Hello Kris, happy to help.

The seedpods should not affect flowering but the freeze/thaw cycles may. Further south, it's common for redbud seedpods to remain on the tree through the winter. Our winter has been more like a warmer zone this year so it wouldn't surprise me to see the pods stay on. I'd refrain from knocking them off yourself because it may knock off the flower buds.

If your redbud flower buds have been swelling during our warmer days, overnight freezing temps may kill them. Maybe those clusters of seedpods will insulate those buds. You could also consider covering the canopy of your trees if they're small enough for a sheet and if you can reach over the tree without knocking off buds. 

Here is more information about our strange weather's issues to watch for this spring: https://extension.umn.edu/yard-and-garden-news/how-will-warm-winter-affect-my-plants

Good-luck!