PHOENIX -- Seattle Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said it is his understanding that veteran outside linebacker DeMarcus Lawrence plans to continue playing in 2026.
Lawrence, who turns 34 in April, considered retiring last offseason before signing with the Seahawks and helping them win Super Bowl LX, a feat that eluded him during his 11-year run with the Dallas Cowboys. He has a blended family that welcomed its sixth child when his wife gave birth after Seattle's victory last month over the New England Patriots.
Those factors have led to uncertainty over whether Lawrence would continue his career into its 13th season.
"To my knowledge, he's coming back," Macdonald said Monday during his media session at the league meetings. "He always has the right to change his mind, but as of right now, he's coming back."
Macdonald said it is his understanding that all the Seahawks' over-30 veterans -- a group that also includes defensive linemen Leonard Williams and Jarran Reed and wide receiver Cooper Kupp -- plan to continue playing.
Lawrence has two years left on the three-year, $32.5 million deal he signed last March. It includes $9 million in base pay in 2026, with a cap charge of roughly $12 million. The contract's $10.83 million average ranks 39th among edge players, according to OverTheCap.com.
Lawrence made his fifth Pro Bowl in 2025 as a starter on the league's top-ranked scoring defense. He recorded six sacks, 20 quarterback hits and three forced fumbles in 16 regular-season games, missing one with a quad injury. In Week 10, he returned a pair of fumble recoveries for touchdowns, becoming the fourth player in NFL history with more than one in the same game.
In Seattle's three postseason games, Lawrence added two sacks and three forced fumbles. In the fourth quarter of the NFC championship game against the Los Angeles Rams, his improvised decision to drop into coverage deterred what might have otherwise been the go-ahead touchdown throw, instead helping Seattle force a turnover on downs.
The Seahawks lost one of their rotational edge players when Boye Mafe signed a three-year, $60 million deal with the Cincinnati Bengals. They have not signed anyone to replace him, but Macdonald said they likely would have if the right opportunity arose.
"The right matchup hasn't happened yet," he said. "It's kind of one of those things, don't press it and maybe there will be an [opportunity] either through the draft or maybe after the draft [in] free agency or something through training camp. Or if our guys are rocking and rolling and they play great, we'll roll with the guys we have."
Meanwhile, speaking with reporters Monday afternoon, general manager John Schneider said he doesn't foresee the Seahawks doing anything with veteran outside linebacker Uchenna Nwosu's contract to lower his $20 million cap charge, which is the third-highest on the team.
Schneider noted Nwosu's leadership and how he stayed healthy in 2025 after two injury-plagued seasons. While starting opposite Lawrence, Nwosu, 29, played in all but one game and finished tied for the team lead with 7.0 sacks.
