Why Letting Boye Mafe Leave Wasn’t a Mistake for the Seahawks
Why Letting Boye Mafe Leave Wasn’t a Mistake for the Seahawks
The national media has more love for Boye Mafe than the Seattle Seahawks media and fans.Michael Hanich|
This offseason is a critical time for the Seattle Seahawks to capitalize on their team after winning their second Super Bowl title. The Seahawks had a tough beginning to this Free Agency by losing four key players from this past season. This includes players who started in 2025 or the seasons before.
Among the losses was edge rusher Boye Mafe, who signed a three-year, $60 million deal with the Cincinnati Bengals. Of the veterans who left, Mafe’s departure was the least damning, but don’t tell that to ESPN’s Seth Walder, who said Mafe’s loss was the Seahawks’ least favorite move. Walder’s take shows that he is among the insiders who truly don’t know why the Seahawks felt nothing on the departure.
Mafe over Hall a Mistake?
Many analysts and non-Seahawks fans felt Mafe’s departure was incredibly significant. Walder takes it a step further, mentioning that the Seahawks would have benefited more by trading Derick Hall so they can afford to Mafe more. Both Mafe and Hall accounted for two sacks last season. While Mafe had one more tackle for loss than Hall despite playing three more games (17 to 14), Hall also had 13 quarterback hits to Mafe’s four.
The Seahawks extended Hall to a three-year, $42 million contract this offseason and could have a breakout season. Mafe, on the other hand, has been regressing since his stellar second year in 2023. Seattle has relied on both players to step and provide pass rush and run-stop potential, but the value is better under Hall than Mafe.
Letting Mafe Go Was the Easy and Right Decision
Analytics could have shown that the Seahawks could have gotten value by trading Hall and paying Mafe. What the film shows is that Hall is a younger edge rusher being taught by multiple veterans to be a potential star. He also has a tight relationship with defensive tackle/end Leonard and edge rusher DeMarcus Lawrence. Mafe could be a good player, but statistics show he isn’t ready for a full season as a first-team edge rusher.
Losing players like safety Coby Bryant and running back Kenneth Walker III were real losses because they were full-time starters last season. The Bengals let defensive end Trey Hendrickson go because they couldn’t afford to pay him the high-caliber money he deserved. Replacing a pass rusher who accounted for 34 sacks in 2023 and 2024 with a role-playing edge rusher who got two sacks last season isn’t an upgrade.
The Seahawks see the potential in Hall and appreciate the bond he had with the team. Hall’s attitude and drive fit more with the aggressive philosophy of the Dark Side Defense than Mafe. The Seahawks didn’t think twice about keeping Hall over Mafe on their Super Bowl-winning roster. That’s all the points needed to justify this decision.
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Published 35 minutes ago
MICHAEL HANICHMichael Hanich is a long-time sports journalist with experience across print, digital, and television. He is currently a producer and reporter for WKRG News 5 in Mobile, Alabama, and has covered Alabama football, Auburn football and basketball, and various college and pro teams for Gulf Coast Media and YardBarker.
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3 Chargers Fighting for Their Next Contract Who Should Have Monster Seasons
3 Chargers Fighting for Their Next Contract Who Should Have Monster Seasons
Chargers stars with contract extensions up for grabs could have huge campaigns in 2026. Chris Roling|
In this story:
Los Angeles ChargersThe Los Angeles Chargers generally do a pretty good job of staying out in front of the next big contracts they want to do.
Good examples this offseason aren’t hard to find. General manager Joe Hortiz and the front office got the Derwin James extension done early. They didn’t, however, do early deals with names like Zion Johnson and Odafe Oweh, two guys who wound up leaving in free agency on pretty big deals with other teams.
Looking ahead to July work and beyond, a few major names stick out as contract extension candidates who could have big seasons.
Tuli Tuipulotu
Will the Chargers get the Tuli Tuipulotu contract extension done during training camp? Or will it drag out into the regular season and next offseason?
One would think the Chargers would wrap it up as soon as possible. Tuipulotu is just 23 years old and a second-round investment with 26 sacks over 50 games, including a career-high 13 last year. He’s the foundational building block for the unit once Khalil Mack retires.
But Tuipulotu and his reps could be content to wait and see what the market looks like. They would likely be correct to think he’s headed for another monster season despite the coordinator change to Chris O’Leary, since the theme is consistency anyway.
It’s not like the Chargers are, or will be hurting for cap space, anyway, but peace of mind in having this done would be nice.
WR Quentin Johnston
Don’t laugh.
Quentin Johnston hasn’t lived up to his first-round billing, no doubt. Some of that has been self-inflicted wounds like drop issues.
But if fans complained about archaic-feeling offenses like the one Greg Roman rolled out on a weekly basis for other players, Johnston probably deserves the same bit of grace.
Now, Johnston gets at least one chance to prove what he can do in a modern Mike McDaniel offense. That’s exciting, considering the new coordinator shouldn't have any problems drawing up big yards-after-catch chances for Johnston on short work, which is where he seems to excel.
Keep in mind, too, Johnston is still just 24 years old and has scored eight touchdowns in each of his last two seasons. Don’t sleep on McDaniel walking in the door at the perfect time to match Johnston’s developmental upswing.
Bonus: Donte Jackson
Maybe don’t sleep on veteran cornerback Donte Jackson. He came over last year in free agency and immediately dropped a 71.9 Pro Football Focus grade, ranked 24th out of 114 at his position. Jackson will be 31 in November, but if he has another strong season at a premium position, the Chargers might be willing to throw him big numbers, even if it’s on a year-to-year basis like they do with Mack.
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Published 42 minutes ago
CHRIS ROLINGChris Roling has covered the NFL since 2010 with stints at Bleacher Report, USA TODAY Sports Media Group and others. Raised a Bengals fan in the '90s, the Andy Dalton era was smooth sailing by comparison. He graduated from the E. W. Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University and remains in Athens.
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Master P Reveals His Son Is Auditioning to Play Him in Snoop Dogg’s Upcoming Biopic
Master P is trying to keep it in the family when it comes to who will play him in Snoop Dogg’s upcoming biopic.
“My son’s going out for the role to play me in the Snoop movie,” Master P, 56, exclusively told Us Weekly while attending the 2026 BET Awards on Sunday, June 28, referring to the 2027 movie about Snoop Dogg’s career.
The music mogul (real name Percy Robert Miller Sr.) noted that when his son started to prepare for the audition, the producers told him about trying to channel his “quiet power.”
“I don’t do a lot of screaming and all that, but I do make my presence felt,” Master P teased.
When asked how someone can “tap into that level of confidence,” Master P advised his son — and fans — to “just believe in yourself.”
“Do the right thing and put your trust and faith in God,” he continued. “So you don’t have to do all that screaming when you know God got you.”
Master P didn’t reveal which of his sons is attempting to play him on the big screen, but there are many to choose from.
Related: BET Awards 2026 Hottest Couples: Love Island‘s Kordell and Serena, More
Celebrity couples stepped out in style for a fun-filled date night at the 2026 BET Awards. Love Island USA season 6 couple Kordell Beckham and Serena Page were among the star-studded pairs who showed PDA on the red carpet ahead of the Sunday, June 28, ceremony at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. Thank You! You […]The “Mr. Ice Cream Man” rapper is the father of nine children, including seven he shares with ex-wife Sonya C. Master P and Sonya C, 58, were married from 1989 to 2014.
Master P’s eldest child, son Romeo, is probably his best known offspring. Born in 1989, Romeo has followed in his father’s footsteps, releasing five albums of his own.
In addition to Romeo, 36, Master P shares Vercy, born in 1991, Tytyana, born in 1992, Inty, born in 1993, Itali, born in 1999, Hercy, born in 2002, and Mercy, born in 2005. (The musician’s daughter Tytyana died in May 2022 at the age of 29 after struggling with substance abuse and mental illness.)
Master P is also the father of Veno, born in 1991, and Cymphonique, born in 1996, from other relationships.
Outside of Romeo, who has acted in films like Honey and had his own Nickelodeon series, Romeo!, Master P’s son Hercy, 24, has recently been thrust into the spotlight.
Related: A Complete Guide to Master P‘s 9 Children: Romeo, Tytyana Miller, More
A family in mourning. Master P’s daughter Tytyana Miller died at 29 in May 2022 after struggling with substance abuse and mental illness. “Our family is dealing with an overwhelming grief for the loss of my daughter Tytyana,” the rapper (whose real name is Percy Robert Miller Sr.) shared via Instagram at the time. “We […]After getting hurt amid his college basketball career, Hercy filmed season 1 of Netflix’s Calabasas Confidential, which premiered in May. Hercy is also an influencer and the founder of Fearless Dreamer clothing.
His younger brother, Mercy, 20, has since carried on the basketball legacy, playing for the University of Houston.
Master P’s other two sons, Vercy and Veno, both 34, also have acting credits to their name.
While it’s unknown whether any of Master P’s kids will land the role in the upcoming biopic, the rapper is just happy to have his children in his world.
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Deal of the Day
Deal Alert! This 44%-Off Throw-On Mini Dress Is Too Good to Leave in Your Cart View DealMaster P told Us on Sunday that his children have helped teach him “how to be a good father” and “how to communicate.”
“As [I’m] getting older, we have to communicate love and just all the godly values and having integrity, I mean, we’re constantly teaching each other,” he added.
With reporting by Shy Taylor.
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