Getty The Seahawks are expected to make additional roster moves.
The Seattle Seahawks have a bit of a pattern when it comes to the NFL draft. Seahawks GM John Schneider loves to trade down, and things are expected to be no different during this year’s draft, even if front offices are doing business virtually. An anonymous AFC GM told NBC Sports’ Peter King that he expects Schneider to once again trade down.
“Only two sure things in this draft: Joe Borrow to the Bengals and John Schneider trades down in the first round,” the GM explained to King.
The Seahawks have the No. 27 pick in the first round, but it is a wise bet that Seattle will not stay at their original spot. Seattle already has eight picks in the upcoming draft and could look to stockpile even more selections by trading back.
The Seahawks Have Traded Their 1st Round Pick in 8 Straight Drafts
People expect Schneider to once again trade down because the Seahawks GM has dealt the team’s first round pick in eight straight drafts, per The News Tribune’s Gregg Bell. Given the number of Seahawks’ selections, there is always the chance that they could trade up, but it appears almost a certainty that the team will make moves even in an altered draft format.
“Yeah John Schneider and Pete Carroll will be trading down/all around again during this NFL draft April 23-25. They’ve made 72 trades in their first 10 drafts running #Seahawks. They’ve traded their original 1st-round pick in 8 straight drafts. Seattle sits at 27th overall now,” Bell tweeted.
The Seahawks Are Likely to Address the Pass Rush in the Draft
The Seahawks have made minor moves to improve the defensive line by adding Benson Mayowa and Bruce Irvin in free agency. With Jadeveon Clowney’s future uncertain, the Seahawks are likely to add more edge rushers in the draft. Our seven-round mock draft breaks down every Seahawks’ pick, and our projections have Seattle taking several players to address the pass rush. Schneider noted earlier in the offseason that defense would be a priority, but so far the team has not made major moves on the defensive line.
“Defensively, we were (ranked) 26th (in 2019),” Schneider told The News Tribune. “We need to improve our pass rush. We need to try to get the coaches as many players as we possibly can on both sides of the ball. But, obviously, defensively we were ranked a little bit lower than we were on offense.”
While the Seahawks need to address their defense, the strength of the upcoming draft is on offense, particularly at wide receiver and running back. The Seahawks could look to take advantage of the depth by giving Russell Wilson even more weapons for next season.
Chris Carson and Rashaad Penny are both coming off season-ending injuries, but the Seahawks have not signed a running back in free agency. It would be a surprise if Seattle did not select a running back in the first two days of the draft.
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