THE CHEAP SEATS with STEVE CAMERON: Seahawks brass enters business portion of NFL season

The parade is over.

Next up: Rebuilding the Seahawks to go for back-to-back Super Bowls.

If you’re thinking that coach Mike Macdonald and GM John Schneider have some time to kick back and celebrate in the Caribbean, and THEN get serious about next year’s roster …

You’re wrong.

The NFL year is different from an individual season, and even though there will be no screen passes or weak-side blitzes, each of the league’s 32 teams will be making plays soon enough.

In fact, things might start popping today.

This marks a key contractual date for seven Seahawks veteran players, including quarterback Sam Darnold.

All seven have clauses in their contracts in which salary or bonuses for the 2026 season become guaranteed.

Darnold has two guarantees due today — a $15 million roster bonus and $2.5 million of his $12.3 million base salary for 2026.

That’s just the start of toting up money for Darnold, who signed a three-year deal through 2027 worth $100.5 million.

Yes, there are plenty of yearly guarantees in there, and Sam is off to a great start in piling up the rewards.

THE VETS who have guarantees paid today are basically assured of being on the 2026 roster.

There are situations where players on the edge must wait with a case of nerves to see if this next payment is made.

If not, they have no team.

The Seahawk seven with money coming today are Darnold, Cooper Kupp (there are NFL reporters who think Kupp may not get his full guarantees), tackle Abe Lucas, punter Michael Dickson, defensive DeMarcus Lawrence, defensive tackle Jarran Reed and linebacker Ernest Jones IV.

We’re not kidding about how quickly the NFL business kicks into year — especially for teams who make it all the way to the Super Bowl.

For instance, teams were allowed to sign practice squad players on Thursday.

The Seahawks signed 13 of the 17 who finished the season in that category.

Two well-known veterans were not re-signed to the practice squad — defensive backs Shaquill Griffin and Quandre Diggs.

More business is coming up next Tuesday, when teams can use franchise or transition tags to lock down players at contract amounts set by a league formula.

Schneider is no fan of the franchise tag, which he believes costs too much money for a single season.

The Hawks used the tag on placekicker Olindo Mare in 2010, and in 2019, Schneider tagged defensive end Frank Clark so that he could be traded to Kansas City.

THE BIG ticket dates aren’t far away, either.

The Seahawks and their NFL competitors can officially sign unrestricted free agents starting at 1 p.m. PST on March 11, which marks the beginning of the new league year.

A 52-hour "legal tampering" period begins on March 9 at 9 a.m., allowing teams to negotiate with agents, though contracts cannot be signed until the March 11 deadline.

Seattle has some key free agents at risk, including Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III, midseason acquisition Rashid Shaheed, and defensive backs Riq Woolen, Coby Bryant and Josh Jobe.

Outside rusher Boye Mafe would be in demand, as well.

The Hawks are in a solid position with this year’s free agent crop, since they’re sitting on the fifth-highest amount of cap space.

Walker is a priority with his talent, but also because the other half of Seattle’s rushing pair, Zach Charbonnet, injured his knee late in the year.

His future is uncertain.

Other than Walker, I would argue that Shaheed is the most critical player to keep — and that he will receive some big offers around the league.

Shaheed’s combination of being a dangerous receiver and the most explosive kick and punt returner in the league made him Seattle’s nuclear weapon.

Schneider’s midseason trade to grab Shaheed was a stroke of genius.

Besides the breathtaking return game, Shaheed opened up passing lanes for Darnold with his threat of going deep at any time.

Getting that speed and combination of weapons makes it almost mandatory to keep Shaheed.

It will cost, as well, even if Shaheed has said how much he enjoys the Seahawks.

Former offensive coordination Klint Kubiak worked with Shaheed two years ago in New Orleans, then last season — but now Kubiak is head coach in Las Vegas.

Klint will be bidding.

It’s all part of the NFL chaos.

Email: [email protected]

Steve Cameron’s “Cheap Seats” columns appear in The Press three times each week, normally Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday unless, you know, stuff happens.

Steve suggests you take his opinions in the spirit of a Jimmy Buffett song: “Breathe In, Breathe Out, Move On."