NFL free agency is almost set to begin, and we're keeping track of every major signing, trade and release of the 2025 offseason, with analysis from our NFL Nation reporters and grades from our experts. The new league year begins March 12 at 4 p.m. ET, and free agent signings can then become official. The first round of the 2025 NFL draft begins April 24 on ESPN.
After agreeing to trade both starting quarterback Geno Smith (Raiders) and star wide receiver DK Metcalf (Steelers), the Seahawks are looking to re-tool their offense. On defense, they have re-signed Ernest Jones IV, according to sources.
Here's a breakdown of every 2025 NFL free agent signing by the Seattle Seahawks and how each will impact the upcoming season:
Sam Darnold, QB
Darnold agreed to a three-year, $100.5 million contract with the Seahawks, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.
What it means: The Seahawks have their replacement for Geno Smith, whom they traded to the Raiders for the 92nd overall pick on Friday. Schefter reports that Darnold will get $55 million guaranteed. Exactly how much of that is fully guaranteed will determine whether the Seahawks are truly tied to Darnold for two years or whether they'd have a realistic out next offseason should he regress in 2025 to his previous level of play.
But for now, the Smith-Darnold swap could be viewed this way: Seattle got younger and cheaper at quarterback while picking up a third-round pick in the process. But will they be better?
What's the risk: The Seahawks are making a big bet that new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak can do what Kevin O'Connell did last season in Minnesota -- coax Pro Bowl-level play out of a quarterback who had been a disappointment to that point as a former No. 3 overall pick. Under O'Connell's guidance, Darnold ranked 14th in QBR after ranking 39th over his first six seasons. While he no longer has O'Connell, he will have familiarity with Kubiak, who coached him in 2023 with the 49ers. He also has a top-10 defense to support him, though none of that will matter unless the Seahawks can beef up their offensive line.
Cooper Kupp, WR
Kupp agreed to a three-year, $45 million contract with Seahawks.
What it means: The drastic makeover to the Seahawks' wide receiver corps may not be complete, but now that group has something it was missing -- a proven veteran to pair with Jaxon Smith-Njigba at the top of the pecking order. Because while free-agent addition Marquez Valdes-Scantling is a big-bodied vertical threat who can replace some of what DK Metcalf gave Seattle, he looks like more of a replacement for Tyler Lockett as the third option. Kupp projects as the No. 2, with a proven track record of WR1 production. That's a nice start in terms of arming new quarterback Sam Darnold with threats in the passing game.
What's the risk: That depends on how much of Kupp's deal is guaranteed and whether the reported value of $45 million includes escalators and/or incentives. Any team signing the 31-year-old receiver would want to build in some financial protection in light of the recent run of injuries that have limited him to 33 games since his historically prolific season in 2021. Depending on the true financial commitment the Seahawks are making with Kupp, his addition may not stop them from spending an early pick on a receiver. Either way, between their need at the position, Kupp's track record and his Washington roots, a return to his home state almost made too much sense to not happen.
Josh Jones, OT
Jones agreed to a one-year deal with the Seahawks.
What it means: As the Seahawks work to upgrade one of the starting spots in the interior of their offensive line, they've addressed one of their other needs up front. In Jones, Seattle has a new swing tackle to replace George Fant, and he may be more than that given his versatility. A 2020 third-round pick, Jones has started 24 games over five seasons, with 780 snaps at left tackle, 610 at right guard, 262 at right tackle and 63 at left guard. This isn't the splash O-line signing that Seahawks fans have been clamoring for, but you don't have to look further than last season -- when Seattle cycled through three right tackles until Abraham Lucas was ready -- to understand the importance of the role Jones will fill.
What's the risk: It's a one-year deal for up to $4.75 million, according to the NFL Network. That figure is believed to include incentives, meaning Seattle will likely pay Jones less unless he's pressed into extensive action. If nothing else, this signing is all but guaranteed to work out better than that of Fant, who made $5 million last season for a total of 30 snaps.
Ernest Jones IV, LB
The Seahawks re-signed Jones to a three years, $28.5 million contract.
What it means: With Jarran Reed also agreeing to a deal earlier Sunday, the Seahawks' top two free agents are both coming back, as are most of the key pieces from what was a top 10 defense last season. Jones helped transform that group after arriving in a midseason grade, keying a turnaround against the run while taking over as the signal-caller.
Re-signing Jones was a no-brainer, between the fourth-round pick the Seahawks gave up to get him, the immediate impact he had, the importance of middle linebackers in Mike Macdonald's defense and how much he wanted to return to Seattle after being traded twice in two months. The Seahawks got it done, and did so at a reasonable price.
What's the risk: Jones had knee surgery after the season, though it was described by his agent as a cleanup procedure to fix an issue that had bothered him for more than a year. And as Jones pointed out, that didn't stop him from helping turn around Seattle's defense while playing in all 10 games after his October arrival.
He's only 25 with a track record of being fairly durable over four NFL seasons, and his contract is reasonable. A deal for more than $10 million per season didn't seem out of the question, but Jones' base average comes in at $9.5 million. He got $15 million guaranteed and can make another $4.5 million in incentives and escalators. That brings the max value to $33 million.
Jarran Reed, DT
Reed re-signed with the Seahawks on a three years, $22 million deal.
What it means: The Seahawks are bringing back a key piece of their defensive line, which was a strength in 2024. Reed remained a productive player even as he turned 32 in December, registering 4.5 sacks, five tackles for loss and 15 QB hits while playing the second-most snaps (680) of any Seattle defensive lineman. Reed is the last remaining link to the Seahawks' Legion of Boom era under Pete Carroll. The fact that Macdonald wants to keep Reed -- with a nice raise, no less -- shows he's the type of player and leader that can transcend a coaching change and a scheme shift. One of Carroll's guys is now one of Macdonald's.
What's the risk: There is obvious risk in paying older players. The Seahawks are giving Reed a raise from the $4.5 million average of his last deal and guaranteeing him $10 million as he heads into his age-33 season. However, he's been remarkably durable, missing only one game due to injury over the last seven years. Recommitting to Reed also could make it harder for Byron Murphy II, last year's 16th overall pick, to take on a bigger role after his solid but unspectacular rookie season. Macdonald likes a deep D-line rotation and will have to find ways to get Murphy more involved.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling, WR
Valdes-Scantling agreed to a one-year deal worth up to $5.5 million.
What it means: After releasing Tyler Lockett and trading DK Metcalf, the Seahawks had some serious restocking to do in their receiver corps. This is a start. Valdes-Scantling gives them a proven veteran behind Jaxon Smith-Njigba. He also brings scheme familiarity, having spent the second half of last season in New Orleans with new Seahawks coordinator Klint Kubiak.
Valdes-Scantling (6-foot-4, 206 pounds) is a big-bodied deep threat who's averaged 17.4 yards per catch in his career. In that sense, he can give the Seahawks some of what they'll miss without Metcalf. In terms of where he'll fit in the pecking order, though, he has averaged roughly 500 receiving yards in seven seasons with a career high of 690 in 2020. So he looks like Seattle's replacement for Lockett in the No. 3 role.
What's the risk: Valdes-Scantling is 30, so there's some obvious risk in relying on an older player. But this is only a one-year deal and it almost certainly includes incentives, in which case the base value will be less than $5.5 million. And while it is fair to wonder if Valdes-Scantling has lost a bit of his 4.37 speed -- his combine 40-yard dash time in 2018 -- he did average more than 22 yards on his 17 catches in Kubiak's offense last season. Of Seattle's other returning receivers other than Smith-Njigba, only Jake Bobo (13) caught more than two passes last season.
DeMarcus Lawrence, DE
Lawrence agreed to a three-year deal with the Seahawks that includes $18 million guaranteed and a max value of $42 million.
What it means: The Seahawks are adding a four-time Pro Bowler to their defensive line in the hopes that he can still be a productive player at 33 years old. Lawrence figures to replace Dre'Mont Jones, who was released last week after playing more than 600 snaps last season, primarily on the edge. He rarely dropped into coverage during his 11 seasons in Dallas, which suggests the Seahawks will use him more like they used Jones last year as compared to outside linebackers Boye Mafe, Derick Hall and Uchenna Nwosu. Even if Nwosu returns on a reworked deal, the Seahawks needed more help on the edge, and they found it with Lawrence.
What's the risk: Lawrence turns 33 in April and is coming off a season in which he played only four games because of a foot sprain, though it's fair to wonder if he would have returned late in the season had the Cowboys been in contention for a playoff spot. He didn't miss a game in either of the previous two seasons. Lawrence's deal is worth a maximum of $42 million, suggesting there are escalators and/or incentives that make the base average less than $14 million. The Seahawks would have owed Jones $16.51 million in 2025 had they kept him. Lawrence is five years older than Jones and is coming off a down season, but he's a better and more physical player against the run than the guy he's replacing.