Seahawks' DeMarcus Lawrence a long shot to earn $500,000 incentive vs. 49ers

Matt Sullivan

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Seahawks' DeMarcus Lawrence a long shot to earn $500,000 incentive vs. 49ers image

There is a lot at stake in Week 18 of the 2025 NFL season, but no matchup is bigger than the Seattle Seahawks and the San Francisco 49ers' Saturday night matchup.

The winner will win the NFC West and secure a first-round bye. Sam Darnold also has something personal at stake, as 150 passing yards will land him $500,000.

DeMarcus Lawrence also has something at stake, as Zak Koeppel of NFL.com notes. He's close to a $500,000 payday, but unlike Darnold, Lawrence is a long shot to hit his incentive.

Seahawks' DeMarcus Lawrence a long shot to hit $500K incentive

Lawrence's incentive for Week 18 revolves around his sack total. He's currently at six, and if he can get two more sacks in the season finale, he would earn an extra $500,000 for reaching eight sacks on the year.

Part of the incentive was also to make the playoffs, and with a spot clinched a while ago, he's already reached that threshold. But, he's still two sacks short.

While Lawrence has been one of the better defenders in the NFL this season, he's not likely to get two sacks on Saturday night. Koeppel highlighted just how unlikely Lawrence is to hit this incentive.

"As for the second part of the incentive," Koeppel writes, "Lawrence has registered two or more sacks in a game only once this season (Week 6 vs. The Jaguars). Meanwhile, Brock Purdy is averaging only one sack taken per game in 2025, which is tied for the lowest rate among all qualified quarterbacks."

More: Seahawks' Sam Darnold has $5 million at stake in incentives this season

Not only has Lawrence rarely gotten the needed two sacks in a single game before, but he's facing one of the hardest quarterbacks to get down.

Brock Purdy is elite at avoiding sacks, and combined with Lawrence needing two and not reaching such a single-game mark more than once this season, his $500,000 incentive does not look likely to cash.

The Seahawks could win in Week 18, and it might be thanks to incredible defensive play. But, even if Seattle holds the 49ers offense down, it might not come thanks to Lawrence getting to Purdy multiple times.

This incentive hitting is a long shot at best, but Lawrence has shown to be a game-wrecker, and knowing the $500,000 incentive, and the NFC West and first-round bye is on the line, he could have a career day for Seattle in the massive Week 18 Seahawks-49ers showdown.

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