The Seattle Seahawks are fresh off a Super Bowl victory, and there's no reason to believe they won't be the team to beat entering the 2026 NFL season. While the Seahawks are still understandably celebrating as the reigning champs, ESPN has already released its early power rankings for next year, and Seattle is reasonably holding the No. 1 spot.
After showing signs of heading in the right direction under first-year head coach Mike Macdonald in 2024, with a 10-7 record, the Seahawks secured the No. 1 seed in the NFC with a 14-3 record in 2025. Signing Sam Darnold and bringing in valuable pieces on both sides — along with allowing Macdonald to shape the defense to his liking even more — led to Seattle becoming a powerhouse and the team to beat when the 2026 campaign kicks off.
Over the years, we've seen Super Bowl champions take a step back the following season, whether it be due to coaching or roster changes. The good news for the Seahawks is that they have plenty of cap space available, which will be helpful in trying to retain players like Kenneth Walker, Rashid Shaheed, and Coby Bryant in free agency.
In addition to Seattle being in a fantastic spot to improve their roster, they'll have plenty of marquee players returning. Losing offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak could take some adjusting for the Seahawks, but Macdonald is still calling the shots, and the key pieces on offense are still in place.
Even though Seattle is going to have a target on their back as the current champions, they're in a stellar spot to defend their crown in 2026.
This article originally appeared on Seahawks Wire: Seahawks news: Seattle remains atop the power rankings for 2026 season