Getty
The Seahawks don’t have to be “desperate” to be interested in Tyreek Hill. They just have to be honest about what their receiver room still needs even after Jaxon Smith-Njigba became a full-blown superstar.
That’s why Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio included Seattle on his short list of teams that should “give Hill a look,” specifically pointing to the need for a strong, consistent complement to Smith-Njigba.
This isn’t about reliving Hill’s Miami tenure. This is about a simple Seattle question: Does John Schneider want to buy a high-ceiling WR2 for the right price — and the right protections — while the calendar still gives the Seahawks leverage?
Seahawks News: Why the fit is obvious next to Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Seattle spent last offseason challenging Smith-Njigba to become the clear-cut No. 1 after moving on from DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett, and he responded by winning NFL Offensive Player of the Year.
FOX Sports credited Smith-Njigba with 1,793 receiving yards, 119 catches, and 10 TDs, plus a fast chemistry build with first-year Seahawks QB Sam Darnold.
So what’s missing?
A second wideout who forces defenses to stop tilting coverage and living in “JSN first” world every week. Hill — even at 32 — still changes spacing in a way few receivers can. His presence would give Seattle a vertical stressor who can open the intermediate game Smith-Njigba already feasts on, while also making Seattle’s play-action and motion packages harder to key.
Tyreek Hill Released: The Seahawks angle that makes this feel real
Hill turns 32 on March 1, and Florio noted the biggest question is whether Hill signs before he’s fully healthy, and whether his deal includes pay protections tied to eventually passing a physical.
Seattle’s front office has historically been willing to do creative structures when there’s risk. This is the type of free-agent puzzle where the Seahawks can compete without “winning” the headline number.
Here’s what a Seahawks-friendly Hill offer typically looks like in practice:
- One-year deal (or 2 years that function as 1)
- Per-game active bonuses (paid only if he’s available Sunday)
- Workout bonuses / reporting bonuses (to align rehab and accountability)
- Incentives tied to receptions, yards, and postseason benchmarks
And the timing matters: the 2026 league year and free agency open March 11. That third-day window Florio referenced is widely treated as a major roster/bonus decision point, landing March 13 this year.
Seattle doesn’t need to rush into a bidding war before teams get comfortable with medicals, but it can be early with a structure that protects the club.
Why this is a “Seahawks decision,” not just a Tyreek Hill story
A Hill pursuit is really Seattle picking a team-building lane:
Lane A: Add a premium veteran WR to put defenses in a bind and keep the offense from becoming too JSN-centric.
Lane B: Spread the money across multiple mid-tier receivers/TE depth and let the draft supply the explosive piece.
ESPN’s offseason receiver-market look also underlined how aggressive teams have been getting to add impact wideouts, and noted Seattle has been part of that broader “go get a difference-maker” trend.
Hill is the ultimate high-variance version of that bet: if he’s healthy, he’s still a problem. If he’s not, the contract has to keep Seattle from paying star money for inactive weeks.
What happens next
If the Seahawks are serious, the next step is simple: medical homework + price discipline.
Florio’s Seahawks mention is enough to put Seattle into the Hill conversation, but the follow-through will come down to whether Schneider believes a short-term Hill swing is the cleanest way to keep defenses from overloading on Smith-Njigba in 2026.
Erik Anderson is an award-winning sports journalist covering the NBA, MLB and NFL for Heavy.com. He also focuses on the trading card market. His work has appeared in nationally-recognized outlets including The New York Times, Associated Press , USA Today, and ESPN. More about Erik Anderson
More Heavy on Seahawks
Loading more stories