Seahawks Eye Draft for Bryant's Replacement

0:00On March 24, Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike McDonald leaned heavily on three safety looks to win Super Bowl 60 last season. Now heading into 2026, that scheme faces a challenge after losing key starter Kobe Bryant to free agency. Bryant signed a $40 million deal with the Chicago Bears, and the Seahawks chose not to match it. General manager John Schneider needed to save cap space for big extensions on stars like White Receiver Jackson Smith and Jigbaugh. The team still boasts strong starters at safety and Julian Love and Nick Emonwery. Depth options now shift to role players like Ty Okada, DeAnthony Bell, Rodney Thomas II and AJ Finley, marking a clear step down from. Bryant's impact. To fill the gap, Seattle was eyeing the draft and hosting LSU safety AJ Halsey for a pre-draft visit. The versatile defender transferred from Houston last year, piling up 89 tackles in three picks while shining in a bigger role.

1:00With Halsey's college totals at 346 tackles and 10 interceptions, the Seahawks plan a close evaluation as they build depth for. McDonald's defense next season. That wraps NFL news today. Brought to you with AI.