The Seattle Seahawks have their center of the future. Jalen Sundell made the most of his opportunities in Olu Oluwatimi's absence, and barring a shocking turn of events, he'll anchor the interior of the offensive line for years to come.
As such, and given his contract situation, the former fifth-round pick has become the odd man out. He's made 13 starts and has played well enough in his three years in the league, but there's not much incentive to keep him around beyond this season.
That's why, with Detroit Lions center Cade Mays suffering a "freak" wrist injury in training camp, the Seahawks may have found the right trade partner. Mays will be out at least 8-10 weeks, and the Lions' thin depth up front might need an experienced placeholder.
The Seattle Seahawks should send Olu Oluwatimi to the Lions
According to Over The Cap, trading Oluwatimi would clear $1.145 million from their books. That's not significant, more so for a team with $25.4 million in available cap space. However, letting him go still makes sense for asset management's sake.
The Lions can probably send a late-2027 draft pick to get him, and that's better than nothing. It's hard to believe the Seahawks can get a compensatory pick if he walks away in free agency, or if he doesn't play a single snap this season, which should be the case with a healthy Sundell.
Dan Campbell's team, on the other hand, would land a starting-caliber, competent-enough center to hold down the fort while Mays works his way back at some point in the season. They wouldn't have to give up much, and they'd land a starter at a reasonable price.
Oluwatimi is a solid run-blocker and a plug-and-play guy who can still help a team. He's just not what the Seahawks need right now, and while letting him go would also leave the Seahawks thin at the position, they seem to like Federico Maranges, at least enough to give him a futures contract after not making the roster as an UDFA in 2025.
Sundell might not be a superstar by any means, but he's already done more than enough to be the undisputed man in the middle in Seattle. He's an above-average pass-protector, and he only gave up 11 total pressures, two quarterback hits, and zero sacks in 734 snaps last season, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required).
John Schneider has usually played the compensatory pick game smarter than most general managers, and if he sees an opportunity to get something more valuable while creating some more financial wiggle room, he'll take it.
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