The Seattle Seahawks are currently one of the biggest mysteries in the NFL. After an underwhelming season in 2023, Seattle decided to part ways with long-time head coach Pete Carroll.
Since Mike Macdonald was hired, he has been slowly but surely tailoring the coaching staff and roster to fit what he wants to do in Seattle. Could some big trades be in the future soon?
In order for a team to switch from a good team to a bonafide Super Bowl contender via one trade, the player acquired must be a complete difference-maker. There are only a handful of true difference-makers in the NFL, and only a few of them could theoretically be up for grabs for the right price. With a new head coach and a very tentative roster, here are three trades the Seattle Seahawks could make to transform the team into immediate Super Bowl contenders.
No. 1 - Seattle Seahawks could trade for Jessie Bates III
Arguably, the biggest hole on Seattle's roster currently is safety. The two projected starters are Julian Love and Rayshawn Jenkins. Those two are serviceable safeties; they may be good enough. But are either of those safeties going to singlehandedly win games for the Seahawks? It's not likely. When the Seahawks won their only Super Bowl in 2013, they had an incredible safety duo that created turnovers, laid the boom, and set the tone for the rest of the defense.
Head coach Mike Macdonald has a history of getting the best out of his safeties. For example, in 2023, relatively unknown safety Geno Stone had a historic year under the tutelage and system of then-defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald in Baltimore. Stone amassed seven interceptions for Baltimore and seemed a likely candidate to follow Macdonald to Seattle as his contract expired in 2024.
Interestingly enough, Macdonald didn't seem to have too much interest in bringing Stone to Seattle. Perhaps Macdonald knew Stone had limitations and got the most out of him in Baltimore despite his limitations.
Bringing in a talent like Jessie Bates, with natural smooth instincts and a knack for making a play on the ball, may pique Macdonald's interest more than Stone's. Taking an already-established elite safety and placing him in Macdonald's defense could make for some serious production in the young Seattle secondary. Jessie Bates is a player who makes others around him play better. Bates' presence and leadership made up for a serious lack of talent and experience in Cincinnati's Super Bowl run a couple of short years ago.
Adding Jesse Bates to a secondary with the likes of Devon Witherspoon, Riq Woolen, Tre Brown, and Julian Love under the system and tutelage of Mike Macdonald could catapult the Seahawks' defense into the stratosphere of Super Bowl contenders.
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.
No. 3 - Seahawks could trade for Micah Parsons
In terms of absolute game wreckers, Micah Parsons is the first name that comes to mind. The three-time All-Pro linebacker/edge rusher/world eater is widely considered the best defensive player in the league and may even be the best overall player in football. At only 25 years old, Parsons is on pace to rival the careers of Aaron Donald, Lawrence Taylor, and Reggie White in terms of production, accolades, and overall talent.
While it may seem impossible to trade for a player of Parsons' caliber, it's apparently a possibility, according to Shan Shariff of 105.3 The Fan.
Is Micah Parsons' behavior wearing thin at The Star?@1053SS shared what he's hearing from some inside the organization on Friday's show: https://t.co/S8qEOae3cE pic.twitter.com/v01I6nEYtl
— 105.3 The FAN (@1053thefan) April 5, 2024
According to this report, Parsons wants to get paid. He wants to get paid a lot. Dallas typically does not offer large contract extensions until rookie deals are up. However, Parsons has been outspoken, even on his podcast, about the fact he deserves the Brinks truck. Cowboys owner and acting general manager Jerry Jones is very old-fashioned, and I believe the reports show him getting frustrated with Parsons. I would not put it past the geriatric Jones to trade away his best player out of frustration with him.
This is where John Schneider and the Seahawks absolutely should step in. Give Dallas whatever they want. Five first-round picks? Deal! Ten first-round picks? Sure! Any defense that could acquire that sort of talent would instantly become one of the top defenses in the league. Could you imagine a defensive front consisting of Byron Murphy, Leonard Williams, and Micah Parsons? Now, could you imagine that Seahawks defense under the defense of Mike Macdonald? That has Super Bowl written all over it.