Seahawks trade targets: Potential options if Seattle decides to be buyers at deadline
Seaside Joe 1322: Who is Seahawk-y, who is too expensive, and who is overrated?
The NFL trade deadline is usually underwhelming. Though the league is headed in the direction of creating more excitement at the deadline than in the past, football is still not a sport that is conducive to blockbuster moves on the level of the NBA or MLB.
However, deals are bound to happen between now and the November 1 deadline and the Seattle Seahawks are typically involved in transactions at a higher rate than the league average.
In 2019, the Seahawks traded for Quandre Diggs a week ahead of the deadline. The biggest moves that month were Jalen Ramsey, Marcus Peters, Aqib Talib, Leonard Williams, and Emmanuel Sanders.
It was much quieter in 2020, as Yannick Ngakoue was probably the most notable player moved, while the Seahawks acquired Carlos Dunlap. Then last year, Stephon Gilmore, Zach Ertz, Mark Ingram, and Von Miller were the biggest names changing teams at the deadline. Seattle stayed quiet.
This year we can expect a few star players to come up over and over again over the next two weeks but keep in mind that it is improbable—not probable—that any of them will be moved. With Robbie Anderson getting traded to the Cardinals on Monday, that was a case of the most obvious move happening: Anderson seemed to hate playing for the Panthers already and the fact that Carolina is 1-5 expedited the inevitable.
And the fact that Anderson is a mediocre and overpaid player is an example of the types of moves that are more likely to be made than the blockbuster expectations for Brian Burns or Roquan Smith. It doesn’t mean that those moves are impossible, as evidenced by the Rams deadling for Ramsey and Miller at the deadlines in 2019 and 2021, but if the Seahawks do make a trade then it is far more likely that the names will be valuable role players.
Not saviors. However, maybe any player who could plug any leak on defense could be of help for Seattle’s mission to win at least six of their last 11 games. If the Seahawks can do that, there is a good possibility that they will be in the postseason for the 10th time out of 13 seasons with Pete Carroll.
I posted a “Firesale Chart” ranking the teams who would be most-likely to make a trade before the deadline in today’s “How Week 6 impacted the Seahawks” article. That’s the starting point for building any case for Seattle making a trade in the next two weeks:
Who is willing to lose a good player?
Who are those good players?
What are the Seahawks’ needs?
What can the Seahawks afford?
What should the Seahawks be willing to trade to get him?
Does the fit make sense?
These are all the steps we need to get through to even begin considering a trade as a viable option and that’s part of the reason that NFL trades are still so rare. But less rare than they used to be and not nearly as uncommon when it comes to the Seattle Seahawks under John Schneider and Pete Carroll.
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What trade targets and trade partners would make the most sense for the Seahawks at this time?
Too Expensive
LB Roquan Smith, Bears
Roquan Smith wants to be traded and the Bears are a terrible team that is a little more terrible because of their decision to trade two first round picks for Justin Fields. They need to get back some draft capital and maybe Chicago would be willing to listen to offers for Smith now after losing their last three games. Smith would instantly transform Seattle’s defense by stepping in permanently for Cody Barton, someone who saw his playing time decrease significantly in Week 6.
However, the Seahawks would be wiser to try and sign Smith in free agency than to trade for him now.
Number one: The Seahawks don’t have cap space for this season. Seattle restructured Gabe Jackson’s contract last week just to be certain that they can afford minor moves over the course of the rest of 2022. Trading for anyone of Smith’s caliber (he is owed about $6 million for the rest of the season) would necessitate corresponding moves that Seattle can’t really afford to make.
Number two, will the Bears franchise tag Smith in 2023? I think so. Chicago doesn’t have another high-profile free agent next year and they can’t afford to lose Smith for nothing. If he gets tagged, Smith could be traded for at least one first round pick. The Seahawks may or may not be interested (assistant Sean Desai knows Smith very well) but if ever a time comes to consider trading for Roquan Smith, it would be next year, not now.
Anyone who tells you that the Seahawks could trade for Smith this season, ask them “How?” Seattle doesn’t have the cap space and then they’d have to turn around and extend Smith beyond 2022, lowering their potential moves next offseason. They’d also have to sacrifice a lot of the draft capital that they only just acquired.
Same logic goes for Robert Quinn, an edge rusher who is far too expensive (and he only has one sack this season) for Seattle.
DE Brian Burns, Panthers
I can’t say for certain that Burns won’t be traded, but did you know that this guy on Twitter is a proven liar? Please stop sharing his tweets. Blue checkmarks are NOT THAT HARD TO GET! How do I know? I have one! And I definitely should not.
Burns’ 2022 contract figure is not prohibitive for Seattle’s sake (only about $1.5 million left to be paid) but he does have a $16 million fifth-year option due in 2023. The Seahawks could afford that. They could also just wait and see if they want to trade for Burns next year and then really know for sure what they’re giving up and what they need moving forward.
But it would cost the Seahawks a first round pick to acquire Burns, at least. Seattle could end up drafting a pass rusher as good as Burns with that pick but on a contract that pays him a small fraction as much. Carolina GM Scott Fitterer is a former Seahawks executive, so there are ties there, but how much does ownership even trust Fitterer to make the calls from here on out after trading for Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold?
Burns is a good young pass rusher, but Seattle is in no position to think that now is the time to trade for him.
CB William Jackson III, Commanders
A three-year, $40.5 million contract in 2021 was the endorsement of Jackson that many had been waiting for since his days as a first round pick with the Bengals. His poor fit with Washington and request to be traded is not the sign of good faith that those fans were hoping to hear already.
But Jackson is owed over $3 million for the rest of the season and he has a $9.25 million base salary with a $2.5 million roster bonus in 2023. The Seahawks should not trade anything for a rental of William Jackson, no matter how great their “need” at cornerback is perceived to be.
WR Brandin Cooks, Texans
The thought of adding Cooks to Seattle’s offense is enticing (Shane Waldron also knows first-hand the benefits of a three-WR offense featuring Cooks) but just in case you get any ideas: He has a fully-guaranteed $18 million salary in 2023.
CB Shaquill Griffin, Jaguars
Reunion? Only if the Jaguars were to eat almost all of his remaining salary. Griffin has a $11.5 million salary this year that is fully guaranteed and another $11.5 million salary in 2023.
Overrated
DE Clelin Ferrell
I know what you’re thinking, “But Clelin Ferrell isn’t good, why would he be overrated?” Tell that to the people who keep listing these players as notable trade targets. Or to the fans who definitely would be excited if the Seahawks traded for Ferrell. Why? Because he was a high draft pick… ignoring the fact that he was also a horrible draft pick.
Ferrell has 3.5 sacks since the start of 2020, a span of 32 games. If the Raiders don’t trade him (they’re giving him about 22 snaps per game, maybe to showcase what he can do, which isn’t much) then they likely waive him just to put that to rest like all of their other draft picks under Jon Gruden. If waived, Seattle would still not pick him up then: They’d have to pay the remainder of his $4.7 million salary.
If Ferrell clears waivers (and he would), then the Seahawks could attempt to sign him.
WR Denzel Mims, Jets
Same deal: Why should I care about a player who should have been drafted in the sixth or seventh round? Mims has been a healthy scratch in all six Jets games.
CB C.J. Henderson, Panthers
Just another wasted draft pick.
Seahawk-y Moves
DE Jerry Hughes, Texans
After signing a two-year, $10 million contract with Houston in the offseason, the 34-year-old Hughes has proven to still have “it” as he’s posted four sacks, an interception, and a forced fumble in only five games. Maybe Hughes just wants to play for Lovie Smith and enjoy the ride but what if a contender comes calling? I’m not saying that the Seahawks are a contender yet, but that tone would change if they knock off the Chargers and Giants in the next two weeks. And Hughes comes cheap.
He is only owed a little over $1 million this year and he has a $4 million base salary in 2023. The situation isn’t too dissimilar to the one that brought Dunlap in 2020.
LB Nicholas Morrow, Bears
Morrow is on a one-year contract that has less than $1 million left on it, so Seattle could easily afford him. The Seahawks wouldn’t be getting a star like his teammate Smith, but at least he would be an inexpensive option to push Barton for snaps. Morrow, a former undrafted free agent out of Greenville College, played four seasons with the Raiders, including part of one with Ken Norton, Jr.
DE Arden Key, Jaguars
A highly touted prospect who then fell to the Raiders in the third round of the 2018 draft, Key had 6.5 sacks with the 49ers in 2021. But he hasn’t been as productive in Jacksonville this season (34-percent snap count, one sack, four total pressures) and he’s going to have a hard time getting better opportunities with Josh Allen and Travon Walker as the stars now.
I would have low expectations for Key if he came to Seattle, but sometimes that does work in the Seahawks favor. Just look at D.J. Reed as a past mid-season addition. Or even Diggs, who didn’t come at a high price and yet has been a revelation for Seattle, usually.
DB Desmond King, Texans
It wasn’t costly for Houston to keep King as a free agent (two years, $7 million) but he is proving to be worth far more than that. King has seven pass deflections already and one interception, he is also a punt returner, which could benefit Seattle.
King spent three and a half years playing for Gus Bradley with the Chargers, so he’s got that connection with a Pete Carroll defense already. Whether the Seahawks slot him at cornerback, safety, or punt returner, it seems King is both affordable (about $600k owed) and a fit for Seattle. But does Houston want to give him up and would they even consider it for less than a third round pick? This is only a move for the Seahawks if we’re talking about a day three pick.
LB Kamu Grugier-Hill, Texans
Another unexciting but sensible, Seahawk-y move. Grugier-Hill started 14 games for the Texans last season, his sixth year in the league, and he’s manning the middle again in 2022: 37 tackles in five starts. He also had three sacks and an interception to go with 108 tackles last season. He’s owed less than $1.5 million. Teammate Christian Kirksey could be yet another option from the Houston linebackers corps.
Some people might also be asking about Texans pass rusher Jonathan Greenard, but he is one of the few players on Houston’s roster that the team should want to extend, not trade. Would the Seahawks entertain a reunion with Rasheem Green? If they didn’t re-sign him this year, it’s a sign that they’ve moved on for good.
LB Shaq Thompson, Panthers
A former first round pick and star at the University of Washington, Thompson seems like a good bet to be one of the next players to walk out the door in Carolina, following Christian McCaffrey. He’s also affordable as most of his payment is coming through the form of bonuses and an acquiring team would only be on the hook for about $1 million this season. Thompson has a non-guaranteed $12.3 million base salary in 2023 and if he’s not traded now, he’s likely to be a cap casualty next year anyway.
Thompson has been a stead presence for Carolina since 2015, but the books are closed there now and there’s going to be a new regime in 2023. He has 39 tackles and three passes deflected in six games this year. Teammate Cory Littleton is also inexpensive, he’s just not very good.
DE Yetur Gross-Matos, Panthers
If the Seahawks want to take a flier on another pass rusher who was drafted too high (38th overall in 2020) then fine. Gross-Matos is cheaper than Ferrell. But he’s not going to help Seattle a lot.
DE Michael Brockers, Lions
Brockers could be content in Detroit. But if the Seahawks seem to be a few steps ahead of the Lions when the trade deadline comes to pass (the Lions are 1-4), maybe he’ll ask for a chance to play somewhere else before his career is over. The 32-year-old is owed about $2 million this year and $10 million (not guaranteed) next year. A team might be able to get him for a late round pick swap. He is at least friendly with some of Seattle’s staff after spending most of his career with the Rams, but his presence has a lot more to do with veteran leadership and depth than production. Brockers has only one sack and four tackles for a loss in 21 games with the Lions.
TRADE BAIT - Cash, Draft pick(s), and/or a Play-yer...right???
After looking at what WE have to trade away in order to receive a player who will fit better for us in return - and Not trade draft capital:
1) Drew Lock (who I would like to keep until at least when we know Geno's future)
2) LG Jackson (trade our ugly next year's contract for another team's ugly 2023 obligation)
3) Tight End? - we have three starter/near starters here...
4) Cody Barton - Blitzes well and plays well in space, but has been challenged with linemen at his feet. Someone might see him as an edge setting/pass rushing LB...wait, maybe WE can!
5) Mystery DB - We DO have a Lot of bodies in our DB room. It almost looks like August in there...
Can we do anything with any of these assets? Anyone? Ferris Bueller? Anyone?
I'll take Shaq Thompson if the price is right.
Can we trade Fant for anything good?