Predicting the 2026 season, how will the Seahawks fare as defending champions?

One of my favorite things heading into the 2025 NFL season was how vastly underrated the Seahawks were nationally.

Things that seem laughable now --- like the trades of certain players--- were held against this team by the so-called experts and even the folks in Las Vegas who seem to know those odds.

But they didn't this time. Not by a longshot.

Because the Seahawks were projected by the oddsmakers to win just seven games in 2025.

Yes, 7.

They doubled it in the regular season and of course won 17 total en route to winning the Super Bowl.

This time around, while not nearly as egregious, the prognosticators nationally are much more infatuated with the L.A. Rams because of their additions this offseason.

Newsflash: That doesn't automatically make you better than the defending champs.

The Seahawks, to us in the Pacific Northwest, feel forgotten in our corner of the country.

Make no mistake, the Rams are tough as they come. The 49ers, I feel, will rebound from their injury-laden season and the NFC is always loaded with powerful teams including but not limited to Philadelphia, Detroit, Chicago and more.

But nobody's won a Super Bowl in September and there's a long journey to go before anyone can be crowned.

Let's dive into what can go right, wrong and predictions for this team.

I mean, do I really have to explain?

Are there concerns? Sure, this team is not exactly how it was in 2025

Repeating as Super Bowl champs is something that's just so incredibly difficult.

We'll talk in a minute about how there are things to monitor on both offense and defense.

But there's so much to still like about this team.

The offense could be even better, now impossible to know how new offensive coordinator Brian Fleury's scheme fits with this team, but I expect Rashid Shaheed to make a jump and the receiving room as a whole to be stronger. The offensive line is solid and in the cases of some of their guys a year older and wiser while still in their prime.

I think the running back room is vastly underrated. I was a huge Kenneth Walker III fan, but I think the room is even deeper now when Zach Charbonnet returns.

The defensive line is the scariest in football, quite frankly.

Yes, I know about Myles Garrett and the return of Aaron Donald.

But I also know how the Seahawks use their front four and how often times, they don't even have to blitz to generate enough pressure to force sacks or bad throws.

I love the corners; I love the linebackers.

I believe in this team and have since late in the 2024 season.

Avoid the major pitfall that we'll touch on next, and I think this is another excellent season. Even something a little less than last year's regular season could vault this team and their playoff experience to new heights.

The injury bug hits.

Now, that's true of any team that ever stepped on the field. But the Seahawks have hit some real adversity before the first snap of 2026 even takes hold.

Bud Clark and Jake Bobo lost for the season. Zach Charbonnet starting the season on the IR with Nick Emmanwori also on the mend.

The Seahawks are a deep team, but everyone has a limit to their depth.

The health of this team will be key, obviously. Now there's opportunities that come with this--look at how well Ty Okada played in the absence of Julian Love last year---but my number one concern for the team this year is health.

Another thing to note- The Seahawks did lose some real talent in the free agent market.

I felt like Coby Bryant was the biggest loss at safety, Riq Woolen was a freak at 6'4" running a 4.2 40 yard dash.

Now, it's on other guys to fill those spots and some of those guys are on the mend (Emmanwori, and Ty Okada who as of Monday has not practiced yet this week)

There's something to be said for the adjustment whether it's a new player in town or a veteran in a new role.

So, I think we would be remiss if we didn't talk about those departures. Yes, the Seahawks did add depth via the draft and free agency in the secondary, especially but also at running back.

But, I suppose, you never quite know until you line 'em up and play on Sunday Wednesday.

The Seahawks went 13- 4 last year, I go down one game, not because of anything with this team specifically, just simply because by winning the division last year they now have to face other divisional champs. The schedule is certainly in the top five in the NFL.

But I think the Seahawks will fare well. I don't care what the experts think.

I don't care that much about stats when it comes to this.

I think it's silly to do a game-by-game prediction in September because teams will look and feel so much different in December than they do now.

I make predictions based on feel, the vibe I'm getting from a team. Because in the pros, the talent level is just so close from worst to first. To me, there has to be a separator for the elite teams to get ahead of everyone else.

And there's one thing about this team that is so unique and special.

The connectiveness.

Is that coach speak? No. This is what we saw last year when Sam Darnold threw four picks against the Rams and Ernest Jones IV dropped some f-bombs to defend him.

The Seahawks haven't lost since.

This is the Rams taking a 30-14 4th quarter lead at Lumen Field in December, and the Seahawks rallying for the 38-37 win.

This is beating the 49ers in two straight games, one to win the NFC West and the other to advance to the NFC Championship.

I feel the "Hard Knocks" show on HBO did a great job highlighting just how close-knit this team is. That's not to say other teams aren't -- it's just --- a vibe you get when you're at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.

And, the Darkside Defense is still lights out. The offense is loaded with playmakers. Mike Macdonald is one of the brightest minds, yet down-to-earth leaders, I've ever met.

In a league with so much parity, the Seahawks have the elusive separator.

They're special.

And while so much adversity can get in the way, I believe this team is uniquely built to handle it and make another deep run.