Seattle Seahawks Face Edge-Rusher Deficit After 2026 Draft

The Seahawks concluded the 2026 NFL Draft without selecting a single edge rusher, leaving a clear vacancy at a position that anchored their 2025 Super Bowl run. The quartet that powered the pass rush—Boye Mafe, Derick Hall, DeMarcus Lawrence and Uchenna Nwosu—has been altered: Mafe departed in free agency, Hall is entering the final year of his rookie deal, Lawrence is 34 and has publicly weighed retirement, and Nwosu will be 30 by season’s end. The team therefore entered free agency with an immediate need to replace Mafe and a longer-term question mark surrounding the remaining three.

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Analyst Bryan Walters highlighted three veteran options familiar with head coach Mike Macdonald’s scheme:

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• J.J. Clowney – 12 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks in 13 games for Dallas (2025); 80.6 pass-rushing grade (PFF), 17th among edge rushers.

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• Kyle Van Noy – 4 tackles for loss and 0 sacks in 15 games for Baltimore (2025); career highs of 14 TFL and 12.5 sacks in 2024.

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• Von Miller – 9.0 sacks and 6 tackles for loss in 17 games with Washington (2025).

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A fourth name surfaced in separate reporting: Dante Fowler Jr., a former No. 3 overall pick with 58.5 career sacks, including 3.0 with Dallas (2025) and 5.0 with Washington (2024). Fowler’s size (261 lb) and experience align with the Seahawks’ desire for a “bigger edge that doesn’t get washed away against the run.”

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General manager John Schneider acknowledged the possibility of a veteran signing, replying “Yeah, we may” when asked about post-draft edge-rusher moves. Head coach Mike Macdonald praised the development of younger players, noting, “We’re really excited about those guys, and they really worked really hard last year.” Walters emphasized scheme familiarity, stating that both Clowney and Van Noy “played in Macdonald’s system” and that “the biggest thing” is acquiring “guys you’re familiar with, guys that you know, guys you can trust.”

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Analysts caution that relying on aging veterans could compromise long-term depth. Van Noy’s 2025 production (zero sacks) and Miller’s injury-laden history illustrate the risk of short-term fixes. Moreover, signing a veteran after the draft could forfeit a compensatory pick; the Seahawks are projected to receive four compensatory selections in the 2027 draft, a factor influencing timing.

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Sources differ on Lawrence’s retirement status: one report says he “considered retiring” while another lists him as an active player entering the 2026 season. Additionally, the exact number of compensatory picks remains a projection (“currently projected to receive four”) rather than a confirmed allocation. No official confirmation of any veteran signing has been released as of the article’s writing.

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• “Both can still do it,” — Bryan Walters, Seahawks Radio Network analyst

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• “When you look at Clowney last year, 8 1/2 sacks with the Cowboys. I think that might be my number one, and then two would be Kyle Van Noy. But again, both played in Macdonald’s system. I think that’s the biggest thing. Get guys you’re familiar with, guys that you know, guys you can trust.” — Bryan Walters

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• “He had 9.0 sacks last year with Washington, he played all 17 games, showed he can do it, showed he can do it without being injured,” — Bryan Walters

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• “We’re really excited about those guys, and they really worked really hard last year,” — Mike Macdonald, Seahawks head coach

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• “He wants to be a Seahawk” — Dan Viens, Seahawks Forever Podcast host

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The Seahawks appear poised to sign Dante Fowler Jr. before the compensatory-pick deadline, a move that would add veteran depth without sacrificing future draft capital. Simultaneously, the organization will monitor the development of young edge prospects Connor O’Toole, Jared Ivey and Jamie Sheriff, who could become long-term solutions if the veteran market does not yield a satisfactory contract.

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