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The Seattle Seahawks were pushed into potentially striking a trade inside the NFC West with the Arizona Cardinals during the 2023 NFL draft, but general manager John Schneider was not feeling the deal. The Cardinals released a riveting video showing general manager Monti Ossenfort wheeling and dealing on draft night. Conversations with the Seahawks were among the trade discussions that the Arizona docs-series “Flight Plan” showed.
“Okay, we’re interested in coming up to No. 5,” Ossenfort says on the phone.
Some important context before we detail the failed Cardinals-Seahawks draft night deal. Arizona initially struck a trade with the Houston moving down from No. 3 to No. 12.
The Cardinals then wanted to move up from No. 12 and targeted a deal with the Seahawks at No. 5 along with some of the teams behind Seattle. Ossenfort begins to hypothesize that Arizona would land No. 6 and send Detroit No. 12 and No. 34 (second rounder) with the Lions adding “something late” in the trade. The Seahawks were likely offered a similar deal with potentially a sweetener given Seattle was one pick ahead of Detroit.
“So, 12 to 6 for 12 and 34 for 6 and something late. See if he comes back,” Ossenfort processes the potential Lions’ offer with members of the Cardinals.
Check out the footage of the NFC West trade tails below.
Seahawks News: Seattle Turned Down Arizona’s Trade Offer to Move Up for the No. 5 Pick
Moments later, Ossenfort gets his answer from Seattle as the Seahawks opted to sit and pick at No. 5. Seattle ultimately selected cornerback Devon Witherspoon with the pick.
“Hey bud, how’s it looking?” Ossenfort asks.
“Yeah, I think we’re gonna pick,” an unspecified member of the Seahawks delivers the bad news to the Cardinals.
“You’re going to pick? Anything I can do?” Ossenfort presses.
“Appreciate the patience,” the Seahawks person relays to Ossenfort.
“Okay, thanks bud.” Ossenfort replied while hanging up.
The Arizona GM announces the news to the room, “Seattle’s picking.” Ultimately, the Cardinals finalized a deal with the Lions. Detroit received the No. 12, No. 34 and No. 168 picks in exchange for No. 6 and No. 81 going to Arizona.
Seattle Seahawks GM John Schneider on a Possible Trade: ‘We Had 2 Players Who Definitely Weren’t Gonna Leave For’
After the first round concluded, Schneider revealed the Seahawks had two players on their board they were committed to not trading back if the prospects remained available. As time would reveal, Witherspoon was one of these players bucking a Seattle trend of not taking cornerbacks early in the draft.
“No [not close to a deal], we had discussed several things,” Schneider explained during an April 28 press conference. “We had two players we definitely weren’t gonna leave for, and Devon was one of ’em.”
ESPN’s Brady Henderson noted that former Alabama standout pass rusher Will Anderson Jr. was likely the other player Seattle had high on their board. During exclusive pre-draft interviews with Heavy Sports, Anderson gushed about his meetings with the Seahawks, but the Texans took the star with the No. 3 pick.
“But in addition to concerns about Wilson’s foot and Carter’s makeup, the Seahawks didn’t have either player rated nearly as highly as Devon Witherspoon,” Henderson detailed on May 11. “With Will Anderson Jr. already gone and no real desire to take a quarterback that high, the Illinois cornerback was the easy choice.”
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