3 wide receivers the Seattle Seahawks should trade for right now
By Lee Vowell
Seahawks should trade for Michael Pittman
Pittman would be a significant jump over either of the other two receivers here and therefore would cost the Seahawks more in case of draft capital. He is a free agent after this year, and according to Spotrac, he could make as much as $18.4 million beginning next year. That could be too much for Pittman's current team, the Indianapolis Colts, to pay. The Colts have $57 million in estimated cap space currently in 2024, and while that is a decent amount of space, they might have other players, such as defensive tackle Grover Stewart and (maybe) running back Jonathan Taylor, to pay.
Seattle likely wouldn't want to pay Pittman after 2023 either unless the team decides to move on from Tyler Lockett. I am not saying that the Seahawks should release Lockett next offseason, but he will be 32 years old at the beginning of the 2024 season and his cap hit goes from $11,060,000 in 2023 to a massive $26,795,000 in 2024. Seattle could cut Lockett and save around $7 million. In 2025, Lockett's cap hit is the same as 2024, so, in other words, really expensive.
Again, I am not saying Seattle should release Lockett. He has been an excellent receiver and is even a better person, but at some point Seattle will get diminishing returns from him. Plus, Jaxon Smith-Njigba could have been drafted with an eye of taking over for Lockett opposite DK Metcalf. Trading for Pittman and then extending him before he hits free agency next offseason would give Seattle three excellent receivers for years as none would be older than 27 entering the 2024 season.
Pittman has solid numbers in his first three seasons, but not quite explosive. He also has had five different quarterbacks throwing him passes in those years and none of those QBs were very good during their time with Pittman. He still has 2,510 yards receiving and 227 catches in three seasons. Seattle could offer the Colts a second-round choice and see if the Colts bite.
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