Seahawks should be buyers at trade deadline

Published 1:30 am Thursday, October 30, 2025

John Schneider and his staff are always monitoring what’s going on around the league, so as the NFL’s trade deadline approaches on Nov. 4, the Seattle Seahawks’ general manager likely has his guys working the phones.

“We’re always active,” coach Mike Macdonald said Monday. “You know how John rolls: We’re in everything. We’re constantly trying to do what’s best for us. Sometimes that’s through acquisition.”

At 5-2 and atop the NFC West standings, the Seahawks should be buyers ahead of the deadline. They do not have an urgent need for any position group, but a minor move up front could be impactful.

The Seahawks have $21.5 million in salary-cap space, according to Over the Cap. As for assets, Seattle has one pick in each of the first six rounds of the 2026 draft; last summer, the team traded away its 2026 seventh-round pick and center Nick Harris to the Cleveland Browns for a 2026 sixth-round selection. In October 2024, Seattle sent a 2026 sixth-round pick to the Jacksonville Jaguars for defensive tackle Roy Robertson-Harris.

Trade partners this time of year tend to fall into a few buckets: rebuilding teams who need draft assets more than they need certain players, particularly those on expiring contracts; teams who have a strained relationship with the player being sent off; and teams with surplus talent at a certain position.

The New York Jets (1-7), New Orleans Saints (1-7), Cleveland Browns (2-6), Las Vegas Raiders (2-5) and Tennessee Titans (1-7) would fall into the first bucket. The Miami Dolphins (2-6) and New York Giants (2-6) probably belong there as well, but they also come across as teams still trying to salvage what’s left of their seasons, in part because of the statuses of their head coaches. But they’re worth calling regardless.

Seattle’s defense has been riddled with injuries, but should be in good shape with cornerback Devon Witherspoon, safety Julian Love and outside linebacker Derick Hall expected to return this week against the Washington Commanders.

The only potential weak spot on defense is at weakside linebacker. However, in two games as the full-time starter in Weeks 6 and 7, Drake Thomas had a sack, two tackles for loss on run plays and four pass breakups. Thomas is trending in the right direction, which makes coughing up draft capital to find a replacement less of a priority.

There’s plenty of blame to go around for Seattle’s underwhelming run game and poor third-down performance. And there’s probably not a feasible move that would drastically improve either element of the offense. But if there’s potential for an upgrade, it would be at right guard.

Positions of need and potential targets

Among guards to play at least 200 offensive snaps, Anthony Bradford has allowed the third-highest pressure rate (all stats provided by TruMedia) and a pair of sacks (he also might have been at fault for another sack against Arizona). Right tackle Abe Lucas is Seattle’s only other player with multiple sacks surrendered.

Macdonald said the team did not consider making changes to the offensive line during its bye.

The Browns (Joel Bitonio, Wyatt Teller) and Titans (Kevin Zeitler) have veteran guards on expiring contracts, though those teams might not see value in worsening the supporting casts in front of their rookie quarterbacks. Although the Jets might feel great after their first victory of the Aaron Glenn era, they could still sell off an expiring-contract player like left guard John Simpson. Evan Neal of the Giants might not be an upgrade, but the cost would likely be low, and Schneider is not afraid to take a swing on a first-round pick (Neal was selected No. 7 in 2022).

The Seahawks have the draft picks and cap space to acquire a more impactful player. The question is whether there are any available. The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported Saturday that pass rushers Trey Hendrickson and Maxx Crosby aren’t available. Wide receiver Chris Olave is under contract through 2026 and would pair well with former college teammate Jaxon Smith-Njigba, but Russini reported New Orleans isn’t expected to trade the 25-year-old wideout. Saints receiver Rashid Shaheed excelled in Klint Kubiak’s offense last year, but giving up assets feels unnecessary while rostering Tory Horton.

Seattle’s wide receivers outside of Smith-Njigba haven’t been very productive, but that’s a function of opportunity, not ability. Cooper Kupp has only 24 catches for 293 yards and a touchdown, but he’s averaging 1.64 yards per route, the same as Olave. Kupp’s yards per route average is just below Arizona’s Marvin Harrison Jr. (1.65) and better than players believed to be on the trade block, such as Shaheed (1.57), Jacksonville’s Brian Thomas Jr. (1.43) and Las Vegas’ Jakobi Meyers (1.63).

Kupp isn’t lighting it up, but he’s also playing in a run-heavy offense — statistically, at least — and alongside the guy with the highest target share in the NFL. Kupp would almost certainly be more productive if given more targets. The same goes for Horton, the best deep threat on the team after Smith-Njigba.

What about a smaller deal?

A clear upgrade at wide receiver or any other position outside of guard would probably require trading a Day 2 pick, and Schneider’s history of midseason moves suggests that such a deal is unlikely.

In November 2017, Seattle gave the Houston Texans a 2018 third-round pick and a 2019 second-round pick in exchange for left tackle Duane Brown and the 2018 fifth-round pick that became Shaquem Griffin. The Seahawks had an urgent need at left tackle because George Fant tore his ACL in the preseason, and starting Rees Odhiambo became untenable. In October 2023, Seattle traded picks in the second and fifth rounds of the 2023 draft for defensive tackle Leonard Williams. Again, the need was urgent, this time because of edge rusher Uchenna Nwosu’s season-ending pectoral muscle tear.

The Seahawks do not currently have that sort of urgent need. So, Schneider’s less aggressive moves that involved Day 3 picks are more instructive.

This time last year, Schneider sent linebacker Jerome Baker and a 2025 fourth-round pick to the Tennessee Titans for linebacker Ernest Jones IV. Ahead of the 2019 trade deadline, Seattle sent a 2020 fifth-round pick to the Detroit Lions for safety Quandre Diggs and a 2021 seventh-round pick. The next year, the Seahawks needed help up front, so Schneider traded backup center B.J. Finney and a 2021 seventh-round pick to the Cincinnati Bengals for defensive end Carlos Dunlap.

If Schneider makes a move, it might be something along those lines. Some names of interest in the “sellers” section of this article from The Athletic’s NFL staff: Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan, Browns defensive end Joe Tryon-Shoyinka and linebacker Quincy Williams of the Jets, along with Simpson. Not listed but potentially interesting options: Dolphins linebacker and former Seahawk Jordyn Brooks, or Titans edge rusher Arden Key.

Who could be dealt?

The Seahawks could also be sellers at the deadline, given how many teams need defensive backs (Russini lists the Ravens, Colts, and Lions as CB-needy clubs).

At full strength, Seattle has a cornerback depth chart of Witherspoon, Josh Jobe, Riq Woolen, Nehemiah Pritchett and Derion Kendrick, with Shaquill Griffin on the practice squad. At safety: Love, Coby Bryant, Nick Emmanwori, Ty Okada and D’Anthony Bell, with Jerrick Reed II on the practice squad.

Dipping into that depth could be dangerous given how the injury report looked the first half of the year, but Seattle could view guys like Woolen and Bell as expendable, and they’d be upgrades for certain clubs.

Another name to consider would be Boye Mafe, who’s on an expiring deal and has been the least productive of the Seahawks’ pass rushers.