As things stand now, the Seattle Seahawks only have Connor O'Toole and DeMarcus Lawrence signed beyond 2026 in their pass-rushing department. More worryingly, Boye Mafe is an unrestricted free agent.
While not the most prominent name set to test free agency, Mafe has proven to be a serviceable, hard-hitting headhunter who's going to put pressure at the line of scrimmage. He's also projected to be available at a reasonable rate, and that spells trouble for general manager John Schneider.
In a contract projection column, Gilberto Manzano of Sports Illustrated predicted that Mafe would sign with either the Philadelphia Eagles or the Kansas City Chiefs. He's expected to get a two-year, $24 million contract.
The Seattle Seahawks can't afford to lose Boye Mafe
A former second-round pick, Mafe has been a consistent contributor to the defense since he entered the league four years ago. He took a back seat last season and only started four games, but he still played in all 17 games and logged 31 total tackles (11 solo), five passes defended, four tackles for loss, four QB hits, and 2.0 sacks.
Despite not starting, Mafe still ranked 11th in batted passes (2) and had a career-high 40 QB hurries, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). He missed just 5.6 percent of his tackles after missing 17.6 percent in 2023 and 20.5 percent last season.
DeMarcus Lawrence is reportedly considering retirement, and even though money shouldn't be an issue for a Seahawks team that has $58 million in available salary cap, there aren't many options available right now.
Of course, going after guys like Trey Hendrickson might be tempting, and the Seahawks have the money to pull it off, but he had just 4.0 sacks last season and is already 31. Other big names, like Khalil Mack, Haason Reddick, or Joey Bosa, are also way past their prime.
There's also a chance that they can re-ignite their interest in trading for Maxx Crosby, but again, they wouldn't be alone in that pursuit. There are just too many outside factors they can't control, but they can control their relationship with their own guy, their free agent, who just won a Super Bowl in Seattle.
The Seahawks are only going to have four draft picks, and the chances of landing a starting-caliber edge rusher by the time they're on the clock are pretty slim. If only for no better alternatives, they just can't afford to let Boye Mafe seriously consider leaving in free agency.