former Super Bowl MVP Cooper Kupp and veteran edge rusher DeMarcus Lawrence. The team made an even bigger splash by signing former No. 3 overall pick Sam Darnold to a three-year, $100.5 million contract.

While the move to sign Kupp has received mixed reviews, Lawrence's signing has been widely criticized. Seattle gave the former Cowboys Pro Bowler a three-year, $42 million contract with $18 million guaranteed.

Darnold and Lawrence each made Pro Football Network's list of the worst NFL free agent contracts. PFN praised Darnold but doesn't view him as a long-term upgrade over Smith after just one productive NFL season.

"Entering free agency, the Seahawks had the most picks in the top 100 (five) and the fewest cap commitments for 2026," wrote PFN's Sterling Xie. "That suggested a team prepared to reload through the draft and begin a short-term rebuild. Instead, Seattle is making moves that could keep it stuck in the middle of the pack -- possibly with a lower floor than in recent years with Smith."

Whether you love or hate the move to bring in Darnold, there was a clear need at quarterback after moving Smith. While a similar argument can be made about adding an edge rusher, PFN felt the Seahawks were a little too generous in giving Lawrence $42 million.

"Most veteran pass rushers, including Haason Reddick, Khalil Mack, and Joey Bosa, had to settle for one-year deals," explained Xie. "The glaring exception was DeMarcus Lawrence, who turns 33 in April and played only four games in 2024 due to a foot injury. Despite that, Seattle gave him a deal worth up to $14 million per year."

The Seahawks haven't received much praise for their free agency activity thus far, but it's best to wait until the draft is over to fairly assess the team's offseason decisions.

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