INDIANAPOLIS — The Seattle Seahawks are on the auction block, but you wouldn’t know it from walking the halls of the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine. General Manager John Schneider stood before a packed media scrum Tuesday and delivered a clear directive from team chair Jody Allen: build the roster to win right now.
Despite the Paul G. Allen estate initiating the formal process to sell the franchise, Schneider insists the front office holds a green light for free agency and draft maneuvering. When pressed on whether the impending multi-billion dollar transaction would freeze Seattle’s budget, Schneider shut down the speculation with a flat denial.
The Ownership Question Mark
The Seahawks operate in a unique holding pattern. The trust mandate requires the team’s eventual sale, a transaction that could take months to finalize. Schneider admitted he has “no idea” if Jody Allen will still hold the keys to the franchise when the 2026 season kicks off in September.
For now, the marching orders remain simple. Allen recently told Schneider to “go for it” and attack the offseason with typical aggression. The front office will evaluate talent, scout the combine, and spend capital without waiting for a new billionaire to sign the checks.
“Business as usual.”
— John Schneider, Seahawks General Manager
Darnold’s Future Remains Locked
Sam Darnold revitalized his career in Seattle after signing a massive three-year, $100.5 million contract in the 2025 offseason. He enters 2026 with a hefty $37.9 million cap hit and $17.5 million of his salary already fully guaranteed as of mid-February.
Darnold carries consecutive Pro Bowl nods, a resume that usually triggers extension talks. Geno Smith’s camp pushed for a new deal under similar circumstances in the summer of 2024. Schneider declined Smith then, and he is applying the same brakes to Darnold now.
When asked about initiating contract discussions with Darnold’s representatives, Schneider offered a blunt assessment.
“Sam signed a three-year deal.”
— John Schneider, Seahawks General Manager
The message rings loud. The Seahawks will let Darnold play through his guaranteed money rather than tear up the contract for long-term security. Schneider wants to maintain future cap flexibility.
The 2023 Draft Class Wants the Bank
The real financial puzzle involves Seattle’s 2023 first-round picks. Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Devon Witherspoon just wrapped their third NFL seasons, making them eligible for massive rookie contract extensions. The Seahawks face a May 1 deadline to exercise fifth-year options that would lock in fully guaranteed 2027 salaries: roughly $24.3 million for Smith-Njigba and $20.7 million for Witherspoon.
Schneider confirmed extensions for the duo are part of the planning process, though he left the timeline vague. The eventual price tags will sting.
Smith-Njigba recently went on record seeking a deal that surpasses Ja’Marr Chase’s four-year, $161 million benchmark to become the NFL’s highest-paid receiver. Witherspoon boasts an equally dominant resume and will likely target the four-year, $120.4 million standard set by Sauce Gardner before his blockbuster trade to the Indianapolis Colts last season.
Playoff Implications / What’s Next
Schneider’s refusal to extend Darnold gives Seattle a crucial financial parachute down the road, but it places immense pressure on the 2026 campaign. The Seahawks must navigate a brutal NFC West with a quarterback effectively playing out a heavy-cap bridge deal. If Darnold regresses, Seattle can pivot in 2027. If he thrives, the price of keeping him will skyrocket just as Smith-Njigba and Witherspoon demand market-resetting money.
Seattle’s front office must structure any imminent extensions carefully. A new ownership group will eventually inherit this roster. Schneider is building a contender for today, but he is writing checks a future owner will have to cash.
