On their way to a Super Bowl title last season, the Seahawks got standout play and leadership from so many different players on offense, defense and special teams, but if you were looking for the group that most consistently set the tone for the team and for what ended up being the No. 1 scoring defense in the NFL, a really good argument could be made for the team's defensive front, a collection of linemen and outside linebackers who led a defense that came to be known as The Dark Side.
Heading into the 2026 season, the Seahawks should again have one of the league's best defensive fronts, a group defined by its veteran leaders. There are younger players making big contributions up front for Seattle's defense, most notably defensive tackle Byron Murphy II and outside linebacker Derick Hall, as well as second-year defensive lineman Rylie Mills, but what really stands out about that group is the collection of veteran leaders who between them have decades of experience in the NFL.
Defensive tackle Leonard Williams, who just signed a contract extension following a second-straight Pro-Bowl season, is heading into his 12th season in the league and turned 32 last month, while outside linebacker DeMarcus Lawrence, also a Pro-Bowler last season, is 34 and heading into Year 13. Defensive tackle Jarran Reed, a 2016 second-round pick of the Seahawks, is starting his 11th season at the age of 33, while new linebacker Dante Fowler Jr., a free-agent signing, is 32 and starting his 12th season in the league. That means that other than kicker Jason Myers, who is in his 12th season, Seattle's four most experienced players all play on the defensive front, and outside linebacker Uchenna Nwosu, who is starting Year 9, is just behind that group.
"They mean everything," said Hall, a player who Lawrence took under his wing early in camp last season. "I've told those guys last week, 'You cannot leave until I'm done, so you all need to figure out another 10 years in your career.' Just being able to have those guys in a room, the veteran leadership. There is nothing in this game that they haven't seen: the hardest days, the lighter days. Those are the guys you lean on when you have questions, when you have concerns about what may come up or what their opinion is right here or what do you think I could do here better, so just being able to have that veteran leadership is second to none. We have a lot of that on this team, but specifically in the D-line room, so it's second to none. Those guys are amazing."
Whether it was Hall and Lawrence forming a bond early last season, or Williams pulling guard Grey Zabel aside in camp to offer pointers in last year's camp, Seattle's veteran linemen and outside linebackers have provided invaluable leadership and mentoring on top of the playmaking they put on display on Sundays.
"That's something that should be on every team, but it's not," defensive line coach Justin Hinds said, "When you watch these guys in their craft, they're masters at what they do. Defensive line is a technique-based position, and you have to be able to be very good at this technique, but there's also a skillset that these guys have to be able to play outside of it… These guys have been different places in the league, they've played so many snaps, and they use that to help each other."
Another player benefiting from that experience in this year's camp is Mills, who missed most of his rookie season with a knee injury but was a training camp standout in part because of what he has learned from the likes of Williams and Reed.
"I think the coolest thing about having J-Reed and Leo and all those guys that have taken all those snaps, is I never feel like I'm alone if I make a mistake or if I see something," Mills said. "They have like 15,000 snaps between the two of them. It's been great. So, anytime I see something or I have a question, they've gone through it and they've dealt with it. It's been super helpful for me because I feel like they have all the answers. I'm going with them and just trying to learn as much as I can."
That selflessness shows up not just in how those players help their younger teammates, but also in how they work together on gameday. The Seahawks had one of the league's best defenses and one of the most dangerous pass-rushes last season under Mike Macdonald, but they also didn't have a single player with a double-digit sack total. Instead, three players, Murphy, Williams and Nwosu, tied for the team lead with 7.0 sacks, while Lawrence was just behind them with 6.0.
"The buy-in from those guys is huge," Hinds said. "You've got to create a vision where everyone has their opportunity to create success for themselves, especially in a room with depth. That was the thing we were asking them to do, and it came from the top down—hey, everyone has the chance to rush, whether it's a second-level defender, a first-level defender, but we know we want to be able to get to the quarterback. Those guys really took to it where, it's not just rush and coverage, it's blitzing, it's winning on a simulated pressure, so there's all different ways these guys try to bring it to life in such a big way."
Added Macdonald, "It's a fun group to work with. The trap is that you have all this experience, which means you have a lot of production and a lot of success individually. If you don't create the right environment, you don't have the right type of guys, you could end up in the trap of people trying to get theirs and ego gets in the way. The guys that you mentioned, the guys that are on our team, they use it as a plus. They use it as a way to get to solutions and bring each other's games to another level, which makes the process a lot of fun. I'm not in the weeds on what we're doing play-to-play and the meetings and the details and all that. AD (Aden Durde) does a phenomenal job, CP (Chris Partridge), (Josh) Bynes, Hinds, those guys, it's a tremendous team partnership on how we utilize our front, the techniques we do, how they prepare, all those things it's cool."
Lawrence, who spent his entire career in Dallas before signing with the Seahawks last season, considered walking away from the game on a high note after winning his first championship, followed almost immediately by the birth of his and his wife's sixth child. But what ultimately brough him back was the challenge of trying to stay on top with the rest of the league gunning for the Seahawks, and also the chance to keep playing with a special group of veteran linemen and edge players.
"It's genuine," Lawrence said when asked about the brotherhood among Seattle's defensive front. "Just to be able to play with these boys after the last year. What we were last year, what we're trying to build on and become. It's great to have those caliber of leaders in the locker room with you, like-minded guys. Couldn't ask for a better front four to be a part of."
Check out photos of the Seahawks 53-man roster for the 2026 season.
This is a 2026 photo of DeMarcus Lawrence of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the roster as of June 8, 2026. (AP Photo)
Seahawks linebacker DeMarcus Lawrence (0)
This is a 2026 photo of Julian Neal of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the roster as of June 8, 2026. (AP Photo)
Seahawks cornerback Julian Neal (1)
This is a 2026 photo of Drew Lock of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the roster as of June 8, 2026. (AP Photo)
Seahawks quarterback Drew Lock (2)
This is a 2026 photo of Nick Emmanwori of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the roster as of June 8, 2026. (AP Photo)
Seahawks safety Nick Emmanwori (3)
This is a 2026 photo of Michael Dickson of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the roster as of June 8, 2026. (AP Photo)
Seahawks punter Michael Dickson (4)
This is a 2026 photo of Jason Myers of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the roster as of June 8, 2026. (AP Photo)
Seahawks kicker Jason Myers (5)
This is a 2026 photo of Jalen Milroe of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the roster as of June 8, 2026. (AP Photo)
Seahawks quarterback Jalen Milroe (6)
This is a 2025 photo of Uchenna Nwosu of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the Seattle Seahawks active roster as of June 9, 2025 when this image was taken. (AP Photo)
Seahawks linebacker Uchenna Nwosu (7)
This is a 2026 photo of Jadarian Price of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the roster as of June 8, 2026. (AP Photo)
Seahawks running back Jadarian Price (8)
This is a 2026 photo of Cooper Kupp of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the roster as of June 8, 2026. (AP Photo)
Seahawks wide receiver Cooper Kupp (10)
This is a 2026 photo of Jaxon Smith-Njigba of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the roster as of June 8, 2026. (AP Photo)
Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11)
This is a 2026 photo of Ernest Jones IV of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the roster as of June 8, 2026. (AP Photo)
Seahawks linebacker Ernest Jones IV (13)
This is a 2026 photo of Sam Darnold of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the roster as of June 8, 2026. (AP Photo)
Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14)
This is a 2026 photo of Tory Horton of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the roster as of June 8, 2026. (AP Photo)
Seahawks wide receiver Tory Horton (15)
This is a 2026 photo of Elijah Arroyo of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the roster as of June 8, 2026. (AP Photo)
Seahawks tight end Elijah Arroyo (18)
This is a 2026 photo of Julian Love of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the roster as of June 8, 2026. (AP Photo)
Seahawks safety Julian Love (20)
This is a 2026 photo of Devon Witherspoon of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the roster as of June 8, 2026. (AP Photo)
Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon (21)
This is a 2026 photo of Rashid Shaheed of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the roster as of June 8, 2026. (AP Photo)
Seahawks wide receiver Rashid Shaheed (22)
This is a 2026 photo of Emanuel Wilson of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the roster as of June 8, 2026. (AP Photo)
Seahawks running back Emanuel Wilson (23)
Seahawks cornerback Avery Smith (27).
Los Angeles Chargers cornerback Avery Smith (36) runs during an NFL preseason football game against the San Francisco 49ers in Inglewood, Calif., Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
This is a 2026 photo of Nehemiah Pritchett of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the roster as of June 8, 2026. (AP Photo)
Seahawks cornerback Nehemiah Pritchett (28)
This is a 2026 photo of Josh Jobe of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the roster as of June 8, 2026. (AP Photo)
Seahawks cornerback Josh Jobe (29)
This is a 2026 photo of Drake Thomas of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the roster as of June 8, 2026. (AP Photo)
Seahawks linebacker Drake Thomas (32)
This is a 2026 photo of George Holani of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the roster as of June 8, 2026. (AP Photo)
Seahawks running back George Holani (36)
This is a 2026 photo of Brady Russell of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the roster as of June 8, 2026. (AP Photo)
Seahawks fullback Brady Russell (38)
This is a 2026 photo of Ty Okada of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the roster as of June 8, 2026. (AP Photo)
Seahawks safety Ty Okada (39)
This is a 2026 photo of Chris Stoll of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the roster as of June 8, 2026. (AP Photo)
Seahawks long snapper Chris Stoll (41)
This is a 2026 photo of Chazz Surratt of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the roster as of June 8, 2026. (AP Photo)
Seahawks linebacker Chazz Surratt (44)
This is a 2026 photo of Tyrice Knight of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the roster as of June 8, 2026. (AP Photo)
Seahawks linebacker Tyrice Knight (48)
This is a 2026 photo of Patrick OíConnell of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the roster as of June 8, 2026. (AP Photo)
Seahawks linebacker Patrick O'Connell (52)
This is a 2026 photo of Olu Oluwatimi of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the roster as of June 8, 2026. (AP Photo)
Seahawks center Olu Oluwatimi (55)
This is a 2026 photo of Dante Fowler of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the roster as of June 8, 2026. (AP Photo)
Seahawks linebacker Dante Fowler Jr. (56)
This is a 2026 photo of Connor OíToole of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the roster as of June 8, 2026. (AP Photo)
Seahawks linebacker Connor O'Toole (57)
This is a 2026 photo of Derick Hall of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the roster as of June 8, 2026. (AP Photo)
Seahawks linebacker Derick Hall (58)
This is a 2026 photo of Jalen Sundell of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the roster as of June 8, 2026. (AP Photo)
Seahawks center Jalen Sundell (61)
This is a 2026 photo of Christian Haynes of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the roster as of June 8, 2026. (AP Photo)
Seahawks guard Christian Haynes (64)
This is a 2026 photo of Charles Cross of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the roster as of June 8, 2026. (AP Photo)
Seahawks tackle Charles Cross (67)
This is a 2026 photo of Beau Stephens of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the roster as of June 8, 2026. (AP Photo)
Seahawks guard Beau Stephens (70)
This is a 2026 photo of Abraham Lucas of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the roster as of June 8, 2026. (AP Photo)
Seahawks tackle Abraham Lucas (72)
This is a 2026 photo of Josh Jones of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the roster as of June 8, 2026. (AP Photo)
Seahawks tackle Josh Jones (74)
This is a 2026 photo of Anthony Bradford of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the roster as of June 8, 2026. (AP Photo)
Seahawks guard Anthony Bradford (75)
This is a 2026 photo of Grey Zabel of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the roster as of June 8, 2026. (AP Photo)
Seahawks guard Grey Zabel (76)
This is a 2026 photo of Bryce Cabeldue of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the roster as of June 8, 2026. (AP Photo)
Seahawks guard Bryce Cabeldue (77)
This is a 2026 photo of Eric Saubert of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the roster as of June 8, 2026. (AP Photo)
Seahawks tight end Eric Saubert (81)
This is a 2026 photo of Montorie Foster of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the roster as of June 8, 2026. (AP Photo)
Seahawks wide receiver Montorie Foster Jr. (87)
This is a 2026 photo of A.J. Barner of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the roster as of June 8, 2026. (AP Photo)
Seahawks tight end AJ Barner (88)
This is a 2026 photo of Nick Kallerup of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the roster as of June 8, 2026. (AP Photo)
Seahawks tight end Nick Kallerup (89)
This is a 2024 photo of Jarran Reed of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the Seahawks active roster as of June 10, 2024 when this image was taken. (AP Photo)
Seahawks nose tackle Jarran Reed (90)
This is a 2026 photo of Byron Murphy II of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the roster as of June 8, 2026. (AP Photo)
Seahawks defensive tackle Byron Murphy II (91)
This is a 2026 photo of Mike Morris of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the roster as of June 8, 2026. (AP Photo)
Seahawks defensive end Mike Morris (94)
This is a 2026 photo of Brandon Pili of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the roster as of June 8, 2026. (AP Photo)
Seahawks nose tackle Brandon Pili (95)
This is a 2026 photo of Rylie Mills of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the roster as of June 8, 2026. (AP Photo)
Seahawks defensive tackle Rylie Mills (98)
This is a 2024 photo of Leonard Williams of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the Seahawks active roster as of June 10, 2024 when this image was taken. (AP Photo)
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99)
