The offseason never really feels quiet in Seattle.
It just shifts from game planning to long-term planning. That’s exactly where this next episode of The Hawks Eye is focused.
I’m joined by Corbin Smith of Emerald City Spectrum and Locked On Seahawks for a deep dive into what’s next for the Seattle Seahawks following a Super Bowl championship season.
The central question driving our conversation is simple: How wide open is Seattle’s Super Bowl window?
We’ll start there.
Is this roster built for a multi-year
run, or is the pressure already on to maximize the next 12–24 months? With a young core in place, an ascending defensive identity, and key decisions looming financially, the Seahawks aren’t navigating a rebuild they’re managing expectations at the highest level. We’ll break down whether this team is structured more like a sustainable contender or a group that needs to strike while the iron is hot.
Corbin Smith’s take on Seattle’s Super Bowl window
“I think with Sam Darnold still being a young quarterback and being under contract at a very tenable salary, and how many players they’re still going to have that are on rookie deals—even if Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Devon Witherspoon get extended this year, they’re still going to be on their rookie contracts on the values for the next couple years. So you you have to take advantage of that. That’s where the window lies more than anything.
“I would say they’ve probably got two or three years minimum where that window is going to be wide open. And if Sam Darnold continues to play at a high level, if you’ve got a franchise guy under center and you’ve got a defensive coaching mind like Mike Macdonald, a lot of the youth they have on this roster, then that window could extend wider than that. But I I think the safe bet is two or three years with the financial flexibility that they have.”
From there, we map out the offseason road ahead.
Free agency priorities. Internal extensions. Cap flexibility. Where should Seattle be aggressive, and where should they trust internal development? Every contender eventually faces the tension between retaining core contributors and preparing for the next wave. We’ll discuss how John Schneider and the front office should approach that balancing act.
We’ll also turn our attention to the draft. Even teams at the top must draft with purpose. Are the Seahawks targeting depth? Future starters? Premium positions? Corbin and I will highlight intriguing prospects who could fit both the scheme and the long-term roster vision.
Corbin Smith’s top cornerback in the NFL Draft
“My number one corner, it’s not one of the guys that’s being picked in the top 10 in all these mock drafts:Chris Johnson from San Diego State. I absolutely love this kid and he screams Mike Macdonald cornerback. He had a 16.7 passer rating against in coverage this year. That is not a typo. 16.7. Four interceptions, a boatload of pass breakups, didn’t allow a single touchdown, and oh, by the way, has a career miss tackle rate under 6%. He is a dog.
“He gets up field, hits people, very clean tackler, tough-minded, fluid athlete. I’m curious to see how he runs at the combine, but [with] Riq Woolen and Josh Jobe being free agents, that is a natural fit at pick number 32 if he’s there. I could see him being a guy that’s gone much earlier than that, especially if he tests really well in Indianapolis, but I’m a huge Chris Johnson fan.”
(Editor’s note: Johnson ran a 4.40 40-yard dash, third-fastest among tested corners, with a Relative Athletic Score of 9.67)
Finally, we examine the impact of coaching additions. Continuity matters, but evolution is just as critical. How do these staff changes shape the offense, refine the defense, and position Seattle to avoid the dreaded championship hangover?
This episode is about perspective, projection, and preparation. The Seahawks are no longer chasing legitimacy they’re defending relevance. The question isn’t whether they belong among the NFL’s elite. It’s whether they can stay there.
Join us as we break it all down.
Stay Loud. Be Proud. Go Hawks.
(Note: The interview itself is only about 45 minutes, but a software editing error led to 12 minutes of blank space, so don’t worry about that)
Video
3:48 – Seahawks’ Super Bowl window
12:15 – Offseason road map
22:12 – Intriguing Seahawks draft prospects
31:27 – Seahawks coaching staff additions
