With training camp about to open for the Seattle Seahawks, the roster conversation is shifting from theory to reality. Most of the focus now turns to the field at the VMAC, the field at Lumen, and the road fields that will shape the season. But one name could still be moved before the dust settles: Olu Oluwatimi.
Oluwatimi has managed to get on the field in each of his first three NFL seasons, and in 2024 he started for half the year. He has not been dominant, but he has done enough to look like one of the thirty-two best centers in the league. The issue for Seattle is that he may not be one of the thirty-two centers starting in week one of the 2026 season.
That possibility came into sharper focus with Brady Henderson’s ESPN training camp preview, which included a depth chart projection that left Oluwatimi off the roster and labeled him a trade candidate. Henderson’s read was that a move could come soon, even if it feels like the kind of deal that might have made more sense months ago.
The timing matters because Oluwatimi is in the final year of his rookie contract. If he is stuck behind Jalen Sundell in 2026, that does little for his next contract, since he would need meaningful snaps and strong play to build value before hitting the open market next year.
For Seattle, the calculation is different. A backup center has value, especially after Sundell’s injury last season, but that value is tied to what happens in front of him.
A 2027 or 2028 draft pick on a four-year deal may end up being the better long-term asset.
Henderson’s projection listed only nine offensive linemen, and both Oluwatimi and Christian Haynes were absent. If Oluwatimi is dealt, the Seahawks will need another center option behind Sundell. The standard there is pretty simple: someone who can handle the snap and avoid making a mess of it.
Grey Zabel was projected as a center in the pre-draft process, so he could fill that role in a pinch, though that is not much help if he is already starting. Beau Stephens has the arm length of a typical center, but he never played a snap there in college.
Mason Richman and Bryce Cabeldue are in the same boat. One of those three may have to show in camp that he can at least handle the job.
If Seattle does shop Oluwatimi, the next step is finding a team that needs help in the middle. A week ago, the Baltimore Ravens looked like the obvious fit, with Danny Pinter projected to start and clear aspirations for the season. But they have since signed Ethan Pocic and may be set at center.
Other teams could still make sense. The Carolina Panthers have Luke Fortner lined up to start, the Lions may not be thrilled with Cade Mays, the Vikings have concerns about Blake Brandel in the middle, the Titans are currently rolling with Austin Schlottmann, and the Commanders are working with Nick Allegretti. Those are the kinds of teams Seattle would likely call if it wants to squeeze out a late-round pick.
If nothing happens before then, the Seahawks can also wait. Injuries happen, jobs get lost, and center depth has a way of becoming urgent fast. The trade deadline is November 10th, so there is still plenty of time for Oluwatimi to become more valuable to someone else than he is to Seattle.
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