During the Seattle Seahawks’ golden era in the 2010s, there were a core group of players who lifted the franchise to the NFL mountaintop.

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Legion of Boom legends Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor. Star quarterback Russell Wilson. The one-of-a-kind Marshawn Lynch. Stalwart linebackers Bobby Wagner and K.J. Wright. The perpetually underrated Doug Baldwin. High-end pass rushers Michael Bennett and Cliff Avril.

Those 10 players were foundational to the Seahawks’ run of success between 2012 and 2016 – which included a Super Bowl title, two conference championships, five consecutive trips to the divisional round of the playoffs and an NFC-best 56 regular-season wins over that span. And the numbers back it up: During that five-year run, those were the 10 Seahawks who provided the most Approximate Value (a stat that attempts to measure the overall value of a player).

With the Pete Carroll era now in the rearview mirror, new head coach Mike Macdonald will be looking to guide Seattle back to its perch among the NFL’s elite. Who will be the next franchise cornerstones Macdonald and his staff build around?

First, let’s define a franchise cornerstone as a player who performs at or near a Pro Bowl level for the same team over an extended period of time. So for the purpose of this exercise, it’s not necessarily looking at which players will be the best in 2024. Rather, it’s an attempt to forecast which players are most likely to be key pieces a few years down the road (which is why Tyler Lockett, though still a skilled receiver, isn’t on this list).

In other words, here’s one way to look at it: If the Seahawks are contending for a Super Bowl in 2026 or 2027, who will be the Pro Bowl-caliber players anchoring those teams?

Of course, under that scenario, some of those players aren’t yet on the roster. If Macdonald builds a legitimate contender in Seattle, that almost certainly would include some big-time contributions from future draft picks and future free-agent signings.

But invariably, at least some of those future franchise cornerstones are already here. Who will they end up being? Here are the top 16 candidates, separated into five tiers. All contract information is according to Over the Cap.

Tier 1: The blue-chip prospects

• CB Devon Witherspoon (age 23, signed through 2026)

Witherspoon is a no-brainer to top this list. Coming off a sensational rookie campaign last year, the former No. 5 overall pick has the makings of a budding superstar. As a rookie, he was Pro Football Focus’ sixth-highest-graded cornerback. He showcased his wide-ranging skill set all over the field, totaling 16 pass breakups, eight tackles for loss and three sacks. And with his unique versatility and sharp football IQ, he’s a perfect match for Macdonald’s scheme. He looks primed to excel in Seattle’s defense for years to come.

• DT Byron Murphy II (age 21, signed through 2027)

Murphy was the first draft pick of the Macdonald era, going No. 16 overall as the second defensive player off the board in April’s draft. Described by one analyst as a “muscular ball of explosiveness,” the 6-foot-1, 297-pound Murphy was a game-wreaking force at Texas who totaled five sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss last season, while posting the highest PFF pass-rush grade among all interior defensive linemen in the FBS. The rookie gives Macdonald a potential big-time disruptor up front for the foreseeable future.

• WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba (age 22, signed through 2026)

After an up-and-down rookie season, Smith-Njigba excelled this spring and looks like a prime breakout candidate in new offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb’s passing attack. The former No. 20 overall pick showed his superstar potential at Ohio State, where he finished as the third-leading receiver in FBS in 2021, capped by a record-setting 347 receiving yards in the Rose Bowl. With Lockett set to turn 32 in this fall and DK Metcalf’s long-term future uncertain, Smith-Njigba could be a No. 1 receiver sooner rather than later.

Tier 2: Strong candidates

• DL Leonard Williams (age 30, signed through 2026)

After coming over in a midseason trade last October, the 6-foot-5, 300-pound Williams made an immediate impact with four sacks and nine tackles for loss in 10 games with Seattle. The Seahawks then re-signed him to a three-year, $64.5 million contract in March, illustrating what a major piece he is in their future plans. The only thing keeping Williams from being in Tier 1 is his age. That being said, plenty of defensive linemen have continued to produce well into their 30s.

• EDGE Uchenna Nwosu (age 27, signed through 2026)

Nwosu had a career-high 9.5 sacks in his first season with Seattle in 2022, earning him a three-year, $45 million contract extension. His absence was certainly felt last year, when he missed most of the season with a torn pectoral muscle. In the 11 games he missed, the Seahawks allowed 1.1 more yards per pass attempt and 1.5 more yards per carry than in the six games he played. With a return to health, Nwosu figures to play a key role in Macdonald’s defense for at least the next several years.

• EDGE Boye Mafe (age 25, signed through 2025)

After playing mostly in a reserve role as a rookie, Mafe exploded onto the scene with a second-year breakout last fall. The 2022 second-round pick recorded a team-high nine sacks, including a franchise-record seven consecutive games with a sack
– which made him just the third player in NFL history to accomplish that feat within his first two seasons. He also led the team with 16 quarterback hits, tied for second on the team with nine tackles for loss and added six pass breakups and a forced fumble. His future looks very bright.

Tier 3: Will they stay long-term?

• WR DK Metcalf (age 26, signed through 2025)

If Metcalf signs a third contract with Seattle, he’d certainly be one of the cornerstones this team builds around. He has reached the 1,000-yard receiving mark in three of his five seasons and is tied for fourth in the NFL with 43 touchdown catches over that span. He has a combination of size, speed and athleticism that few other receivers possess. And with a new OC in Grubb, it’s possible that his best days are still ahead of him. The big question, of course, is how long he’ll remain in a Seahawks uniform. With receiver contracts through the roof right now, it’s unclear whether Seattle is willing to sign him to an extension. If not, the Hawks could look to trade him next offseason.

• RB Kenneth Walker III (age 23, signed through 2025)

As a rookie in 2022, Walker was one of just eight running backs in the NFL to reach the 1,000-yard rushing mark while also averaging at least 4.5 yards per carry. His stats took a slight dip last season, but he actually finished the year as PFF’s sixth-highest-graded running back. With three TDs of 60-plus yards over his first two seasons, Walker has the type of big-time explosiveness to be a top-five back in the league. The two main questions are whether he’ll be in Seattle beyond 2025 and whether he can remain healthy, which is always a concern at running back. There’s also the larger philosophical question of whether running backs are generally less valuable than other positions in today’s game, but we won’t delve into that here.

Tier 4: The wild cards

• CB Riq Woolen (age 25, signed through 2025)

As a fifth-round pick in 2022, the 6-foot-4 Woolen burst onto the scene with a spectacular rookie campaign. Using his rare combination of speed, length and athleticism, he tied for the NFL lead with six interceptions and tied for fourth with 16 pass breakups. He took a step back last year, with his struggles in run defense leading to a late-season benching. However, he still posted a PFF coverage grade that ranked No. 26 out of 229 qualified cornerbacks. If he can shore up his tackling issues and return to his rookie form, Witherspoon has major star potential.

• S Julian Love (age 26, signed through 2024)

Love came to Seattle in a trade last spring and earned his first Pro Bowl nod with the best season of his five-year career. The versatile safety totaled four interceptions, 10 pass breakups and two forced fumbles, while grading as PFF’s 23rd-best safety overall and its 11th-best safety in coverage. Love has experience playing a variety of spots in the secondary, which should make him a good match for Macdonald’s versatile defensive scheme. If he clicks in Macdonald’s defense and proves last season wasn’t a one-off, Love could re-sign and be an integral piece moving forward.

• LT Charles Cross (age 23, signed through 2025)

Cross has flashed promise since being drafted No. 9 overall in 2022, but hasn’t quite lived up to his status as a top-10 pick just yet. The 6-foot-5, 311-pounder started every game as a rookie, allowing seven sacks and ranking No. 54 out of 81 tackles in PFF grading. Last year, he allowed six sacks in 14 games and moved up to No. 38 at his position in PFF grading. However, his development was slowed by a nagging toe injury that he suffered in Week 1, which sidelined him for three games. With a return to health, this will be a big season for Cross to show he can be the long-term answer at left tackle.

• RT Abraham Lucas (age 25, signed through 2025)

The start of Lucas’ career has mirrored Cross’ in many ways. As a third-round pick out of WSU in 2022, the 6-foot-6, 322-pound Everett native had a strong rookie campaign, starting 16 games and ranking No. 39 out of 81 tackles in PFF grading. However, he suffered a knee injury in Week 1 last season and ended up playing just six games last fall. After undergoing knee surgery in January, he was sidelined for the Seahawks’ spring program and has been placed on the physically unable to perform list ahead of training camp. Lucas’ status will be one of the big storylines to follow this season. If healthy, he could be a foundational part of Seattle’s future.

• TE Noah Fant (age 26, signed through 2025)

With elite speed and quickness for his 6-foot-4, 249-pound frame, Fant has the talent to be one of the top pass-catching tight ends in the NFL. The 2019 first-round pick showed that potential in Denver, ranking sixth among tight ends with 673 receiving yards in 2020 and 10th among tight ends with 670 yards in 2021. But since Fant came over in the 2022 Russell Wilson trade, Seattle has struggled to get him the ball. He had a career-low 414 yards and no TDs on just 43 targets last year – less than half the targets he had in his 2020 and 2021 seasons with Denver. Fant was still highly effective in his limited usage, ranking third among all tight ends with 12.9 yards per catch. With a new scheme under Grubb, can the Seahawks unlock Fant’s full potential?

• DL Dre’Mont Jones (age 27, signed through 2025)

When the Seahawks inked Jones to a three-year, $51 million contract in March 2023, it represented the most expensive free-agent acquisition of the Carroll era. The 6-foot-3, 281-pounder was coming off a strong first four seasons in Denver, totaling 22 sacks and 28 tackles for loss. However, his debut season in Seattle was somewhat underwhelming – at least relative to his massive deal. Jones posted 4.5 sacks and five tackles for loss, which were both the lowest since his 2019 rookie campaign. Jones is a prime candidate to benefit from Macdonald’s versatile scheme, given his ability to play both inside and outside. Under the new coaching staff, he’ll look to make a bigger impact this fall and prove he was worth the investment.

• LB Tyrel Dodson (age 26, signed through 2024)

Dodson might be the biggest mystery on the Seahawks’ roster. As an undrafted free agent out of Texas A&M, he spent 2019 on Buffalo’s practice squad and started just five games with the Bills from 2020 through 2022. But after a teammate’s injury opened the door to a starting role last year, Dodson took the opportunity and ran with it. He started the Bills’ final 10 games last season and posted an overall PFF grade of 89.5, which made him the top-rated linebacker in the league for 2023. Was his success a small-sample-size flash in the pan, or was it a sign of things to come? Being on a one-year deal, Dodson will be looking to solidify a place in Seattle’s long-term plans.

Tier 5: The ultimate wild card

• QB Geno Smith (age 33, signed through 2025)

Smith’s long-term future with the Seahawks is the biggest question hanging over this franchise. Set to turn 34 in October, Smith is the fifth-oldest projected starting quarterback in the NFL this season. He’s entering the final year of guaranteed money in his contract and carries a salary cap hit of $38.5 million in 2025. Given his age and cost, Seattle could very well decide to move on and turn to a younger and cheaper option after this season. But what if Smith excels in Grubb’s scheme and produces at the high level he’s shown flashes of over the past two seasons? During the first eight weeks of 2022, Smith posted the second-best PFF grade among all quarterbacks. And during the final nine weeks of 2023, he posted the fifth-best grade. Could he play well enough to convince the franchise to stick with him beyond 2025? If there’s one thing Smith has shown, he can never be counted out.

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