With the NFL trade deadline looming on Nov. 4, there is much speculation around all 32 NFL teams and which players they could trade for, or trade away. So how could this trade deadline look for the Seattle
Seahawks? With midseason acquisitions of players like Marshawn Lynch, Duane Brown, Quandre Diggs, Leonard Williams, and Ernest Jones IV, John Schneider has seemingly shown himself to be a master of the midseason trade. And with the Seahawks now being 4-2 and tied for first in the NFC West the Seahawks could be looking to add to their arsenal again this year.
In this article we will look at three potential trades. This is not to say all three will happen (they surely will not), but it will be quite fun if at least one of them hits in the next few weeks!
Before talking about potential players the Seahawks could try to trade for, an article about the Seahawks 2025 trade deadline would be incomplete without talking about cornerback Riq Woolen. Recently there has been much speculation about Seattle potentially trading away Woolen. With an expiring contract, as well as diminishing play time, this speculation is rightfully warranted.
However, in the two weeks since the infamous Ian Rapoport “Woolen trade” tweet came out, the Seahawks secondary has taken a beating in the injury department (including Woolen himself). And despite how frustrating Woolen’s play can be at times, the subpar play by Woolen’s backups (Nehemiah Pritchett/Shaquill Griffin) these past few weeks make one sober up to what the reality could be if Woolen were no longer on the roster. Though the Seahawks have some other talented cornerbacks such as Devon Witherspoon, Josh Jobe, Derion Kendrick, and Nick Emmanwori (who has been playing “big nickel”), if the Seahawks lack of injury luck continues, you may be putting yourself into the position of starting Pritchett or Griffin again. With all of that said, if the Seahawks truly believe they can contend this year, it would not make sense for them to be trading away defensive talent. Especially elite athletic talent in the secondary, a position group that has already seen a myriad of injuries this season.
On the note that the Seahawks are potential contenders in the NFC, the Seahawks ought to be buying at the deadline and not selling. Let us go through some potential trade candidates the Seahawks could be eyeing come the November 4th trade deadline.
Offensive Line options: Joel Bitonio, Wyatt Teller, Kevin Zeitler
There will be other popular names you hear about like Wyatt Teller and Joel Bitonio that could be potential options if Seattle were to bring in an offensive lineman. However, both Teller and Bitonio have pricier contracts that Seattle would likely want renegotiated or to be partially paid by Cleveland. The Seahawks would likely need to pay more in trade compensation for either of those options to happen. A cheaper option could be Kevin Zeitler.
Zeitler is currently on a one-year, $9 million deal, with $8.75 million guaranteed. Tennessee has already paid a large portion of that deal, leaving Seattle with a relatively cheap contract for a veteran who could plug and play at right guard. Adding a veteran lineman like Zeitler would provide much needed depth at guard as well. Currently if Bradford or Zabel were to get hurt, the Seahawks would be left to moving Jalen Sundell from center to guard, or playing one of the two rookies, Bryce Cabeldue/Mason Richman.
Bringing in Zeitler (who is only two years removed from a 2023 Pro Bowl season) would reunite him with Mike Macdonald, as both were with the Baltimore Ravens in 2022 and 2023. The Titans, who just fired head coach Brian Callahan, could be looking to sell at the deadline this year and Zeitler (who is now 35 years old) could potentially be had for a day three pick.
Projected Trade:
- Seahawks receive guard, Kevin Zeitler
- Titans receive 2026 5th Round Pick.
At this point in the trade deadline, teams do not just give away elite offensive line players. With that said, it would make more sense for Seattle to go the cheaper option and look for a veteran rental option for the rest of 2025. At best, Zeitler would be an upgrade over Bradford. At worst, he allows you a flex guard position, allowing Sundell to stay at center.
Edge rusher trade options: Bradley Chubb, Carl Granderson, Trey Hendrickson, Jaelan Phillips, Kayvon Thibodeaux
Though Seattle has had plenty of pass-rushing success this season (with 20 sacks, the Seahawks are currently tied for second in the NFL for team sacks), most of that productivity has some on blitzes or from the interior of the defensive line. Adding a dominant edge rusher to this group could unlock the Seahawks defense into being the best in the NFL.
One potential option is Bradley Chubb. However, with ballooning cap numbers after 2025, his contract would not be as tradeable compared to some other options. Two of these players (Trey Hendrickson and Jaelan Phillips) are set to be free agents this 2026 offseason. Phillips has been a solid contributor when healthy. However, he is rarely healthy, having suffered both an Achilles tear in 2023 and ACL tear in 2024. Those injuries are a football red flag if I have seen one. Hendrickson has gotten the most buzz out of this entire list, especially after posting back to back 17.5 sack seasons. After the contract fiasco in Cincinnati this offseason, Hendrickson re-signed with the Bengals on a one-year deal. However, with the Bengals season now looking all but over, Hendrickson could potentially be moved for a day-two pick by a team willing to rent his services for the remainder of 2025.
Another option who has been brought up is Kayvon Thibodeaux with the New York Giants. The former top five pick has shown elite flashes, having posted 23.5 sacks in his three and a half seasons in the league. With the signings of Brian Burns and drafting of Abdul Carter, there has been speculation that Thibodeaux could be on the move. However, he will likely be expensive to acquire, perhaps even more than Hendrickson. This could be the case considering his age, and that he still has his 5th year option through 2026, not allowing him to hit free agency until 2027.
One last name to consider is Carl Granderson with the New Orleans Saints. The Saints have been rumored to be selling many of their player’s services as they look for more draft capital. Granderson has been a solid contributor for the team despite having little name recognition. However, this season he dropped weight and has been deployed as an outside linebacker/edge rusher position, similar to the way the Seahawks deploy their edge rushers. This move has done dividends for Granderson as he already 4.5 sacks, 27 tackles, two quarterback hits, and two passes defensed. Add on top of that, Granderson’s contract is relatively affordable (with cap hits that don’t exceed $18.1 million per year) and would not have him hitting free agency until 2028). With the Saints looking at a fire sale, it would not be crazy to think that Granderson’s services could be had for a decent price.
Projected Trade:
- Seahawks receive edge rusher, Carl Granderson
- Saints receive 2026 3rd Round Pick.
Though Hendrickson and Thibodeaux are intriguing options, the trade price of getting both of those players who will be expected to be paid in the near future is too high for this author’s liking. Granderson meanwhile is a player who is on the rise, and still has plenty of club control. If the Seahawks make this move, this could potentially signal the end for Boye Mafe in Seattle.
Linebacker trade options: Cody Barton, Jordyn Brooks, Demario Davis
Two of these names sound awfully familiar, don’t they? Though many Seahawks fans do not have the fondest memories of Cody Barton in Seattle, he has since put together three solid seasons post-Seattle. The strongest of those coming in Denver in 2024 which included an AFC Defensive Player of the Week honor for Barton in week seven of 2024. Barton’s contract is quite tradeable as well, with a 2025 cap hit just north of $4 million (much of which has already been paid by the Titans) and a potential out before the 2026 season.
Jordyn Brooks’ departure from Seattle on the other hand was a little bittersweet for Seahawks fans. Since leaving Seattle, Brooks has looked solid in Miami. After a solid 2024 season, Brooks is currently leading the NFL in tackles in 2025, already logging 66 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and 1 fumble recovery. Brooks’ contract is a tad more expensive than Barton’s, but is still relatively affordable, with a $11.05 million cap hit in 2025 (much of which has already been paid by the Dolphins), and a $10.05 million cap hit 2026.
However, of the players on this list, the one non-former Seahawk, Demario Davis may be playing the best. Though already 36 years old, Demario Davis has still shown he can play, earning an 81.1 overall PFF grade, good enough to be ninth among qualified linebackers in 2025. Set to be a free agent at the end of the year, a potential trade for Davis would be a rental for the rest of the year and could help the Seahawks at the second standup linebacker position next to Ernest Jones IV while still allowing Tyrice Knight and Drake Thomas to continue growing in this Mike Macdonald system.
Projected Trade:
- Seahawks receive linebacker, Demario Davis
- Saints receive 2026 5th Round Pick.
Though Barton and Brooks are both younger and have bigger names for Seahawks fans, Davis has shown to be the better player (at least according to PFF). The added benefit for Davis over Brooks or Barton is that the team could wash their hands from him after the 2025 season if they are ready to turn the keys over to Knight or Thomas or another young player next season.
Conclusions
With the Seahawks at 4-2 and tied for first place in the NFC West, it would make most sense for them to be buyers and not sellers this trade deadline. Unless there was a crazy offer for Riq Woolen, such as a second-round pick or an elite pass rusher (Trey Hendrickson), it would probably be best to keep him in Seattle. Even if is only for the rest of this season.
As for the three projected trade candidates to bring in (Kevin Zeitler, Carl Granderson, Demario Davis), the one that makes the most sense would be Granderson. The Seahawks defense has looked stellar this season (albeit the Tampa Bay game). Adding one more elite finisher off the edge could be the difference between this team merely being a playoff team and being a true Super Bowl contender.
