With the league focused on OTAs and shaking off the rust, Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider kept an eye out in the trade market. He didn't make a big move, but this minor trade with the New York Jets still turned some heads.
The Super Bowl champions sent a conditional seventh-round pick to the Jets to get Irv Charles. He has made an impact on special teams, excelling as a gunner during Robert Saleh's tenure before an ACL injury cost him the entire 2025 season.
Charles flew mostly under the radar since entering the league as an undrafted free agent back in 2022. Nevertheless, the fact that the Seahawks acquired him for their already-stacked special teams unit is quite telling. Notably, it might also be terrible news for Emmanuel Henderson Jr.
The Seahawks may have acquired a special teams gem
The Seahawks took Henderson in the sixth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, and he immediately looked like an intriguing pickup. He's a former running back with great vision and patience, and his breakaway speed made him a sleeper to carve himself some sort of a role in Seattle's offense. That may no longer be in the cards.
This team already has its top five wide receivers locked up. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Rashid Shaheed, Cooper Kupp, Jake Bobo, and Tory Horton will all make the roster, so Charles' addition most likely leaves the rookie as the odd man out.
Granted, conditional picks are often tied to whether the player makes the 53-man roster or not, so there are no guarantees here. However, given how much attention the Seahawks give their special teams unit, this move may not have been coincidental. Clearly, they like what their new gunner might bring to the table, and if he's fully healthy, he'll probably have the upper hand over the rookie.
Charles was an unsung hero in New York when healthy. He blocked a punt against the Tennessee Titans in 2024, had seven special teams tackles in 2023, and played more than 400 snaps on special teams. That type of experience can come in handy for the defending Super Bowl champions.
Nothing is set in stone, and Henderson's upside would make him a no-brainer selection over a special teamer coming off a major injury. That said, the Seahawks don't need another weapon for their passing game, and they might be forced to make a tough decision with their rookie.
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