Breaking down Seahawks draft trades

In today’s Herald, I took a look at why we can probably expect the Seahawks to trade back in the draft to gain picks at some point this weekend.

What there wasn’t room to do in the newspaper that we can do here, however, is look at every trade the Seahawks have made in the draft since Pete Carroll and John Schneider took over in 2010. So let’s do that here.

2010

The trade: Prior to the draft the Seahawks acquired Charlie Whitehurst from San Diego by sending their second round pick (40th overall) for the Chargers’ second rounder (No. 60). The Seahawks also sent a 2011 third-rounder to the Chargers.

The verdict: Hard to call this one anything but a bust. Whitehurst had no chance in a quarterback competition against Matt Hasselbeck, and still hasn’t been able to establish himself as anything more than a backup quarterback. Though to his credit, Whitehurst did help the Seahawks to a NFC West clinching Week 17 win over St. Louis in 2010 with Hasselbeck sidelined by an injury.

The trade: Seahawks acquired DT Kevin Vickerson and RB LenDale White from Tennessee by moving back in rounds four and six. Seattle sent Pick No. 104 and 176 to Tennessee and received Pick 111 and 185. The Seahawks used those picks on Walter Thurmond, who was a key contributor on a Super Bowl team, as well as Anthony McCoy, who re-signed with the team this offseason after missing all of the 2013 season with a torn Achilles.

The verdict: Neither Vickerson nor White made an impact with the Seahawks, but Thurmond helped lead the Seahawks win a Super Bowl, and McCoy was a productive No. 2 TE in 2012, so it’s hard to be critical of the trade even if the players acquired didn’t pan out. It is worth noting, however, that the Titans took Alterraun Verner with Pick No. 104, and he has since gone on to become a Pro Bowl cornerback.

The trade: Seattle sent guard Rob Sims and a seventh-round pick (213) to Detroit for DE Robert Henderson and the fifth-round pick (133) they used on Kam Chancellor.

The verdict: Sims probably could have helped the Seahawks in 2010 as they battled with injuries and inconsistent line play, and Henderson never played a game with Seattle, but it’s hard to call this trade anything other than a huge success considering Chancellor turned into a Pro Bowler and leader of Seattle’s defense.

The trade: Seattle traded defensive end Darryl Tapp to Philadelphia for a fourth-round pick (127) and defensive end Chris Clemons.

The verdict: One of the best trades the Seahawks have made under Carroll and Schneider, along with the one that landed Marshawn Lynch. Clemons would be Seattle’s best pass rusher from 2010-2012, and while that pick netted E.J. Wilson, who was gone early in his rookie season, but perhaps without that extra pick, the Seahawks might have taken Wilson and not Chancellor six picks later.

The trade: The Seahawks sent a fifth-round pick (139) to the New York Jets for RB/returner Leon Washington.

The verdict: Another successful deal, though at the time a somewhat risky one seeing as Washington was coming off of a potentially career-threatening leg injury. Washington got himself back to full speed by the start of the 2010 season, and for the next three years would be one of the league’s best returners.

The trade: Seattle sent a 2011 sixth-round pick to San Francisco for defensive lineman Kentwan Balmer.

The verdict: Balmer started 11 games in his one season as a Seahawk and appeared in all 16 games, recording 28 tackles, which is pretty a pretty decent return for a future sixth-rounder.

2011

The trade: Seattle traded its second-round pick (57) a fifth (157) and a seventh (209) to Detroit for a third-rounder (75), fourth (107), fifth (154) and seventh (205).

The verdict: Of the players Seattle acquired with the picks gained in the trade, three are no longer with the team (John Moffitt, Kris Durham, Pep Levingston) but the fourth, Richard Sherman (pick 154), turned into the best corner in the game. Sure the Seahawks probably would have landed Sherman anyway considering they had Pick No. 156 as well, but the fact remains Sherman came to Seattle in part because of this trade, which makes it a success. Worth noting, however, is that between that original second-round pick and the third they acquired, the Seahawks missed a chance to take future Pro Bowl pass rusher Justin Houston, who went 70th to Kansas City.

2012

The trade: Seattle sent the 12th overall pick to Philadelphia for Pick No. 15, as well as a fourth-round pick (114) and a sixth-rounder (172).

The verdict: Seahawks GM John Schneider has said that Bruce Irvin was their target all along, but thought they could afford to move back and still get him, so if you take him at his word, Seattle did well to get its man while still gaining some draft ammunition. The fourth-round pick, Jaye Howard, didn’t amount to much, but that sixth-rounder was used on Jeremy Lane, who was one of Seattle’s best special teams players last year and also saw significant playing time as the nickel cornerback thanks to injuries and suspensions.

The trade: Seattle swapped second-round picks with the Jets, moving back in the second round, from 43 to 47, while also acquiring a fifth (154) and seventh (232).

The verdict: Bobby Wagner has been a big part of Seattle’s league-best defense since winning the starting role in training camp as a rookie, so it’s hard to argue with the decision to move back. That being said, Bears receiver Alshon Jeffrey, who went 45th overall, would make for a pretty nice weapon in Seattle’s offense. The fifth-round pick was used on Korey Toomer, who missed last season with an injury and was on the practice squad as a rookie, while that seventh-rounder was used on defensive lineman Greg Scruggs, who is a candidate to be a breakout player in 2014 after missing last season due to injury.

2013

The trade: Before the draft, the Seahawks sent their first-round pick (25), a seventh (214), and a 2014 third-rounder (96) to Minnesota for Percy Harvin, who they then signed to a long-term extension.

The verdict: After one year, the trade isn’t looking very good thanks to Harvin’s hip injury, but the Seahawks didn’t make the deal with only one season in mind (and, by the way, they won a title in that one season with Harvin coming up big in the Super Bowl). What will ultimately define this trade is how well Harvin performs going forward, and how much the Seahawks end up missing last year’s first-rounder and a third this year, picks that could have helped them reload for the future.

The trade: for the fourth straight year, the Seahawks didn’t use their original second-round pick, sending Pick No. 56 to Baltimore for the 62nd pick, as well as fifth (165) and sixth-round picks (199).

The verdict: The Seahawks used the 62nd pick on Christine Michael, who didn’t had very little impact last season, but for whom the Seahawks still have very high hopes. As is the case with almost the entire 2013 draft class, the jury is still out on this one.

The trade: Seattle sent those two picks acquired above (165 and 199) to Detroit for pick No. 137, which allowed the Seahawks to draft DT Jesse Williams and CB Tharold Simon with back-to-back picks. Schneider said this move was made because the Seahawks wanted to add Simon, a big corner who they knew they might need going forward with Brandon Browner and Walter Thurmond heading into the final years of their contract. So far, with Williams and Simon both being non-factors because of injury, it’s hard to form an opinion on the move, but if Simon indeed turns into Seattle’s next late-round cornerback success story, two late-round picks would be a small price to pay.

Also of note, Seattle’s most recent draft trade marked the only time they’ve moved up in four drafts under Carroll and Schneider.