Three trades Seahawks should make before the start of the 2021 season
By Lee Vowell
![Dec 6, 2020; Inglewood, California, USA; New England Patriots running back Sony Michel (26) runs the ball past Los Angeles Chargers outside linebacker Kenneth Murray (56) at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports Dec 6, 2020; Inglewood, California, USA; New England Patriots running back Sony Michel (26) runs the ball past Los Angeles Chargers outside linebacker Kenneth Murray (56) at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/https-3A-2F-2F12thmanrising-com-2Fwp-content-2Fuploads-2Fimagn-images-2F2017-2F07-2F15277609-850x560-c39312220eea1f9f3d13b03292b096be88f365e361fc31901026d7bd418c144b.jpg)
Trade three
Seahawks get: Running back Sony Michel
Patriots get: Seahawks fifth round pick in 2022
Sony Michel was banged up a bit in 2020 but is still just 26 years old and missed a total of three games in his first two years. Michel also should be available in a trade as he isn’t going to be the starter for the Patriots and will just be part of a rotation. Plus, Bill Belichick likes to have a bunch of draft picks each year.
A fifth-rounder for Michel should work for both teams. The pick should still supply the Patriots will a player Belichick can mold into the Patriots Way and find a useful spot for whoever it is. Seattle also currently has picks in rounds 2 through 4 and six overall so losing one only means Schneider will find a way to add more later on (likely during the draft itself).
But Michel is a great fit for the Seahawks offense. He has decent size at 215 pounds and is a straight-ahead runner that Pete Carroll likes but should also work in Shane Waldron’s system. Michel isn’t going to catch a ton of passes but that won’t be his role anyway.
Michel would give starter Chris Carson a proven backup (26.8 percent of Carson’s career rushing attempts have ended in a first down and Michel’s percentage is 27 percent) and one who stays mostly healthy and give the Seahawks another guy behind Carson who can step-in if backup Rashaad Penny goes down yet again with another injury. Plus, if something happens and Michel doesn’t work out, he is a free agent after 2021.