Seahawks: 3 last minute trade ideas before Wednesday’s deadline

Seahawks trade idea No.1: Steelers DE, Bud Dupree

Seattle’s biggest hole last year was the inability to consistently produce pressure on the QB. A big part of this was due to the lack of speed on defense. If Bud Dupree provides anything, it is speed off the edge.

Dupree is an athletic freak who would likely excel in the Seahawks 4-3 defensive scheme. His best positional fit would be as the LEO. He ran an impressive 4.56 40-yard dash, along with a 138-inch broad jump and a 42-inch vertical. What these tests tell us, he is explosive.

Dupree has been an interesting story; he had looked like a bust for the first couple seasons. However, two seasons ago there began to be a silver light showing that things may be finally clicking. During his 5th season, he finally broke out.

Year           2019       Career Average

Sacks:        11.5                     6.3

TFL:            16                         9.2

Tackles:     68                       40

FF:                4                          1.2

Pressure: 10.1%                 10.3%

Seattle could look at this and think he is a one-year wonder, or they could decide that he finally put it all together. One thing I do know, he would be able to consistently fight the edge as a speed rusher.

This is the ingredient that Seattle was missing all last season. They have aggressively tried to remedy this with acquisitions of players like Bruce Irvin and Benson Meyowa. Trading for Dupree would ensure Seattle has more than enough speed to produce.

This trade would give Seattle an upper-tier defensive lineman and it would only cost a second-round pick and one of the teams many tight ends. Jacob Hollister is a phenomenal player and really came up big for Seattle.

However, even with a 12 personnel scheme (2 starting tight ends), it will be hard for him to break into the starting lineup without an injury occurring. A trade would likely be best for both team and player. Meanwhile, Seattle would need to ensure Dupree is around long term, so I have proposed an extension.

Terms: 3 years, $49.5

Avg Salary: $16.5 million

Cap Hits:

• 2020: $10
• 2021: $19
• 2022: $20.5

The extension likely won’t break the bank. Dupree is a clear second tier defensive lineman. This extension would put him right around Za’Darius Smith’s contract with the Packers two off-season’s ago. Smith’s contract paid dividends for the Packers and this has equal upside for the Seahawks.