There’s still plenty of time in the 2025 regular season. But with Week 5 looming, the NFL trade deadline is actually quickly approaching, which means the teams most likely to be buyers is coming into focus.
On Thursday, CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin named the Seattle Seahawks one of his five teams most likely to be buyers at the NFL trade deadline.
“With Sam Darnold thriving as the new gunslinger and Mike Macdonald still directing a physical defense, they might be the clear favorites to survive a crowded NFC West race,” wrote Benjamin.
The CBS Sports analyst didn’t mention any specific potential Seahawks trade targets. But presumably, Seattle will seek offensive upgrades.
Could Seahawks Shop for Offensive Players at NFL Trade Deadline?
Entering Week 5, the Seahawks are ranked second in points allowed and sixth in rushing yards yielded.
Seattle is just 18th in passing yards allowed, but the team should improve in that area once all of its defensive backs return. Defensive backs Devon Witherspoon, Julian Love and Nick Emmanwori have all missed at least one of the first four games this season.
Although Seattle’s pass defense is in the bottom half of the league, the unit has performed better in other categories. Most notably, the Seahawks are seventh in net yards allowed per attempt. That’s because they are sixth in the NFL with 12 sacks in four weeks.
With all that in mind, the offense probably has greater needs. The Seahawks are 13th in passing and 18th in rushing entering Week 5.
It’s never a bad idea for NFL teams to add another pass-catching weapon. Jaxon Smith-Njigba leads the Seahawks with 26 catches and 402 receiving yards. But only one other player has more than 82 receiving yards for Seattle this season.
It’s often difficult to integrate an offensive lineman into an NFL lineup midseason. But the Seahawks could show interest in offensive line depth.
Seattle sits in the middle of the pack in sack percentage allowed after four games.
Seahawks Could Use CB Riq Woolen as Trade Chip?
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Sunday other NFL teams could be “monitoring” Riq Woolen on the NFL trade market.
Some pundits, such as The Tacoma News Tribune’s Gregg Bell, found the report to have odd wording. It’s possible Rapoport’s report was actually from a source in the Seahawks organization who is trying to increase interest in the cornerback.
But shopping Woolen for a different piece could make sense for the Seahawks. As long as the team’s cornerbacks are healthy, Seattle doesn’t have a lot of use for the fourth-year cornerback.
Perhaps a team on the trade market is interested in the cornerback as a rental player. Woolen is on an expiring contract and will become a free agent next spring.
However, there could be complications for the Seahawks if they try to trade Woolen. More than likely, only contender will show interest in the cornerback because he’s a rental. Contenders typically want to give up draft picks, not players, in NFL trade deadline moves.
The Seahawks, though, probably don’t want a draft pick at the deadline because they are also a contender.
Seahawks Predicted to be Top Buyer at NFL Trade Deadline
