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The Seattle Seahawks are focused on their divisional round matchup against the San Francisco 49ers. However, on the Seahawks’ squad, a couple of players have contracts that expire after the season.
Although the 2026 NFL season will feature a different Seahawks team as players seek other opportunities, CBS Sports’ Mike Renner believes Seattle will retain Coby Bryant and Rashid Shaheed due to its cap space.
Renner first shared his thoughts on why Bryant will stay in Seattle, as the player is No. 24 on CBS Sports’ free-agent ranking.
“I think [the Seahawks] can [keep Bryant],” Renner said during his Jan. 14 appearance on CBS Sports HQ. “They’re Top 5 in the NFL in cap space going forward here. He is a guy who started his career corner [and] was a collegiate corner at Cincinnati.
“So the fact that he’s played so well so quickly at safety gets you really excited about what the next few years will look like from him when he really has a lot of snaps under his belt. For Seattle, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it. They’re the No. 1 seed in the NFC. You try to bring every single player back on this team.”
Bryant had 39 solo tackles, 27 assists, and four interceptions in 15 regular-season games for the Seahawks this season, per StatMuse.
As for Shaheed, Renner explained why he believes the wideout and return man will stay in Seattle rather than test the free-agent market.
“I think [Shaheed] does [stay in Seattle],” Renner added. “I think the Seahawks will make a big push, too. Now, he hasn’t had quite the role he had in New Orleans, so maybe he wants to go somewhere where he’s featured more, but I think the role he does have there is still so valuable to this offense because they don’t have speed outside of him.
“They really don’t have a lot of guys who can get down the football field, and well, Shaheed can maybe do that better than anyone else in the NFL. So, I think even if his numbers aren’t huge in Seattle, the impact is, and Seattle should reward him for that.”
Recently, Shaheed, who arrived in a midseason trade from the New Orleans Saints, spoke about his future as free agency looms right after the Super Bowl. While he can test the market and explore his options, the Seahawks standout noted his desire to return to Seattle next season.
“I for sure do,” Shaheed told host Kay Adams on the Dec. 23 edition of “Up & Adams.” “I feel like they brought me here for a reason, and that’s to be here for a minute. That’s the goal.”
Moreover, Adams shared that she would like to see the wideout stick around with the Seahawks beyond this season, given how the two parties have fit since the trade.
“You are a free agent after the season,“ Adams added. “I’d like to see you stay there [but] I know it’s business.”
Shaheed has had 15 catches for 188 yards and scored two touchdowns in nine regular-season games for the Seahawks this season, per StatMuse. Meanwhile, as a punt returner, Shaheed is averaging 46.4 kick return yards per game and 23.3 punt return yards per game, per StatMuse.
