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01 May 2024

• Seahawks could see up to 5 first-round rookie quarterbacks in 2024

  Nearly every quarterback drafted in Round 1 will have a chance to play the Seahawks in the 2024 regular season.

  One of the pre-draft storylines for the Seattle Seahawks was whether or not they’d use the No. 16 pick on a quarterback. Not only did that not happen, but they never had a real chance. A whopping half-dozen quarterbacks were taken in the top-12 of the 2024 NFL Draft, something we’ve never seen before.

  A new post-draft storyline has emerged based on which teams drafted quarterbacks. Five of Seattle’s regular season opponents could be starting their prized rookies against the Seahawks and Mike Macdonald’s new-look defense.

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  Caleb Williams (Chicago Bears)

  The No. 1 overall pick is in a rare situation where he’s not going to a team that’s starting from rock-bottom. Chicago may have finished 7-10 last season but it won five of its last eight, with the three defeats coming by a combined 16 points. If Williams works out, I’m sure the Bears will forever thank the Carolina Panthers for agreeing to that trade.

  Chicago’s receiving group could turn into one of the league’s best real quickly. Keenan Allen was acquired for a fourth-round pick, Rome Odunze was taken at No. 9 overall, and D.J. Moore had a fantastic first season with his new team. This isn’t even mentioning the tight end room, which consists of Cole Kmet and Gerald Everett.

  Seattle will be at Chicago to (presumably) take on Williams. By the way, the Bears’ new offensive coordinator is former Seahawks OC Shane Waldron.

  Drake Maye (New England Patriots)

  The former North Carolina star is replacing Mac Jones as the potential successor to Tom Brady. New England finally bottomed out to the point where getting a quarterback high in the draft was not just possible but necessary.

  Much like Williams, Maye will have a former Huskies target to throw to in second-round pick Ja’Lynn Polk. Unlike Williams, Maye will be a question mark as a Week 1 starter, as the veteran Jacoby Brissett was brought back to New England. I wouldn’t be surprised if first-year head coach Jerod Mayo started with Brissett at the very least.

  Seattle is scheduled to play at New England for the first time since 2016, when the Patriots failed to run the ball on 4th down at the 1-yard line with LaGarrette Blount (3 touchdowns scored) and lost 31-24.

  Oh yeah, the Pats also drafted Joe Milton, so technically the Seahawks could play him too.

  Michael Penix Jr (Atlanta Falcons)

  Well well well. This is the pick that dominated the headlines of the draft. Kirk Cousins signed for $100 million guaranteed and yet the Falcons used the No. 8 pick on Penix anyway. We’ve seen teams draft their possible long-term answer at QB with either a multi-year incumbent starter or a stopgap starter, but we’ve never seen a team dish out huge money to an expected starter and then draft his replacement six weeks later.

  The Heisman Trophy runner-up dazzled with his arm at Washington, but most importantly he avoided missing any games while with the Huskies. Any medical concerns about Penix given his numerous season-ending injuries at Indiana did not deter the Falcons from taking him in the top-10. Atlanta’s not hurting for talent on offense given the first-round picks spent on Drake London, Kyle Pitts, and Bijan Robinson.

  For now, Cousins is the starter and would be projected to start against the Seahawks when the teams face off in Atlanta. If that matchup is deeper into the season and Cousins is a shell of his former self, no doubt there will be rumblings to have Penix get the start.

  J.J. McCarthy (Minnesota Vikings)

  The national champion from Michigan will be staying in Big Ten territory—I suppose that’s expanded so much that if the Seahawks took him he’d still be in Big Ten territory—and is set to be Kirk Cousins’ successor. McCarthy immediately will enjoy the outstanding receiving duo of Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison.

  Minnesota almost certainly would’ve been a playoff team with a healthy Cousins last season, so McCarthy isn’t walking into a talent-poor squad. There will be a push to improve the Vikings’ rushing attack (which McCarthy could be a part of, in addition to signing Aaron Jones), and that Minnesota defense was 11th in DVOA in 2023.

  Minnesota will be at Seattle for the first time since that dramatic Sunday Night Football win by the Seahawks in 2020.

  Bo Nix (Denver Broncos)

  Imagine telling yourself that Bo Nix would be a top-15 pick after how his career looked at Auburn. He turned things around at Oregon and finds himself on a Denver team that is rebuilding after the Russell Wilson experience did not turn out as well as hoped.

  While the Broncos traded Jerry Jeudy and may yet deal Courtland Sutton, they reunited Nix with his Ducks teammate Troy Franklin in the fourth round (via the trade with the Seahawks). Nix’s competition in camp is Zach Wilson and Jarrett Stidham, so unless one of those other two magically becomes competent or Nix is a horror shot, it’s most likely that Bo will be a Day 1 starter in Denver.

  The Seahawks will host the Broncos for the second time in three seasons. That game probably won’t have the same charged up atmosphere as the last meeting, I suspect.

  ---

  The Washington Commanders’ Jayden Daniels is the only first-round QB the Seahawks won’t see in the regular season.

  No date has been set for the full schedule release, but it’s normally in mid-May so we should get some news on that imminently.

• The key stats on new Seahawks defensive tackle Byron Murphy II

  Murphy is a fantastic athlete who gets after the quarterback.

  For the second year in a row, the Seattle Seahawks took the second defensive player off the board in the NFL Draft. Last year they landed cornerback Devon Witherspoon, an eventual finalist for Defensive Rookie of the Year. On Thursday night in Detroit, Seattle used the No. 16 overall pick on defensive tackle Byron Murphy II from Texas.

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  Incredible athletic traits

  Byron Murphy II was a standout at February’s NFL combine. There will be concerns about his height and his arm length, but it isn’t like Seahawks fans haven’t been tormented by a recently retired Los Angeles Rams legend who faced similar pre-draft question marks. If an Aaron Donald comp is a bit too lofty, his Relative Athletic Score (RAS) mirrors former Cincinnati Bengals star Geno Atkins, a member of the NFL’s All-Decade 2010s Team.

  #Seahawks 1st round DT Byron Murphy has a decent athletic comp in All Pro Geno Atkins. It's not perfect, but with similar size, close enough athletic traits, and similar reputation for backfield disruption, I think it works. pic.twitter.com/YB0EwiIWWc

  — Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) April 26, 2024

  Murphy ticks the athletic checkboxes to make up for being “undersized.” And before anyone brings up Malik McDowell when looking back at previous high-profile efforts by the Seahawks to improve the interior defensive line through the draft, read this quote from Steve Sarkisian.

  “Seattle got a great one and a guy that can be an anchor on their defensive line for a long time in Byron Murphy,” said Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian. “The biggest thing about Murph is the work ethic. He wasn’t the most highly recruited player coming out of high school, but he worked extremely hard, earned everyone’s respect and developed into a big-time NFL first-round pick.

  McDowell had work ethic, maturity, and effort concerns in the lead-up to the draft that were documented. Seattle was consciously taking a chance even before his ATV accident. Murphy appears to be a high-character player without any of those same worries.

  Pass rush win rate

  Murphy only managed 8 sacks total over three seasons at Texas. We know that sacks can be a misleading stat for defensive tackles at the collegiate and NFL level. In his breakout junior season, Murphy had an exceptional pass rush win rate, which is defined as a pass-rusher beating their block within 2.5 seconds,

  Top Power Five DI pass rush win rate years since 2014 (250+ opps)
  
  (‘23) Byron Murphy 19.6%
  (‘22) Calijah Kancey 19.6%
  (‘16) Jonathan Allen 17.9%
  (‘21) Jalen Carter 17.7%
  (‘18) Quinnen Williams 17.6%
  (‘20) Christian Barmore 16.9%
  (‘18) Jerry Tillery 16.8%
  (‘15) Chris Jones 16.7%

  — Football Insights (@fball_insights) April 9, 2024

  This is an outstanding list of interior defensive linemen and Jerry Tillery. Kancey already looks promising with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Carter was Defensive Rookie of the Year runner-up on an awful Eagles defense, and Christian Barmore is in line for a big payday from either the New England Patriots or someone else. Chris Jones (who only had 8.5 sacks in college and has 75.5 sacks in the NFL) is eventually Canton-bound, while Quinnen Williams and Jonathan Allen are multi-time Pro Bowl selections.

  In straight dropback passing situations, he was phenomenal. From PFF:

  While Murphy profiles as a true three-down contributor on the interior, he’s even better when unburdened by sifting through run action. On snaps without play action, Murphy amassed 38 total pressures on 180 snaps for an incredible 21.1% pressure rate, a rate more than 7 percentage points higher than that of any other interior prospect in this year’s class.

  Run stops

  Notable DI prospects career run stop and pass rush win rates. Hello Byron Murphy pic.twitter.com/VxO6GryBvC

  — Football Insights (@fball_insights) April 4, 2024

  Murphy’s 9.5% run stop rate in his final season ranked 26th in the nation among all interior defensive linemen. He’s not setting the world on fire compared to his teammate T’Vondre Sweat (12.8%) or Michigan’s Kris Jenkins (12.6%), but still above-average compared to most of his peers.

  His performance might got lost in the shuffle but #Texas DT Byron Murphy II was outstanding last night.
  
  The stats don’t do him justice, had a handful of pressures, some impactful run stops, pushing the interior pocket. His activity forced Washington to attack the perimeter. pic.twitter.com/Sf4Z5D5ANx

  — Devin Jackson (@RealD_Jackson) January 2, 2024

  My hope is that the pass rush stats are the primary reason the Seahawks drafted Murphy. I am much more intrigued by what Murphy provides on that front than his run defense, which is still valuable but not the main focus. While the run defense must be better than last year’s monstrosity, Seattle has no shot at contending any time soon if its going to trot out another below-average pass defense, which it has for five straight seasons. The Seahawks have had one season since 2017 with a pressure rate in the top-half of the league, per Sports Info Solutions.

  The evidence is clear that you can make deep playoff runs with average-at-best run defense. You’re basically screwed if you don’t have a high-level passing attack and at least a competent pass defense.

  13 of the 24 teams on here did not have a top-15 run defense by Expected Points Added.
  
  18 of the 24 teams had a top-15 EPA/dropback (passes + scrambles).
  
  23 of 24 teams had a top-10 passing offense,
  
  Pass the ball well + defend the pass well = Make deep playoff runs. https://t.co/ettOXXQRJx

  — Field Gulls (@FieldGulls) February 6, 2024

  Murphy is supposed to be a two-way player but I’d rather see one part of his game prioritized a lot more than the other... it’s the one that consistently wins championships.

  100% touchdown rate

  The red zone woes are fixed. This man has two career touches in the red zone and he scored both times.

  Touchdown Texas pic.twitter.com/zrvFiFIFTB

  — Texas Football (@TexasFootball) September 17, 2023

  BIG MAN TOUCHDOWN
  
  Texas DL Byron Murphy lines up at fullback and runs it in to tie it up in the Sugar Bowl pic.twitter.com/CfbfnhCMBA

  — 247Sports (@247Sports) January 2, 2024

  Welcome to Seattle, Byron!

• NFL trade rumors: Steelers reportedly tried to reunite DK Metcalf, Russell Wilson

  It ain’t happening. At least we don’t think.

  The Pittsburgh Steelers had one of the most widely praised drafts last week, but they’re still looking to build for their first real playoff push since 2016.

  NFL insider Benjamin Allbright claims that the Steelers called around for established top wide receivers, including the San Francisco 49ers’ Brandon Aiyuk, the Denver Broncos’ Courtland Sutton, and... the Seattle Seahawks’ DK Metcalf. So far, no dice.

  They called about Aiyuk and Sutton and have been rebuffed, at least with opening talks. Called about DK, I don't believe a trade would get done there until after june first (if one got done at all).

  — Benjamin Allbright (@AllbrightNFL) April 30, 2024

  I know that the steelers had been calling around to half a dozen teams, and they've been rejected by two teams.

  — Benjamin Allbright (@AllbrightNFL) April 30, 2024

  Of course, new Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson had great chemistry with Sutton in Denver and Metcalf in Seattle. The Steelers did draft Michigan’s Roman Wilson in the second round, but they also traded away Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers. It’s not a shock that they’re looking to boost their receiver group outside of George Pickens.

  While a Metcalf trade at this point would be a stunner, the post-June 1 date Allbright referenced is important to note. Dealing Metcalf after June 1 would save the Seahawks $17 million in cap space, with DK’s contract set to expire at the end of 2025. If a trade happens before June 1 then they save $9.5 million but incur $22.5 million in dead money over the final two seasons.

  There have been some murmurs and rumblings about Metcalf possibly being available for trade, especially at a time when it seems like receivers are getting dealt on a regular basis. Last I checked, he’s still a Seahawk. It’d be pretty silly not to draft a receiver this year if you’re planning to send DK elsewhere, right?

  Meanwhile, local Steelers reporter Andrew Fillipponi has a counter.

  The DK Metcalf to the Steelers rumor isn't true. Carry on.

  — Andrew Fillipponi (@ThePoniExpress) April 30, 2024

  Whatever the case, I do expect Pittsburgh to swing for the fences and try to get another receiver to improve that Steelers offense. I’d sooner believe the No. 14 in Denver is going to Pittsburgh than the No. 14 in Seattle.

• Pre-Snap Reads 5/1: Seahawks get meaner along both sides of the line

  Read!

  In Today’s Links: what holes remain in the roster for our Seattle Seahawks? Safety? That’s the easy answer. Where else do we need to upgrade? Reinforce a position or two?

  Seahawks News

  Seahawks vs. Broncos: Does QB patience beat QB persistence? - Seaside Joe
  Or, "Those Damn, Dumb Denver Broncos": Seaside Joe 1886

  Seattle’s offense has talented playmakers but serious question marks remain elsewhere – Seahawks Draft Blog
  Time for part two of our roster review, this time it’s the turn of the offense.

  Huard: Seattle Seahawks great fit for UW Huskies UDFA Westover - Seattle Sports
  UW Huskies TE Jack Westover is reportedly signing with the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted FA. Brock Huard explains why it's a great fit.

  With draft over, what is Seattle Seahawks' biggest question mark? - Seattle Sports
  With the dust settled from the draft, Michael Bumpus and Stacy Rost examined the biggest question mark on the Seattle Seahawks' roster.

  Five Takeaways From The Seahawks’ 2024 Draft - Seahawks.com
  Analysis of what the Seahawks accomplished over the three days of the 2024 NFL Draft.

  Seattle Seahawks Looking to Go From Bullied to Bullies With New Draft Class - Sports Illustrated Seahawks News, Analysis, and More
  Emphasizing the line of scrimmage throughout this year's draft, the Seattle Seahawks may not have made any flashy selections, but they addressed their most critical needs to get back to physical football.

  Findlay Coach Kory Allen Details Michael Jerrell's Journey to Seattle Seahawks - Sports Illustrated Seahawks News, Analysis, and More
  A surprise day three selection for the Seattle Seahawks coming from a Division II program, Michael Jerrell demonstrated grit and perseverance battling his way to making his NFL dream a reality.

  NFC West News

  Kyle Shanahan Explains Why the 49ers Drafted for 2025 and Beyond - Sports Illustrated 49ers News, Analysis, and More
  Kyle Shanahan recently explained why the San Francisco 49ers drafted this year for 2025 and beyond.

  49ers news: Could UDFA QB Tanner Mordecai be a hidden gem? - Niners Nation
  The 49ers didn’t select a quarterback in the draft, but picked one up in undrafted free agency.

  Rams sign former Eagles RB Boston Scott to 1-yr deal - Turf Show Times
  The veteran RB joins LA’s already crowded running back room

  Cardinals Reacts Survey: Were the Arizona Cardinals winners or losers coming out of the 2024 NFL Draft? - Revenge of the Birds
  What do you think? Are the Cardinals winners or losers after the 2024 NFL Draft?

  Cardinals WR Marvin Harrison Jr. Has Big Shoes to Fill - Sports Illustrated Cardinals News, Analysis, and More
  The Arizona Cardinals' newest receiver in Marvin Harrison Jr. is ready to work.

  Around The NFL

  5-time Pro Bowl WR attempting NFL comeback - Larry Brown Sports
  A former five-time Pro Bowl wide receiver is attempting an NFL comeback with the Jacksonville Jaguars after sitting out 2023.

  Cowboys top list of teams facing critical unfinished business after NFL Draft - Yahoo Sports
  The franchise could have a new head coach and starting QB in 2025. Few teams find themselves in that position and don’t slip into a rebuild. All of which makes it important that Dallas gets something done in the next few months.

  Just as tricky as NFL Draft quarterback evaluations — long snappers - Yahoo Sports
  No long snapper has been drafted since 2021. This is quietly an important position to get right, but the science for projecting who will be successful in the NFL is like any other position — inexact.

  Report: NFL might make push for 18 games before expiration of current CBA - NBC Sports
  The league could approach the union about another game soon.

  2024 NFL draft: Best picks, top steals in every round - ESPN+
  Field Yates picked out 35 selections -- five per round -- that just made too much sense, including Laiatu Latu to the Colts.

  Stories of Bears' Caleb Williams, told by those who know him - ESPN
  He's a fashion cop, a fierce teammate and the next LeBron? Here's how people who know him, describe the No. 1 draft pick.

  Falcons learned from Matt Ryan in drafting Michael Penix - ESPN
  Atlanta had no succession plan after Ryan left, and with Penix available, it wasn't going to make that mistake again.

  NFL draft grades, AFC North: Steelers aid new quarterback duo; Ravens add key starters, depth - NFL.com
  Did anyone address roster needs more efficiently than the Steelers? How did their divisional rivals fare in comparison? Nick Shook provides draft grades for each AFC North team.

  Even before he started high school, Caleb Williams showed he was ‘a special kid’ - The Athletic
  Williams will be the Bears' starting QB as a rookie. What can we learn about how he handled the role as a high school freshman?

  NFL Power Rankings: Bengals, Jets rise with Joe Burrow, Aaron Rodgers back; stagnant Cowboys drop from top 10 - CBSSports.com
  Pete Prisco leans into the healthy return of two star QBs in his post-draft rankings

  Most improved offensive lines after the 2024 NFL Draft | NFL Draft | PFF
  Several NFL teams focused on shoring up their front-five groups in the 2024 NFL Draft, including the Pittsburgh Steelers.

• Report: 49ers ‘in touch’ with Jamal Adams

  A Seahawks reunion isn’t ruled out, either.

  The Seattle Seahawks’ starting safeties from 2023 remain free agents heading into May. Jamal Adams and Quandre Diggs were let go as cap casualties in March, but John Schneider didn’t close the door on a return for Adams.

  According to the Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta, the Seahawks have maintained contact with the former All-Pro, but they’re not the only team looking at possibly signing him.

  League sources say the Seahawks have kept in touch with Adams and remain in contact with him, and that the interest in a possible return is regarded as legitimate.

  That doesn’t mean anything is imminent.

  Sources said the San Francisco 49ers are one of a handful of teams who have kept in touch with Adams, so the Seahawks could have some competition for the former All-Pro safety, who is still just 28 years old.

  Adams has had season-ending injuries in each of the last three years, as well as an injury-laden finish to his first season in Seattle in 2020, when he broke the record for sacks by a defensive back.

  If Adams returns on a much reduced salary, he could be seen as an option at linebacker, a position with little depth for the Seahawks.

  As @bcondotta said, the Seahawks have still not closed the door on a potential reunion with Jamal Adams. They plan to discuss the possibility internally now that the draft is over. I don't get the sense it's likely, but if they do bring Adams back, it would be to play weakside LB

  — Brady Henderson (@BradyHenderson) April 30, 2024

  We’re a ways from anything happening, of course. Adams’ tenure in Seattle ended in pretty bad fashion, so perhaps a position switch may be best for him wherever he ends up next.

• Seahawks Reacts Survey: What’s your grade for Seattle’s draft process?

  Also, did you want the Seahawks to draft at a position they ignored this year?

  Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NFL. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-inSeattle Seahawks fans and fans across the country.Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

  It’s a post-draft edition of Seahawks Reacts! The first question is being asked across every SB Nation NFL site, so we’ll have some comparison points when the results are in. Were the Seahawks a winner or a loser in this draft? Your definition of “winner” or “loser” is up to you. Are they winners for getting Byron Murphy II and Christian Haynes? Are they losers for not being able to get any of the first round quarterbacks? There is no neutral answer here, either.

  For the custom questions, we start with grading Seattle’s draft process. The Seahawks started with seven picks and finished with eight, and their top two picks were not considered “reaches” based on the consensus big board. Day 3 was a slightly different story, but how would you grade the process of the Seahawks’ draft?

  Lastly, the Seahawks didn’t take a quarterback, wide receiver, running back, safety, or edge rusher. Do you wish Seattle had drafted any of those positions? If so, which position was your number one? “None of the above” is also an option. I forgot to put in “All of the above” but that’s probably not going to be a common answer anyway.

  Vote in the survey below!

  Please take our survey

  Don’t forget you still have a few hours to vote in these individual Day 3 player grades. The polls in that article close at 11:59 pm PT.

• Poll: Grade every Day 3 pick of the Seahawks’ 2024 NFL Draft!

  Submit your grades for the Seahawks’ Day 3 work!

  The Seattle Seahawks’ 2024 NFL Draft is all wrapped up. They entered Round 1 with seven total picks and concluded with eight.

  Day 1 saw the Seahawks stay at No. 16 and pick Texas defensive tackle Byron Murphy II, a choice widely praised by analysts and by Seahawks fans alike. With just one pick in Day 2, Seattle used its third-round selection on UConn guard Phil Haynes, and the poll results for Haynes were also very positive.

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  Day 3 started off with the Seahawks trading down with the Denver Broncos, gaining a fifth-round pick in the process. Their pair of fourth-rounders were used on UTEP linebacker Tyrice Knight and Michigan TE AJ Barner. With their acquired fifth-rounder, the ‘Hawks bolstered the cornerback room by taking Auburn’s Nehemiah Pritchett. His fellow cornerback teammate DJ James was selected in the sixth round. Seattle rounded out its draft with developmental offensive linemen Sataoa Laumea of Utah and Findley’s Michael Jerrell.

  This is your opportunity to grade the Seahawks’ Day 3 selections. Are draft grades silly? Yeah. Do we do them anyway? Absolutely. Cast your vote until April 30.

• The complete John Schneider Seahawks-Broncos trade anthology

  The Seahawks have done a lot of business with Denver over John Schneider’s tenure as GM. Let’s look at the results.

  The final day of the Seattle Seahawks’ 2024 NFL Draft started off with their only trade of the weekend. Their trade partner? Well, I think you know who they are at this point.

  Hey Denver, we've got a deal.

  — Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) April 27, 2024

  The Seahawks traded their higher fourth-round pick (and their seventh-rounder) to the Denver Broncos in exchange for Denver’s fourth-rounder, a fifth-rounder, and a sixth-rounder. It’s the third straight year that Seattle has traded with the Broncos, and the seventh time dating back to 2009 that the Seahawks have acquired picks or players from Denver.

  While the Russell Wilson trade is the gold standard for Seahawks-Broncos trades, we might as well just review all of them and take a look at the final haul. There’s one Broncos deal in here that was actually started by outgoing GM Tim Ruskell but finished off by John Schneider and Pete Carroll. It nevertheless counts because it’s the origin story of the Legion of Boom.

  Let’s take a trip down memory lane!

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  2009/2010

  Seahawks received: 2010 first-round pick
  Broncos received: No. 37 overall pick

  The Seahawks held the No. 37 overall pick, then traded out of the second round entirely when Ruskell sent that pick to the Broncos in exchange for Denver’s 2010 first-round pick. Seattle eventually traded back into the second in a separate deal with the Chicago Bears to get Max Unger. Denver selected cornerback Alphonso Smith, who only played his rookie season in Colorado before being traded to the Detroit Lions. The lowlight of Smith’s career was taunting Tom Brady right before giving up three touchdowns and getting benched.

  Ruskell lost his job but thanks to the insane collapse from 6-0 to 8-8, the Broncos’ surefire high draft pick turned into No. 14 overall. John Schneider and Pete Carroll had two first-rounders to play with, and the Denver pick was used on none other than Earl Thomas.

  2013

  Seahawks received: DT Sealver Siliga
  Broncos received: G John Moffitt

  The less said about the Moffitt pick, the better. Moffitt played 24 total snaps for Denver. Siliga didn’t make Seattle’s active roster but returned for a handful of snaps in 2016. This is the only clearly dull “guys we were going to cut anyway” trade of the bunch.

  2016

  Seahawks received: No. 31 overall pick, 2016 third-round pick
  Broncos received: No. 26 overall pick

  As part of a four-year run of trading down their top draft pick, Schneider moved down five spots, swapping firsts with the Broncos and netting a third-round pick in return. The Broncos needed a quarterback after Peyton Manning retired, and they got their franchise QB in Paxton Lynch. He played five NFL games.

  Seattle selected offensive tackle Germain Ifedi and tight end Nick Vannett. Neither player was remarkable but at least Ifedi started for several seasons.

  2018

  Seahawks received: No. 149 overall pick
  Broncos received: No. 156 and No. 226 overall picks

  This is the only Seahawks trade up in this collection! Seattle climbed seven spots for punter Michael Dickson, sacrificing a seventh-rounder in the process. Denver drafted tight end Troy Fumagalli in the fifth (14 catches for 118 yards and 2 touchdowns in two seasons played), and running back David Williams in the seventh. Williams didn’t make the final roster and only had a few carries for the Jacksonville Jaguars.

  2022

  Seahawks received: QB Drew Lock, TE Noah Fant, DL Shelby Harris, 2022 and 2023 first- and second-round picks, 2022 fifth-round pick
  Broncos received: QB Russell Wilson, 2022 fourth-round pick

  I probably shouldn’t go in-depth on the Russell Wilson trade because we’ve done this story a million times already. Seattle traded its best ever franchise QB and one of its greatest players to Denver for a king’s ransom The Seahawks also sent Denver a fourth-round pick because John Schneider was feeling charitable.

  We don’t need to rehash Wilson’s tenure in Denver outside of the fact that the Broncos gave him a 5-year, $245 million contract extension that, had Schneider given him that same deal, would’ve likely resulted in the pinkest of pink slips. The one draft pick the Broncos received was used on DL Eyioma Uwazurike, who’s currently suspended indefinitely by the NFL for gambling violations.

  In addition to the players the Seahawks received, Seattle’s draft picks were used on left tackle Charles Cross, edge rushers Boye Mafe, Derick Hall, and Tyreke Smith (no longer on the team), and cornerback Devon Witherspoon. We can also throw in wide receiver Dareke Young into the Wilson trade, because Seattle traded down with the Broncos’ fifth-rounder and picked up a seventh-rounder, which was used to take Young. Witherspoon was a Defensive Rookie of the Year finalist, while Mafe was one of the most improved Seahawks in his second season. Hopefully Hall can follow in Mafe’s footsteps.

  Fant remains on the roster on a two-year deal, while Lock and Harris are elsewhere. The stats show that Drew Lock had a higher winning percentage as Seattle’s starter than Wilson had as Denver’s starter. Please do not come back at me with sample size and situations.

  2023

  Seahawks received: No. 108 overall pick, 2024 third-round pick
  Broncos received: No. 83 overall pick

  This has ties to the Sean Payton trade. Seattle moved out of the third-round of 2023 to get a third-rounder in 2024, while the Broncos rose 25 spots to select Iowa cornerback Riley Moss, who missed the first few weeks of the season with injury but still only played 23 defensive snaps over 14 games.

  The Seahawks landed guard Anthony Bradford with their fourth-rounder, and added another guard in Christian Haynes with this year’s third-rounder. When the Saints traded Sean Payton to the Broncos, they also sent their third-rounder to the Broncos. The condition of the Seahawks’ trade with Denver was that they’d receive the lower of the Saints pick or Denver’s native pick. Therefore, Haynes was taken with the pick the Saints gave up in the Payton trade.

  2024

  Seahawks received: No. 121, No. 136, and No. 207 overall picks
  Broncos received: No. 102 and No. 235 overall picks

  I don’t really need to repeat what just happened three days ago. Seattle’s picks were used on Michigan tight end A.J. Barner, Auburn corner Nehemiah Pritchett, and Findlay tackle Michael Jerrell. Denver added speedy Oregon receiver Troy Franklin and Utah wideout Devaughn Vele. The benefit for the Seahawks was getting a fifth-round pick, which they didn’t have entering draft weekend.

  The Final Total

  Seahawks received:

  S Earl Thomas (2010)
  DT Sealver Siliga (2013)
  OL Germain Ifedi (2016)
  TE Nick Vannett (2016)
  P Michael Dickson (2018)
  QB Drew Lock (2022)
  TE Noah Fant (2022)
  DL Shelby Harris (2022)
  OL Charles Cross (2022)
  OLB Boye Mafe (2022)
  OLB Tyreke Smith (2022)
  WR Dareke Young (2022)
  CB Devon Witherspoon (2023)
  OLB Derick Hall (2023)
  OL Anthony Bradford (2023)
  OG Christian Haynes (2024)
  TE AJ Barner (2024)
  CB Nehemiah Pritchett (2024)
  OL Michael Jerrell (2024)

  Broncos received:

  CB Alphonso Smith (2009)
  G John Moffitt (2013)
  QB Paxton Lynch (2016)
  RB David Williams (2018)
  TE Troy Fumagalli (2018)
  QB Russell Wilson (2022)
  DL Eyioma Uwazurike (2022)
  CB Riley Moss (2023)
  WR Troy Franklin (2024)
  WR Devaughn Vele (2024)

  ---

  None of Smith, Moffitt, Lynch, Williams, Fumagalli, or Wilson lasted longer than two seasons in Denver. Uwazurike technically can make it three seasons with the Broncos but with the asterisk of an indefinite suspension. We’ll see what the future holds for Moss, Franklin, and Vele.

  I think we know who’s historically been able to get the better end of these trades.