They did it again. The Seahawks got what they needed most, first.

With trades galore going on right before them, the Seahawks got what they got in last year’s draft: Biggest need converged with the best player on their 2026 NFL draft board Thursday night.

Instead of trading down, per their usual, the Super Bowl champions selected Notre Dame running back Jadarian Price 32nd overall, the final pick of the first round.

The same need and best player met in the first round last year for Seattle, with 18th-overall choice Grey Zabel. That worked out OK for the Seahawks. Zabel became their new stud starter at left guard immediately. And Seattle won the Super Bowl. Price arrives one month after lead running back and Super Bowl most valuable player Kenneth Walker left Seattle. He signed a rich free-agent contact with Kansas City.

None of the seven running backs on the Seahawks’ 90-man offseason roster entering Thursday are signed past 2026.

Price is only the fourth running back in 51 years of Seahawks football the team selected in the first round. The others: Curt Warner in 1983, Shaun Alexander in 2000 and Rashaad Penny in 2018.

The 5-foot-11, 203-pound Price has rebounded from rupturing his Achilles tendon in 2022. He had only 280 college snaps playing behind Love at Notre Dame for three years. Yet Price averaged more than 6 yards per carry with 18 rushing touchdowns combined in his final two seasons for the Irish. Price was also an elite kickoff returner at Notre Dame.

The finalist for the Paul Hornung Award as college football’s most versatile player returned a kickoff for a touchdown against USC. Price was leading the nation averaging 47 yards per return early last season. The fact that he stayed his entire college career at Notre Dame in this era of NIL and transfers galore also would likely make culture-first coach Macdonald, a huge proponent of loyalty and intangibles, happy.

Trades galore right in front of Seattle

John Schneider made trades involving Seattle’s first-round choice 14 times in his first 16 drafts as the Seahawks general manager.

Here’s why he didn’t trade down out of the first round as usual this time:

There were eight trades in the first round. Seahawks general manager John Schneider watched six of them happen right in front of Seattle’s spot, between the 20th and 31st selections. San Francisco and Buffalo traded completely out of the first round, directly in front of the Seahawks at 30 and 31, respectively.

The conditions most presumed the Seahawks would best be able to trade back and out of round one evaporated about 90 minutes into the draft. The division-rival Los Angeles Rams, at 13 picking 19 spots ahead of Seattle’s place, selected Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson. The second quarterback taken in this draft, after Fernando Mendoza went first overall to the Raiders Thursday, Simpson will be the eventual heir to 38-year-old Matthew Stafford as coach Sean McVay’s quarterback in L.A.

That pick was far higher than most of the league expected Simpson to go. Many felt he would be on the board at 32, and that a quarterback-needy team such as Arizona (which released seven-year starting QB Kyler Murray last month) would be enticed to trade up with the Seahawks to 32 to get the final pick of the first round and the fifth-year contract option on the quarterback.

Simpson going that early made Schneider’s task to find trading partners with whom to move down more extensive. The New York Jets had the 33th pick in the draft immediately behind Seattle, the first pick of Friday’s second round. The Jets traded up ahead of the Seahawks to 30th overall Thursday night, obtaining San Francisco’s first-round pick.

That and only one top cornerback going among the first two dozen selections Thursday conspired for the GM and Seattle to keep their pick at 32.

That became the Price the Seahawks were willing to pay for their newest lead running back.

Draft Day HQ pic.twitter.com/dNXrNQlHUQ

— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) April 24, 2026

Free Agency 2026 proved to be a bang with big trades, huge signings, and difficult departures.

Christmas Morning, a.k.a. the NFL Draft, will shake things up for each conference, but before rookie selections, a few teams look primed for a Super Bowl push while others have gotten worse. 

Here are the Biggest NFC winners and losers from the offseason moves so far: 

Winners 

Los Angeles Rams 

The Rams went all-in to fix their secondary, trading for two-time All-Pro CB Trent McDuffie from the Kansas City Chiefs.

Not stopping there, they added S Kamren Curl and CB Jaylen Watson for even more depth. For a defense that was exposed big time in late 2025, this is a dramatic upgrade.

With Matthew Stafford still under center, it’s hard not to view them as the top NFC contender. 

Carolina Panthers 

Taking a huge swing, the Panthers landed EDGE Jaelen Phillips on a four-year, $120 million deal and added LB Devin Lloyd. Also picking up LT Rasheed Walker for a cool one-year, $4 million contract. 

These moves instantly improve the front seven that was a definitive weakness in their surprise playoff appearance.

Carolina gave up the second most yards out of the first-round exit teams with 411. This positions them as a rising force in the NFC South. 

San Francisco 49ers 

The main receiving target in the Bay Area in 2025 was RB Christian McCaffery at 129 targets. Jauan Jennings came in second, with nearly 40 fewer targets than CMC.

Now, QB Brock Purdy will have a future Hall of Famer in Mike Evans and needed depth with Christian Kirk.

Don’t forget, the 49ers also traded for DT Osa Odighizuwa from Dallas. They were not quiet at all. 

These additions help Purdy and maintain their physical style in an always tough NFC West, keeping them in the mix despite some injury questions from 2025. 

New York Giants 

One name: John Harbaugh.

An established head coach with a record of 180-113. The head coach line of Brian Daboll, Joe Judge, Pat Shurmur, and Ben McAdoo (Steve Spagnuolo & Mike Kafka in interim) went 55-109. A head coach with a winning record is what Giants fans were dreaming of. 

From a player standpoint, the Giants traded NT Dexter Lawrence, and now own the No. 10 pick to pair with No. 5. This will give them immense flexibility to rebuild faster and add excitement around the fresh start. 

Losers 

Seattle Seahawks 

The hits just kept coming for the defending Champs.

Losing Super Bowl MVP RB Kenneth Walker III, EDGE Boye Mafe, CB Tariq Woolen, and S Coby Bryant. Sure, they retained Rashid Shaheed and Josh Jobe, but the proof is actually in the value of those they lost. 

The sum of contract money of those mentioned stars signed for is almost $155 million. Do not be surprised is Seattle regresses in the NFC West, especially as the divisional rivals are taking gigantic steps. 

Philadelphia Eagles 

The Eagles came up short on several key defensive targets and saw depth departures from Nakobe Dean and Jaelan Phillips. Questions surround their secondary and pass-rush, but one thing remains perplexing. 

Perhaps moving on from A.J. Brown is the right decision financially? But Philly has a franchise QB who is now going to have to establish a connection with a brand new WR1. That’s just not how to treat your QB1. 

Arizona Cardinals

Determined well before the 2025 regular season began, the Cardinals knew they were in for a tough offseason with QB Kyler Murray dramatics.

Murray is now with the Minnesota Vikings, and the Cardinals will go into 2026 most likely starting either Jacoby Brissett or Gardner Minshew II at QB.

The team is thin across the board and they have some of the lowest win projections in the league. Even if they grab Ty Simpson at pick No. 3, it’s going to take many years to rebuild this team.

Arizona’s O/U for wins being 4.5 makes a ton of sense. 

The NFC Race Has Taken Form

No doubt, the Rams appear to have gained the most ground with aggressive moves. While the Seahawks have one of the toughest paths to a repeat in recent memory.

Teams like the Panthers could be a surprise story if their big investments pay off.

Draft weekend has the ability to alter this list, but many players will need to take steps forward throughout their rookie contracts to have a chance at completely changing the order.

Roster construction made in March and April likely determine which teams reach late-January ball. 

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