The reigning Super Bowl-champion Seahawks have made their first significant dip into the outside free agent pool this offseason, agreeing to a one-year deal worth up to $5 million with Dante Fowler, per NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero.
Fowler, who will turn 32 a month before the season begins, had three sacks for the Cowboys last season while playing on just under one-third of Dallas’ defensive snaps. One year earlier with the Commanders, he had one of the most productive years of his career, notching 10.5 sacks. He has 58.5 career sacks across 10 NFL seasons, spent with the Jaguars, Rams, Falcons, Cowboys (two stints) and Commanders.
The Seahawks have had a quiet offseason since their Super Bowl LX triumph over the Patriots. They brought back wide receiver/returner Rashid Shaheed on a three-year, $51 million deal and cornerback Josh Jobe on a three year, $24 million deal but had not brought in any outside free agents on deals worth more than $2 million until Fowler on Tuesday.
Seattle also lost Super Bowl MVP running back Kenneth Walker III (Chiefs), EDGE Boye Mafe (Bengals), safety Coby Bryant (Bears) and cornerback Tariq Woolen (Eagles), all key contributors from their title squad, in free agency.
Seattle still has significant cap space — roughly $32 million before the Fowler deal, per Over The Cap — but are also seventh in active cap spending. With massive extensions to Jaxon Smith-Njigba (already signed) and Devon Witherspoon (almost certainly on the way) kicking in soon, the Seahawks have taken a measured approach when it comes to committing significant financial capital multiple years into the future.
How Dante Fowler fits into the Seahawks’ plans
Seattle overwhelmed opponents not just with top-end defensive front talent, but with depth in that area, too. Ten different players registered at least 70 pass-rush snaps, led by defensive line stalwarts Leonard Williams and Byron Murphy II. On the outside, Demarcus Lawrence, Uchenna Nwosu, Derick Hall and Mafe could all wreak havoc.
With Mafe gone, the Seahawks had an open spot to fill out pass-rush rotation, and Fowler is, for now, the likely answer. He only had three sacks last year, but his 13% pressure rate wasn’t half bad — above average among the defensive ends/outside linebackers who had at least 200 pass rush snaps last year, and actually just above Mafe’s rate. Plus, Fowler had a 14.1% pressure rate in 2024 and a 19.3% pressure rate in 2023. Given Mike Macdonald’s talent designing and calling defensive plays and the immense talent around him, Fowler should fit in as yet another productive depth pass rusher.
