The Seahawks have the kind of draft capital that makes real swings possible, and the 2026 trade deadline could be one of those moments. It arrives on November 10, and Seattle has needs that could be addressed if John Schneider decides to strike again. He has never looked shy about making a deal, and with a projected 11 picks in 2027 - including five in the first three rounds - the Seahawks can afford to shop in the higher end of the market.
Cornerback is the clearest problem area, but the offensive line could use another boost as well. Through Week 6, a few names stand out as possible targets, ranging from an elite young corner to a veteran pass rusher and a starting-caliber guard.
At the top of the list sits Sauce Gardner of the Colts. Indianapolis has already fired its longtime general manager, Chris Ballard, and if the franchise decides a teardown is the path back, Gardner becomes the kind of asset that could be moved.
The Colts just acquired him last season and paid two first-round picks to get him, so it would take ownership pushing the idea for it to happen. Gardner has had one rough outing this season, but he is still one of the NFL’s top coverage corners at 25 and brings value against the run as well.
If Indianapolis would take a second-round pick in 2027 and a third-rounder in 2028, Seattle ought to be in the conversation.
Another corner name to watch is Riq Woolen, now with the Eagles. Seattle let him leave in free agency and brought back Josh Jobe, a choice that looked sensible given Woolen’s uneven play over the past few seasons.
Still, Woolen has been solid in Philadelphia this year, and there’s at least one obvious advantage to a reunion: the Seahawks know exactly what they’d be getting, and Woolen knows the system. He isn’t a finished product, but at his best he can erase receivers in coverage.
A fourth-round pick might be enough to bring him back from an Eagles team that appears to be drifting.
The offensive line option on the board is Landon Dickerson, also of the Eagles. He has not played since Week 1 because of a knee injury, though a return in Week 7 or 8 is expected.
Dickerson is 28 and under contract through 2027, which gives him real appeal. The challenge is fit.
He is a pure left guard, and Seattle already has second-year pro Grey Zabel there. Zabel could move to the right side, but that kind of switch is easier to imagine than to execute.
Even so, the idea of a line with Charles Cross, Dickerson, Jalen Sundell, Zabel and Abraham Lucas is hard to ignore. If the Eagles asked for a second-round pick, that would be the likely price.
On the edge, Khalil Mack is the veteran option. Seattle has survived with three good edge rushers and one free-agent miss, but the loss of Boye Mafe to the Cincinnati Bengals has hurt more than expected, and Dante Fowler Jr. has not delivered.
Mack is well into his 30s, but he is still a high-end rusher and run defender. He would probably be a half-season rental, but he’d fit cleanly alongside DeMarcus Lawrence, Uchenna Nwosu and Derick Hall.
He also may not cost more than a mid-round pick.
The receiver on the board is Brian Thomas Jr. of the Jaguars. He made the Pro Bowl early in his career, but drops and other issues have followed since.
The talent is still obvious, though, and Seattle would not need him to be the No. 1 target. At nearly 6-foot-3, he has the size the Seahawks could use, and the pressure would be different than it was for the team that drafted him in 2024.
The real question is price. If Jacksonville wants multiple high picks, that’s the end of the discussion.
If the return is closer to a third-rounder and a later selection, then it starts to make sense.
In Other News...
Seahawks May Be Learning A Painful Truth About Sam Darnold
Sam Darnolds first season in Seattle has been a reminder that a quarterbacks environment can change everything. After looking far more comfortable earlier in the year, his play has slid into troubling territory, with his numbers now sitting near the bottom among qualified quarterbacks and raising fresh questions about what the Seahawks have in him moving forward.
Jason La Canfora has pointed to the kind of roster churn that can quietly reshape an offense, noting the departures of offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak and running back Kenneth Walker III as possible reasons for the regression. Walker, meanwhile, is thriving with the Kansas City Chiefs, who remain undefeated, which only adds to the sting for Seattle as it tries to figure out what went wrong and whether Darnold can still steady the offense. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Run Game Issue May Be Easier To Fix Than Fans Think
The Seahawks run game has been one of the quieter concerns of the season, and the numbers help explain why. Seattle sits 18th in yards per carry and 30th in EPA per rush, a rough combination for an offense that has wanted more balance. Analyst Daniel Jeremiah pointed to the injury-depleted backfield as a major reason, noting that rookie Jadarian Price is on injured reserve and the current primary backs have not provided the same burst in explosive runs.
There may be a relatively straightforward path to improvement, though, if the roster can get healthier. The possible returns of Zach Charbonnet and Price would give Seattle more options and, in theory, more juice in a ground game that has lacked it for much of the season. For a team trying to stabilize its offense, the fix might not require a scheme overhaul so much as a healthier rotation in the backfield. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Trade Idea Hinges On Whether Eagles Would Move A Star Back
Seattles running game has not looked like the same engine it was a year ago, and the absence of Kenneth Walker has become part of that conversation. CBS Sports Carter Bahns pointed to that decision as one reason the Seahawks have had more trouble getting consistent production on the ground, then floated a bigger-name fix: Saquon Barkley. It is the kind of idea that immediately grabs attention because Barkley would give the offense a proven lead back and a very different level of stability.
There is a catch, of course, and it is a significant one. Barkley is under contract through 2028, and Philadelphia has not signaled any desire to move him, but the Eagles quarterback situation could change the conversation if Jalen Hurts injuries push them toward a broader roster rethink. For Seattle, the appeal is obvious: a shot at solving a glaring need with a star who could reshape the backfield, even if the path to getting him looks complicated from the start. [Read more 🡒]