SEA Leonard Williams
NFL defensive lineman. Position: DL (DT). Team: SEA.
Quick Facts
- Position: Defensive Tackle (DL)
- Team: SEA (Seattle Seahawks)
- Experience: Pro Bowl defensive lineman
2026 Outlook
Extension Signed (Aug 27, 2026): Leonard Williams agreed to a 3-year, $90 million extension ($30M per year average) with the Seattle Seahawks, making him one of the NFL's highest-paid defensive tackles. The deal includes $56 million guaranteed. This puts him on par with top-tier DTs: 5th-highest average annual value at the position, behind Philadelphia's Jalen Carter ($38M/year), Dallas' Quinnen Williams ($27M/year), Tennessee's Jeffery Simmons, and Kansas City's Chris Jones. The extension ensures Williams remains a cornerstone of the Seahawks' Super Bowl LX-winning defense into his mid-30s. (per Seahawks' DT Leonard Williams to sign 3-year extension: Source, Sources: Seahawks' Leonard Williams lands 3-year, $90M extension)
Pre-extension context: Ranked #1 among defensive tackles in ESPN's survey of NFL executives, coaches, and scouts, jumping five spots from prior year and displacing Dexter Lawrence (who fell to #7 after a down 2025 season). Williams' elite performance (7 sacks, 22 QB hits in regular season; 1 sack, 3 QB hits in playoffs) established him as the league's premier interior lineman heading into 2026. Modern defenses increasingly rely on defensive tackles to create interior pressure, making his position more valuable than ever. (per Dexter Lawrence falls from No. 1 spot in ESPN survey of NFL execs, coaches, scouts)
NFL Top 100 omission (Aug 21): Williams was notably absent from the NFL Top 100 Players of 2026 list despite his standout 2025 performance. The snub stood in contrast to other elite defensive linemen who made the ranking—including Derrick Brown (No. 90), Zach Allen (No. 73), and Jalen Carter (No. 29). Given his #1 ranking among DTs by NFL scouts and coaches, the omission represented a significant oversight by the voting process. (per NFL Top 100 Players of 2026: JSN makes top 10, but only 3 Seahawks featured)
Role / Depth Chart
Defensive tackle for Seattle Seahawks defense.
Injury Status
Recent News
- 2026-08-28 — NFL news, live updates: Week 3 preseason kicks off Thursday with Steelers-Bills;... (NFL news, live updates: Week 3 preseason kicks off Thursday with Steelers-Bills;...)
- 2026-08-27 — Leonard Williams becomes latest Seahawks star to get paid with three-year, $90 million... (Leonard Williams becomes latest Seahawks star to get paid with three-year, $90 million...)
- 2026-08-27 — Seahawks’ DT Leonard Williams to sign 3-year extension: Source (Seahawks’ DT Leonard Williams to sign 3-year extension: Source)
- 2026-08-27 — NFL Network: Seahawks, DT Leonard Williams agree to three-year, $90M extension (NFL Network: Seahawks, DT Leonard Williams agree to three-year, $90M extension)
- 2026-08-27 — Sources: Seahawks' Leonard Williams lands 3-year, $90M extension (Sources: Seahawks' Leonard Williams lands 3-year, $90M extension)
- 2026-08-05 — Agent's Take: Are the Cowboys turning over a new negotiating leaf with Quinnen Williams? (Agent's Take: Are the Cowboys turning over a new negotiating leaf with Quinnen Williams?)
- 2026-07-30 — NFL insider Mike Garofalo provides big update on Leonard Williams extension talks (NFL insider Mike Garofalo provides big update on Leonard Williams extension talks)
- 2026-07-30 — Cowboys sound open to (get this) extending a star player early: The price of keeping... (Cowboys sound open to (get this) extending a star player early: The price of keeping...)
- 2026-07-13 — Former Trojan Leonard Williams named best NFL player at his position (Former Trojan Leonard Williams named best NFL player at his position)
- 2026-07-09 — Cowboys' Quinnen Williams ranked among best DTs by NFL executives, coaches, scouts (Cowboys' Quinnen Williams ranked among best DTs by NFL executives, coaches, scouts)