The Seahawks may have lost some key free agents, but make no mistake, Mike Macdonald's roster is still among the NFL's best.
The Seattle Seahawks were praised last season for having one of the most well-rounded rosters in football.
As such, they powered their way to a Super Bowl win over the New England Patriots.
But as we know, teams coming off such a season have rosters ripe for the picking by other teams, and for Seattle, that is what happened.
Key free agents were poached, leaving Mike Macdonald's team with a few more roster holes than they woudl like. But that's football.
Armed with only four draft picks, the Seahawks can't exactly replenish what has been lost, with three of those picks in the first three rounds.
The running back room is a big question mark for most, and the receiver room could have done with another good option alongside the now highest-paid receiver in football, Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
Defensively, losing Boye Mafe, Riq Woolen, and Coby Bryant are blows, but Macdonald will be back in his system and players at his disposal to cover those losses.
But if you are a Seattle fan and are struggling to see how the franchise could possibly repeat as champs in 2026, Sports Illustrated's Matt Verderame has given you reason for hope.
“The defending champs still have elite defensive talent, an excellent tackle combo, the league’s leader in receiving yards and a proven quarterback,” Verderame wrote. “The Seahawks also have a wizard in Mike Macdonald."
That is all true.
The Seahawks will have most of the offense returning, and with new coordinator Brian Fleury, who knows how this team will transform over the duration of the offseason.
Defensively, the Seahawks under Macdonald were brutes, and I don't expect that to change too much next season.
Yes, the losses aren't ideal, but it now presents an opportunity to those lower on the depth chart to take their shot.
Make no mistake, there is still plenty to like about this Seattle team heading into the offseason. They still loom large in the Super Bowl race, despite the free agency losses.
And to me, that points to the strength of the program that Macdonald has built over the last couple of seasons.
Coaching matters, folks.
