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Edge Room
D-Law Is Back at the VMAC and He’s Not Going Anywhere
DeMarcus Lawrence showed up for Day 2 of OTAs on Thursday, took part in practice, and then said the thing everybody needed to hear. “My body still has more to give. I still have more to give.” Two sentences. Retirement dead. Moving on.
The explanation for his spring absence was never mysterious, just private. His wife Sasha gave birth to their sixth child, a daughter named Syenna, the day after the Super Bowl. Lawrence flew back for the parade, flew back to Texas, and stayed there. He wasn’t going to leave his wife with a newborn and a one-year-old. That’s not a holdout. That’s being a dad.
“Shout out to the fans that are concerned about me,” Lawrence told Seahawks.com. “The coaching staff knows my game plan. We’re still working. I’m just not able to be here on a day-to-day basis.” He’d been training in Texas the entire time, communicating with coaches throughout. The surprise would have been if he’d shown up sooner.
Lawrence earned his fifth Pro Bowl last season and was a massive reason this defense held opponents to 17.2 points per game. He turns 34 before kickoff, yes. But the man described last season as “the most fun I’ve ever had playing football.” That’s not a guy looking for the exit. That’s a guy looking for another ring.
5th
Pro Bowl selection for Lawrence, earned in his first season with Seattle.
The edge room now has its full rotation on the grass: Lawrence, Nwosu, Hall, and Fowler. The question was never talent. It was whether the 34-year-old anchor would come back. He just answered it.
SOURCES →
NFC West Watch
Nacua Says the Contract Isn’t on His Mind. That Won’t Last.
Keep Reading ↓
$5.8M
Nacua’s 2026 salary via the proven performance escalator. JSN makes $42.15M.
To his credit, Nacua showed up, threw on the helmet, and ran routes with Stafford. The tumultuous offseason that included a rehab stint is now behind him on the practice field, even if the legal situation remains unresolved in the background. Whether the Rams extend him before the season depends entirely on how much the off-field concerns have changed the calculus.
Nacua led the NFL in receptions in 2025. He’s on a fifth-round rookie deal. The gap between his production and his paycheck is the single biggest bargain in professional football, and everyone in his circle knows it. “I haven’t really thought about it” is not a statement of contentment. It’s a negotiating position wearing a polo shirt.
SOURCES →
AROUND THE COOP
Around the Coop
Lawrence is entering Year 2 of a three-year, $42 million deal. He’s owed every penny. The man won a Super Bowl and had a baby within 48 hours. Seahawks.com
The 33rd Team’s Sam Monson told Bump and Stacy that Seattle’s defense is set up for sustained elite play. The Seahawks allowed 17.2 points per game last season. Monson thinks the floor is still top-five. Seattle Sports
Trey Wingo went on Bump and Stacy and picked Seattle over the Rams: “Seattle is still the team to beat, not only in the NFC West, but also in the NFC, period.” He called LA’s offseason moves “pizzazz.” Ice cold. Seattle Sports
Nolan Teasley’s second interview with the Vikings is scheduled after Memorial Day. Memorial Day was Monday. The call could be happening right now. If he lands it, Seattle gets third-round comp picks in 2027 and 2028. Yahoo Sports
NFC WEST SCHADENFREUDE REPORT
RAMS
Nacua told reporters he hasn’t really thought about playing without an extension. His rehab stint was the offseason’s main storyline, not the contract, which tells you everything about how sideways things went. The Rams started OTAs in Woodland Hills with Stafford throwing to Nacua again, but the question hanging over every snap is whether LA will commit long-term to a receiver whose off-field situation still includes a pending City Attorney hearing. JSN’s $42.15 million AAV sits there like a price tag Nacua can’t stop reading.
NINERS
The 49ers opened OTAs and promptly announced Isaac Guerendo tore his pectoral muscle lifting weights last month, sidelining him until the end of training camp. So the injury ward now includes Bosa (ACL), Kittle (Achilles), Mykel Williams (ACL), Keion White (gunshot wound), and Guerendo (pec). Bosa said he’s “pretty far along” and eyeing training camp. Trent Williams was the only player absent. Kyle Shanahan expects him back next week, which is also what they said last May, and the May before that.
CARDINALS
Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur responded to the Josh Sweat trade rumors with the energy of a man pretending he hasn’t read his mentions: “I don’t even read into the offers. I’m just excited for the fact that I don’t have to gameplan against this guy.” Sweat has skipped OTAs entirely. He’s not hurt. He’s not happy. He had 12 sacks last season and the rest of the Cardinals defense managed 18 combined. June 1 is Sunday, and a post-June 1 trade saves Arizona $10.9 million in cap space. The garage sale is open.
SEACHICKENS TRIVIA
Safety Darryl Williams joined the Seahawks in 1996 and made the Pro Bowl the following year after tying for second in the NFL in interceptions. How many picks did Williams record in that 1997 season, and what franchise record did he tie in a single game that year?
Tap to Reveal the Answer
Eight interceptions in 1997, including three in a single game against San Diego, which tied Kenny Easley’s franchise record. Williams recorded 20 total interceptions across four seasons in Seattle.
THIS DAY IN SEAHAWKS HISTORY
2014
May 29, 2014
Doug Baldwin Signs Multi-Year Extension
On this date 12 years ago, undrafted free agent turned No. 1 receiver Doug Baldwin signed a two-year, $13 million extension with the Seahawks, locking in the man who would become one of the franchise’s greatest pass catchers. Baldwin finished his career with 493 receptions, 6,563 yards, and 49 touchdowns. John Schneider’s handwritten recruiting letter, sent during the 2011 lockout, might be the best ROI in NFL history.
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D-Law showed up. The edge room is whole. OTAs roll on. Go Hawks. — The Rooster
