The Seattle Seahawks have some big contract decisions coming up on their big defensive tackles. While time is on their side regarding Byron Murphy II, who isn’t even extension eligible until next offseason, this year is the last of Leonard Williams’ three-year contract. Williams confirmed that extension talks have been opened, but he didn’t go into any real details beyond that.
If you’re already antsy regarding the future of one of Seattle’s most important players, perhaps this will put you at ease.
In a guest appearance on Daily Puck Drop with Jason Puckett, longtime NFL insider Mike Garofalo indicated that a deal is imminent. How imminent? We shouldn’t be worrying about it by the time the Seahawks hang their latest Super Bowl banner.
“It is going to be a big number,” Garofalo said. “It’ll be before Week 1, I’ll put it to you like that, and it’s going to be a big number from my understanding.
“A lot of teams now are playing defenses that are really relying upon defensive tackles. The Eagles paid both of their guys [Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis] a combined $64 million per year at defensive tackle. It used to be the defensive ends were getting all the money—I mean DTs got paid along the way, but now it’s like really big money for these guys because a lot of these defenses, particularly the Eagles, rely upon these defensive tackles to create havoc up front. Same for the Seahawks and what they’re doing.”
Garofalo is referencing Jalen Carter’s $38 million/year extension, which makes him (for now) the highest paid defensive tackle in the league. Jordan Davis’ contract extension was three years for $78 million, or $26 million/year.
Williams’ existing deal is worth $64.5 million and averages out to a little bit over $21 million/year, which is a bargain given his productivity. Presumably, a big boost in pay is coming for the 32-year-old if/when that new contract is agreed to.
