Seahawks agree to three-year extension with edge rusher Derick Hall

SEATTLE — Outside linebacker Derick Hall has agreed to a three-year contract extension with the Seahawks, a league source confirmed to The Seattle Times Tuesday morning, keeping a young player for the long haul at a position facing future uncertainty.

The deal is reported to be worth up to a base of $42 million and could earn Hall as much as $46.9 million and keeps him with the Seahawks through the 2029 season. The contract includes a reported $21 million guaranteed. Contract details were first reported by ESPN and The NFL Network.

Hall is entering the final season of his rookie contract and due to make $1.993 million in 2026 on a four-year deal paying him up to $9.115 million overall. The new deal effectively means Hall is under contract for four more years at roughly $11 million per season from 2026-29.

Hall, the 37th overall pick of the 2023 draft out of Auburn and acquired with a pick obtained from Denver in the Russell Wilson trade, was a regular part of the Seahawks’ rush-end rotation in 2025, on the field for 420 snaps.

Hall had two sacks in the regular season and had another two in the postseason, both in Seattle’s 29-13 win over the Patriots in the Super Bowl. His sacks included one that forced a fumble by New England quarterback Drake Maye recovered by teammate Bryon Murphy II that led to the Seahawks’ first touchdown on a reception by A.J. Barner early in the fourth quarter that sparked a 29-13 win over the New England Patriots.

The other was a sack for a 10-yard loss on New England’s opening drive of the game that helped establish a tone of dominance for the Seahawks.

Hall’s performance in that game garnered some talk that he could have been considered as the MVP, an award that instead went to running back Kenneth Walker III.

Hall had a career-high eight sacks in 2024 when he played all 17 games, but he battled an oblique injury last season that caused him to miss two games in October. He also was suspended for a late-season game at Carolina because of what the league ruled an act of unnecessary roughness in a game the previous week against the Los Angeles Rams.

But if Hall’s sack totals were down last season, coach Mike Macdonald considered him a key part of the success of the defensive line and particularly a run defense that allowed the fewest yards per carry at 3.7. Hall had the 44th best overall grade of 119 edge defenders last season from Pro Football Focus and was 31st against the run.

Hall’s signing comes two months after the Seahawks saw rush end Boye Mafe sign a three-year deal worth up to a reported $60 million with the Bengals.

It had long been viewed as unlikely the Seahawks would be able to keep Mafe and Hall, but the departure of Mafe appeared to make it even more of a priority to get a deal done with Hall. And instead of waiting for Hall to reach free agency after he 2026 season, Seattle was able to get a deal wrapped up before the offseason.

Hall’s new money average of $14 million per year ranks 33rd in average annual salary among edge rushers, according to OvertheCap.com. Mafe, who was the 49th overall pick of the 2022 draft and turns 28 in November, ranks 21st on a deal he got from the Bengals after making two sacks for the Seahawks last season. Mafe got a reported $19 million guaranteed.

Hall’s re-signing assures that the Seahawks keep a young player — Hall turned 25 in March — at a position where Seattle has some long-term questions.

If the season began today, the top four edge rushers would likely be Hall along with DeMarcus Lawrence, Uchenna Nwosu and recently signed free agent Dante Fowler Jr., who the Seahawks brought in after not taking an edge rusher in the draft.

Lawrence has two years remaining on his contract, but he turned 34 in April and at this stage of his career appears to be on a year-to-year basis in terms of continuing to play.

While there was one report that Lawrence could be considering retirement this year, Lawrence last week began taking part in Organized Team Activities and told the team’s website that he had not really considered retiring saying the chances of doing that had been “very slim.”

Nwosu, who turns 30 in December, is entering the final season of his contract, while Fowler, who turns 32 in August, is on a one-year deal.

Defensive tackle Leonard Williams also turns 32 in June and has one year left on his deal, while defensive tackle Jarran Reed, who turns 34 in December, has two years remaining on his contract but with no guaranteed money beyond this season.

Hall becomes the second member of the Seahawks’ 2023 draft class — who are all eligible for contact extensions — to agree to a new deal with the team this offseason.

The first was receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, the 20th overall selection who signed a four-year, $168.6 million extension in March making him the highest-paid receiver in NFL history.

The question now becomes if the Seahawks will get a deal done with their top pick in that class — cornerback Devon Witherspoon, who was selected fifth overall.

A recent ESPN report stated that the team and Witherspoon “do not appear to be close” on a new deal.

Witherspoon is likely shooting for a deal that would match if not surpass the $31 million per season the Rams are giving Trent McDuffie, who is the highest-paid corner in the NFL.

Witherspoon has been attending OTAs despite the lack of a new deal, though the Seahawks did pick up an option on his contract for the 2027 season.

Another top cornerback from the class of 2023 — New England’s Christian Gonzalez — is reportedly not attending OTAs as he aims for a contract extension. Gonzalez was the 17th overall pick of the 2023 draft.

Witherspoon and Gonzalez each are represented by the same agency — the WIN Sports Group.