The Seahawks may have stumbled into a clean way to solve one roster problem and squeeze a little value out of another.
With Jalen Sundell firmly positioned as Seattle’s center of the future, Olu Oluwatimi has drifted into that awkward in-between spot: useful enough to matter, but unlikely to have a real role if Sundell stays healthy. Oluwatimi has logged 13 starts and held up well over his three seasons, yet the contract picture and the current depth chart leave little reason for the Seahawks to keep him past this year.
That’s where Detroit enters the picture. Lions center Cade Mays went down with a “freak” wrist injury in training camp and is expected to miss at least 8-10 weeks, leaving Dan Campbell’s group thin in a spot that needs a steady hand. For Seattle, that creates a possible trade opening.
According to Over The Cap, moving Oluwatimi would free up $1.145 million for the Seahawks. That number won’t move the needle much for a team sitting on $25.4 million in cap space, but it still gives Seattle a chance to turn a player with limited future value into something tangible.
A late-2027 draft pick could be enough to get it done, and that’s a better outcome than simply letting him walk for nothing. A compensatory pick would be tough to count on, especially if Oluwatimi doesn’t see the field at all this season with Sundell expected to handle the job.
For Detroit, the appeal is obvious. Oluwatimi is viewed as a competent, starting-caliber center who can keep the position stable until Mays returns. He’s a solid run-blocker and a plug-and-play option, which makes him the kind of short-term answer teams often chase when injuries hit up front.
Seattle, meanwhile, appears comfortable with the direction it’s already chosen. The team seems to like Federico Maranges enough to give him a futures contract after he went unclaimed as an UDFA in 2025, so moving Oluwatimi would not leave the depth chart completely bare.
And Sundell’s case is strong. He may not be a star, but he already showed enough to lock down the middle of the line. Last season, according to Pro Football Focus, he allowed 11 total pressures, two quarterback hits and zero sacks across 734 snaps, a strong enough line to make him the clear choice in Seattle.
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Seahawks Preseason Opener Could Shift One Roster Battle Fans Are Watching
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Jalen Milroe also fits into that group of guys who need their reps to count, because these first preseason snaps can shape how the staff sorts out the back end of the roster. With the regular season still ahead, this game is less about the score than about who leaves it looking like a player the Seahawks can trust when the cuts start coming. [Read more 🡒]