OK, let’s do this, Seahawks. If this is a rebuild, whether that is how it is being openly discussed or not, then Seattle needs to go all-in on it. There can be no half doing it. Trading Russell Wilson and releasing Bobby Wagner isn’t enough.
Throw 2022 out because the team isn’t going to the playoffs. I realize it isn’t in coach Pete Carroll’s makeup to think his teams can’t or won’t win. But Carroll is also realistic, otherwise, he couldn’t make personnel decisions on which players need to go where or which coaches need to be hired or terminated (looking at you, Ken Norton, Jr.).
Therefore, realistically, Seattle isn’t going to win the Super Bowl in 2022 or likely 2023 but could be, with the right draft choices, be very good in 2024 and beyond. This isn’t a rebuild where the Seahawks won’t have talent. There is talent and young talent, with players like Jordyn Brooks and Darrell Taylor on defense and DK Metcalf on offense.
3 players the Seahawks should move to add to their pile of draft picks
But Seattle should try to load up on draft picks over the next two seasons and add more young talent. This should create for sustained success beginning in 2024 at the worst. Seattle has had a decade of success. Would you trade two intentionally down years for another decade-long run of success? Sure, you would.
But Seattle might need to make some more painful moves to pick up draft picks this year and next. That could include trading the three players that follow.
Gabe Jackson
Gabe Jackson wasn’t terrible after being traded from the Raiders last offseason. But he certainly isn’t irreplaceable and is still young enough to bring some trade value. I totally am against trading DK Metcalf and I don’t think any of the players on this list are going to bring back a first-round draft pick, like Metcalf would, by good teams find value in rounds three and lower. Seattle has certainly done that at times over the last decade-plus.
Jackson will be 31 years old when the 2022 season begins and Seattle could trade him for a fourth- or fifth-round pick. That would be good enough while also allowing the Seahawks to flip Damien Lewis back from the left side. Lewis was very good as a rookie in 2020 at right guard and not as good at left guard in 2021.
Seattle currently has eight draft picks in the 2022 NFL draft, three of those are in round five and after. Jackson is a better pass blocker than run blocker and while Seattle is likely going to run more in 2022 (yet another reason to trade him), most teams throw a bunch and Jackson could help.
As I said, I don’t think Seattle would get higher than a fourth-round choice for him and that would be OK, even a fifth-round – Seattle gave up a fifth-rounder when they got Jackson from Las Vegas) would be fine. Lewis back to the right side would be a plus and getting a ninth 2022 pick would be a plus too.
Poona Ford
Seattle let Jarran Reed go last offseason thinking there was a chance that Poona Ford could slide over to Reed’s 3-technique spot and put heat on opposing quarterbacks. Ford couldn’t consistently do that. Poona Ford is a fantastic run-stopper but that may be the best he can do. Ford got 2 sacks in 2021 and 1.5 of that came in the last game. He had 2 sacks in 2020, too.
It could be that Ford makes a jump this season. The Seahawks are going to go more to a 3-4 and Ford fits well as the noseguard in that scheme. He eats up blocks but is strong enough to get through blockers to make tackles too.
Ford might bring back a third-round choice and Seattle can even afford to take on some of his salary. An extra third-rounder would be perfect and give Seattle five choices in the first three rounds. That should get the team multiple pass rushers in this year’s deep edge rusher class.
Ford may be too expensive to trade, though, but he is a free agent in 2023. He is owed $8.325 million in 2022 with a dead cap of $4.830 million. A team that trades for him is going to have to really love the style of player Ford is. But again, Ford is truly great at what he does stopping the run, he just isn’t going to offer much in the pass rush.
Tyler Lockett
Don’t trade DK Metcalf but do trade Tyler Lockett? What am I smoking, right? Well, nothing. There are several reasons to keep Metcalf over Lockett. But Lockett also has value on the trade market and at worst would bring back a second-round pick. Lockett is good enough and has been productive enough to possibly entice a team into giving Seattle a first-round choice in return.
Metcalf is 24 years old. Lockett will turn 29 years old early in the 2022 season. Lockett is also a lot smaller than Metcalf but takes as much punishment. Lockett is a great player and a great person but he also has a lot of trade value, especially in the current climate for adding receivers. Imagine Lockett with the Chiefs, for instance.
The only issue for the Seahawks and Lockett is that his cap hit goes to $24.950 million beginning in 2024. He is signed through 2025. In 2025, Lockett will be 32 years old and that is getting long in the tooth for a receiver of Lockett’s size and skillset.
To be honest, Lockett is such a good person and good in the community that losing him would be all the more painful for that. He is a fantastic receiver but NFL players have a short shelflife while great humans don’t. I’d love to keep Lockett but it might make more sense to trade him right now.