After a Super Bowl triumph, the Seahawks must decide if this explosive receiver's breakout performance warrants a major payday, potentially sparking a bidding war.
After hoisting the Vince Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl LX, the Seattle Seahawks now face an offseason full of decisions, both in retaining key contributors and targeting free agents who can keep the franchise at the top of the league.
One of the biggest roster questions surrounds Rashid Shaheed, the dynamic wide receiver and return specialist who has quickly become an impact player for Seattle.
Shaheed’s value to the Seahawks became immediately clear after Seattle acquired him from the New Orleans Saints at the trade deadline during the 2025 campaign. He brought explosive speed and playmaking ability to Seattle’s offense, turning heads as a vertical threat capable of stretching defenses downfield.
In a recent article by Clutchpoints' Ben Strauss, he outlines three guys who he thinks the Seahawks should focus on in free agency. And one of them is Shaheed, a guy who he thinks would be a very important player to retain.
"One of Seattle's advantages over other teams is their strong special teams unit. That includes Shaheed as a returner," Strauss writes. "Shaheed has a market value of $14.13 million, which should make his next contract the biggest payday in his professional career. That is an acceptable price for Seattle to pay on a short-term contract. But I don't think they should want to pay much more than that."
Given the impact he has had in a relatively short time, keeping Shaheed in Seattle’s fold this offseason should be a priority.
Shaheed had a career year in 2025 with career-highs in quite a few categories. He only had a pair of touchdowns, but he racked up 687 yards on just 59 receptions, showing that he is one of the best chunk play guys in the league.
Being with the Saints for most of his career so far, that means Shaheed crossed paths with former Seattle OC and current Las Vegas Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak. And he could be a threat to the Seahawks when it comes to signing the speedy receiver.
"One concern is the departure of Klint Kubiak for Las Vegas." Strauss writes. "He knew Shaheed well from their shared time in New Orleans. That makes me wonder if Shaheed would have the same success in 2026 with Kubiak coaching elsewhere."
Not many people pay a lot of attention to special teams in the grand scheme of things, but having a guy like Shaheed returning kicks as well as catching touchdowns means he is quite the weapon.
And Seattle would love to keep that weapon if they can.