Leonard Williams returns to Seahawks: Contract details and grade

Leonard Williams, one of the top defensive lineman free agents entering the legal tampering period and ahead of the new league year, is officially off the market and staying put with the Seattle Seahawks after coming to terms on a contract.

It’s a three-year, $64.5 million deal, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero. 

Seattle acquired Williams from the New York Giants ahead of the trade deadline this past season to bolster their defensive line and make a playoff push in exchange for a 2024 second-round pick and a 2025 fifth-round pick. He thrived upon joining the Seahawks, but the team fell short of their ultimate goal.

Entering his age-30 campaign, the Seahawks now have Williams under contract through 2026 with an average salary of $21.5 million. Did Seattle make the right move?

Leonard Williams-Seahawks contract details, grade

Williams recorded 41 combined tackles, 11 quarterback hits, nine tackles for loss, four sacks, and a pass deflection in 10 games with the Seahawks in 2023, logging 76 percent of the team’s defensive snaps.

With rookie head coach Mike Macdonald at the helm starting in 2024, a former defensive coordinator, retaining a veteran defender like Williams who can lead by example both on the field and in the locker room is critical as he looks to establish a culture and make his mark on the team.

However, the Seahawks pigeon-holed themselves when they sent a trade package that included a second-round pick to the Giants, giving Williams the leverage in contract negotiations and putting them in a position where they had to overpay to keep him or risk losing him for nothing in free agency after sacrificing legitimate draft capital to acquire him.

Spotrac’s calculated market value projected Williams to earn $16.7 million annually in his next contract, which he easily surpassed in his new deal with Seattle.

While it cost the Seahawks a pretty penny to retain Williams, it’s a move they had to make considering his on-field efforts, role within the organization, and what they gave up to bring him to Seattle.

Seahawks-Leonard Williams contract grade: B-