'Ham and Cheese

Seahawks fans rank Abraham Lucas as Seattle's most important 2026 free agent

This week I asked Seahawks fans to grade their 2026 free agent priorities by rating the importance of keeping Seattle’s top six players in a contract year. Aside from one obvious “YES” and one obvious “NO”, the other four were closely peanut butter and jammed in the middle.

Despite Abraham Lucas missing 62% of the Seahawks games in the past two seasons with chronic knee problems, the importance of the offensive line — and Seattle’s failing efforts to invest in a good one — made the right tackle the right player to win this race.

You want your ‘Ham to get his cheese.

I averaged out the scores of all six players and Lucas led the way as the clear priority for most fans here with a 4.01 out of 5.00.

• 39% of you gave Lucas a 5/5, which is more than double the next-closest free agent’s percentage of 5s

• 36% of you gave Lucas a 4/5, which was also the highest percentage of 4s

• Only one person gave Noah Fant either a 5 or a 4 and I know for a fact that Noah Fant’s dad is at least aware of Seaside Joe, I’ll just leave it at that

Here are your priorities for the Seahawks top-6 free agents and what their next contracts might look like.

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Seahawks 2026 free agent priority order

Speaking of Seaside Joe subscribers, here is how YOU ranked Seattle’s top-6 unrestricted free agents:

RT Abe Lucas: 4.01

The highest-paid right tackles make $28 million per season but even the ones who are often called mediocre (Jawaan Taylor, Tytus Howard) make $19-$20 million per season. If Lucas gets to 2026 free agency with just a partly-clean bill of health there is likely to be at least a couple of teams willing to take the risk $18 to $24 million per season on a free agent contract.

Based on recent overpays for the likes of Taylor and Mike McGlinchey, I see no other way around it:

If Lucas is worth anything, then he’s worth $20+ million per season.

If something happens to change that — aka he misses 10+ games again — then why would the Seahawks keep treading the same path with him?

But the answers from you were crystal clear that at this time when Lucas says that he’s ready to start training camp as healthy as he can be, Seattle’s top free agent priority is their third round tackle from 2022 who has thus far outplayed their top-10 tackle in the same class; at least, when he has played, which is not very often.

OLB Boye Mafe: 3.46

While Lucas was the obvious #1 priority, Mafe ended up as a semi-clear #2:

• 35% of 4/5 votes, which was decently more than Kenneth Walker and Tariq Woolen

• Lowest percentage of 2/5 votes between the three of them

• Only a couple of you think Mafe is no priority whatsoever

Like tackles, edges are often also paid more than you would assume based on a general amount of awareness of who they are until the contract numbers hit. For example, Andrew Van Ginkel signed with the Vikings last year after a decent-but-understated career with the Dolphins, and he just got an extension that pays him $23 million in 2026 because he had 11.5 sacks.

Montez Sweat was no more productive than Boye Mafe prior to signing a contract that pays $24.5 million per year after being traded to the Bears.

So Mafe hasn’t had the type of season yet that would pay him at the Brian Burns or Josh Hines-Allen level ($28 million) but like Lucas his minimum is probably $18 million and that’s WITHOUT knowing if he goes off this season.

If the Seahawks keep the top two free agent priorities on this list, it could cost a minimum of $36 million per season with a ceiling of $56 million per season. Splitting the difference comes to $46 million per season and the guaranteed-at-signing number would probably be about $80 million combined.

In other words, if the Seahawks have to choose between Lucas and Mafe, and we’re assuming that both have had really good seasons, the needle clearly points to the offensive tackle and not the edge rusher.

But if Lucas has another setback in his injury recovery, Mafe is a decent fallback option as far as what to do with the money not being spent there.

RB Kenneth Walker: 3.19

We talked about Walker’s litany of injuries on Tuesday, but despite those and the nature of his position, he was cited as a higher priority than either of Seattle’s two defensive backs in a contract year.

Here’s where picking up Charles Cross’s fifth-year option and potentially extending Lucas and/or Mafe before free agency could really come in handy with regards to keeping Walker:

Kenneth Walker would be an ideal franchise tag candidate

If the Seahawks fear a long-term commitment to a running back, the tag is the best way to keep Walker in 2026 if he has a career year.

The projected number for a 2026 franchise tag to a running back is $14.1 million and while that sounds like a lot right now, it’s only because Walker had 500 rushing yards in 2024. This is assuming that Walker vaults himself into the “top-5” conversation, in which case if he does then $14 million is less than the guaranteed amount that Walker would get on any extension or free agent deal.

Ideally there would be an extension if he’s really good but if Walker isn’t worth a franchise tag, he’s probably not worth keeping at all.

CB Tariq Woolen: 3.04

Woolen got the highest percentage of “3/5” votes and that’s essentially also what his final score was, making him the fourth biggest priority out of the six on this list.

Just like Walker and Mafe, Seahawks fans want some proof on the field that Woolen can be a consistent force worth keeping around another 3-4 years after this one.

Although the pay ceiling for a cornerback isn’t quite as high as tackles and edge rushers, surprisingly Woolen’s AAV floor is probably higher than Lucas and Mafe: At this point if the NFL thinks you’re a starting outside cornerback, they’re willing to give you $18 million per season.

Corners that many fans are unfamiliar with like Christian Benford and Deommodore Lenoir check in right under $18 million, while even former Seahawk D.J. Reed just got $16 AAV from the Lions, which ranks 19th at the position.

There’s little chance that if Woolen hits free agency in 2026 — and he wasn’t benched or injured in 2025 — that he would get anything less than Carlton Davis, Paulson Adebo, or Byron Murphy, all of whom make $18 million.

What is more important for the Seahawks:

• Keep a CORNER for $20m AAV

• Keep an EDGE for maybe $24m AAV

• Keep a RT for roughly $26m AAV (if Lucas is healthy)

Let’s say the decision really does come down to those numbers…keeping all three seems unlikely, and a corner might actually be more important to Mike Macdonald than an edge rusher. But only if he’s living up to expectations.

Coby Bryant: 2.89

With all the numbers I’ve shared above, it’s hard to imagine this is a very good situation for Bryant, even if he’s better in 2025 than he was in 2024. And Bryant was really good in 2024.

Former 49ers safety Talanoa Hufanga, who I would say Bryant is more likely to be compared to in value than a Budda Baker, signed with the Broncos for $13 million AAV. Grant Delpit and Jalen Thompson are at $12, followed by Julian Love at $11.

If Bryant starts 17 games, as 4-5 interceptions, plays relatively good defense, at minimum he’s probably looking at $10 million AAV, up to $15 million.

When you’re Mike Macdonald, the ulimate “safety creator” with a history that includes Kyle Hamilton and Geno Stone, and you’ve just drafted Nick Emmanwori and extended Love, are you going to pay S3 an eight-figure salary? There seems to be more working against a Bryant extension than for it.

Noah Fant: 1.22

Yikes!

Your recommendations were not ignored

I just want to alleviate any concerns you might have had that last week’s content recommendations were all for naught. Seaside Jay and Seaside Joe binge-watched Dept. Q on Netflix, the most recommended TV show in the lot, and had a great time. Thanks! Did you follow any book/movie/TV recommendations from the community? Please tell us!

Seaside Joe 2312