3 trades that could transform the Seahawks into Super Bowl contenders in 2024
By Luke Allen
No. 2 - Seahawks could trade for Roquan Smith
The other concerning hole in the Seattle roster is off-ball linebacker. Similarly, with Geno Stone, Mike Macdonald was able to get a career year out of Patrick Queen in 2023. While MacDonald wasn't too aggressive on recruiting Queen to Seattle, he may want to make a call about the linebacker who truly led the Baltimore defense last season and the guy who helped Queen look so good last season.
The Seahawks let linebacker Jordyn Brooks walk in free agency this offseason, essentially swapping linebackers with the Miami Dolphins as Seattle brought in Jerome Baker. Baker will likely be a good linebacker and rack up tackles in the triple digits in 2024, but Baker likely won't jump out on the field and make the big plays that end up winning games. If Seattle brings in an elite linebacker, it would drastically change the outlook for this defense.
Roquan Smith, in Macdonald's system, produced 158 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 8 pass defenses, an interception, and a forced fumble in 2023. If you watched any Ravens game last season, big #0 flashed on your screen and was all over the field for the Baltimore defense. Imagine Bobby Wagner in his prime with the coverage skills of a safety.
The middle linebacker is the nucleus of a defense and if that player is as elite as a player as Smith, then that nucleus spreads and affects the rest of the defense. After paying Lamar Jackson, Justin Madubuike, and Derrick Henry this offseason, unloading Smith's contract and adding a couple first-round picks could be pretty attractive to Baltimore this season.