A 10-step plan to get the Seahawks back to the Super Bowl
By Geoff Shull
Step 3: trading away talent to create cap space and acquire draft capital.
No one likes trading away players. Many times, the trades include fan favorites. It’s an unfortunate part of the business side of the game. Teams cannot gain assets without giving something of value up.
Trade 1: Jarran Reed to New England Patriots.
Seattle has agreed to pay Poona Ford and Carlos Dunlap. Seattle simply cannot afford to pay all 3 of these players. In my opinion, I would rather build the defensive line around Ford than Reed. Ford simply has a higher ceiling.
The Patriots are in the midst of a rebuild and have a very particular type of player they go for. Reed fits their M.O. perfectly.
The Cowboys would land a team leader on the defensive line on a reasonable contract (1 year, $5 million). If they can unlock Reed’s potential that he showcased in 2018, the Cowboys could arguably win this trade. A Reed-Lawrence combo could be deadly.
The Seahawks get $8.5 million in cap relief as well as a late third-round pick. The money will go far to help rebuild the team.
Savings from move in 2021: $8.5 million.
Trade 2: Trade Tyler Lockett to the Miami Dolphins.
This is undoubtedly the one move that fans will dislike the most. Lockett is a great player who constantly performs. However, he is soon to be 29 and in the last year of his contract. I personally am not a fan of extending a player who has had injury issues and soon to be entering the twilight of his career.
This move would get the Dolphins a true number one wide receiver. The Seahawks would save a lot of money on a player entering the last year of his contract. They would also receive a very early second round pick and a late round selection.
Savings from this move in 2021: $12.7 million
Previous effective cap space: $18.4 million.
Savings from step 1: $21.2 million.
New effective cap space: $39.6 million.