One of the biggest surprises during the 2022 season was the performance of the Seattle Seahawks. Many thought they were heading to a rebuild after trading Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos and cutting Bobby Wagner. But, Seattle shocked a lot of people, going 9-8 and earning a Wild Card spot.
Now, the Seahawks are in an excellent spot. Not only do they have a playoff roster to build upon, but they also have some prime assets at their disposal. They have multiple picks in the first and second rounds of the 2023 NFL Draft, enabling them to get aggressive.
Should one of the top quarterback prospects, such as Anthony Richardson, be on the board when they come on the clock at No. 6, they could select their franchise quarterback of the future.
Making a trade is also a possibility. Should an established veteran come available that fills a need, Seattle has the means to pull off a trade. One team that they should be keeping an eye on is the Washington Commanders.
The Commanders have done an excellent job of drafting in the first round the last few years. However, all of their picks have been along the defensive line. Jonathan Allen signed an extension last year and Daron Payne signed one this year. Montez Sweat is next up and Chase Young will follow.
Things are getting expensive for Washington, and with a new ownership group coming in, some changes may have to be made. The Seahawks should place a call to the Commanders and inquire about trading for both Sweat and Young.
Pass rusher is one of Seattle’s biggest needs heading into the draft and they could fill it with Sweat and Young. Adding both of them would give the franchise legitimate building blocks at every level of their defense, giving them one of the brightest futures in the league.
What could a trade between the Seahawks and Commanders look like? A suggested trade package would be the Seahawks sending the No. 20, No. 37 and No. 83 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft to the Commanders in exchange for Sweat and Young.
Washington wipes the slate clean, picking up premium draft picks to continue rounding out their roster. They were heading toward a very difficult decision with Young’s fifth-year option and an extension pending for Sweat. Instead of committing more money to the defensive line, they restart the clock with this deal.
Because of the Wilson trade, that isn’t as steep of a trade package for the Seahawks as it would seem. They have extra draft capital and would have no qualms about packing some of it together to land two impact EDGE players.
If things don’t pan out with Young, who hasn’t been able to replicate his elite rookie season performance, Sweat provides a steady presence at defensive end as a long-term piece. If things work out well, the Seahawks have the cap space to accommodate both players down the road.
