Who will emerge for the Seattle Seahawks as a breakout star in 2026?
The Seahawks have several players due to take the next step in the upcoming season. Nick Emmanwori, Derick Hall and Rashid Shaheed are all in line to make a greater impact on the team in 2026. As the defending Super Bowl champions, the Seahawks will gladly welcome another star player to give them as much high-level production as possible on the year.
Pro Football Focus’ Gordon McGuinness named Hall as being the Seahawks’ breakout candidate for next season.
”Derick Hall took a significant step forward in his third NFL season, setting career highs with a 73.9 PFF run-defense grade and a 72.6 PFF pass-rush grade,” McGuinness said. “The Seahawks rewarded him with a contract extension before he could reach free agency, and with Boye Mafe departing this offseason, Hall is in line for an even larger role in 2026. His career high is 45 pressures in a season, but if he continues on his current trajectory, reaching 60 is well within reach.”
The Seahawks gave Hall a three-year, $42 million contract extension this offseason. The expectations will be greater for him to ascend in 2026 following his big pay day. Hall will play in a Seahawks rotation on the edge that also features DeMarcus Lawrence, Uchenna Nwosu and Dante Fowler Jr., but may finish the year as the standout performer of the bunch.
Hall has already proven that he is capable of producing a healthy number of sacks in a season, as he went for a career-high eight sacks in 2024. A double-digit sacks total is well within reach for him in 2026, and will be a first for him in his career if he reaches that mark.
This article originally appeared on Seahawks Wire: Is Derick Hall a breakout candidate for the Seahawks for next season?