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Why Derick Hall signed early contract extension with Seahawks instead of testing free agency
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- Why Derick Hall signed early contract extension with Seahawks instead of testing free agency
Why Derick Hall signed early contract extension with Seahawks instead of testing free agency appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
The Seattle Seahawks and linebacker Derick Hall on Tuesday agreed to a three-year extension that keeps him with the team through the 2029 season.
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Hall's extension is worth up to $42 million, with $21 million guaranteed, and can reach a maximum of $46 million through performance-based incentives. Once the deal activates next season, it carries an average annual value of $14 million, which places him as the 33rd-highest paid EDGE rusher in the NFL, per Over The Cap. Hall was previously set to enter the final year of his rookie contract in 2026, during which he had been earning an average of $2.275 million after being selected 37th overall in the 2023 NFL Draft.
The decision to extend rather than test free agency came after Hall's belief in the organization's direction and stability, especially following the Seahawks recent Super Bowl championship and defensive success.
"This place is really special to me," Hall said after signing his new deal Wednesday. "For me, man, I really love the game of football (and) obviously the money enhances your job and what we do. But it's really about the love of the game and knowing what I'm getting myself into when I come to work every day."
He also pointed to the importance of staying in an environment where he felt trusted as a core defensive piece, even as teammate Boye Mafe departed in free agency earlier in the offseason on a three-year deal worth up to $60 million with the Cincinnati Bengals .
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"Obviously this is a pristine organization and (general manager) John (Schneider) and (coach) Mike (Macdonald) and all those guys, they do a great job of letting us be ourselves and truly come out and compete and I know we are going to win a lot of games and a lot of championships here, so I'm willing to sacrifice whatever everybody else thought I would be willing to make to be here and to be with this team."
Hall's story also adds personal context to the decision. Born at 23½ weeks, weighing just 2 pounds, 9 ounces, and given less than a 1% chance of survival, he spent five months in the NICU battling complications including bleeding on the brain, jaundice, asthma, and underdeveloped lungs. His mother, Stacy Gooden-Crandle, and sister R'Hana Gooden traveled from Mississippi to Seattle for the signing, arriving after a late-night flight before returning shortly after.
On the field, Hall racked up 8.0 sacks in the 2024 season as a breakout sophomore campaign. In the 2025 regular season, his sack total dropped to 2.0 while operating in a reduced rotational role behind Uchenna Nwosu and DeMarcus Lawrence , and also due to the addition of other defensive personnel. However, his impact remained significant beyond the box score, including his role in a Seahawks defense that allowed just a 3.7 yards-per-carry average in 2025 and did not surrender a 100-yard rusher over a franchise-record 29-game streak including postseason play.
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