The Seattle Seahawks are losing their starting quarterback for at least one game. ESPN’s Bill Barnwell sees a way to help the offense without replacing him.
In his Nov. 5 trade-deadline breakdown, Barnwell identified Philadelphia Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert as Seattle’s “luxury target” and New York Jets receiver Tim Patrick as a cheaper alternative.
The suggestions arrive after Sam Darnold was ruled out against the Arizona Cardinals with a quad injury. Drew Lock is expected to start, although he is working back from an elbow injury of his own.
At 4-4, Seattle has already made one substantial investment in its offense by trading for guard Quenton Nelson. Barnwell’s proposed next step would give Darnold or Lock another weapon before the Nov. 10 deadline.
Bill Barnwell Names Dallas Goedert as Seahawks Trade Target
Barnwell’s case for Goedert starts with the hole left by injured tight end Elijah Arroyo and Seattle’s need for another dependable receiving option.
“Adding another tight end to replace injured Elijah Arroyo and give Darnold (or Drew Lock) another reliable pass catcher would be one way to improve the offense,” Barnwell wrote.
He noted that Goedert is playing on a one-year contract and, by his calculation, is owed only $650,000 over the remainder of 2026. That is Barnwell’s remaining-pay estimate, rather than the total value of Goedert’s contract.
The receiving résumé is the bigger selling point. Goedert scored 11 touchdowns last season, giving Seattle a potential red-zone option beyond Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
As Heavy’s Dave Holcomb previously reported, those touchdowns came on 60 receptions. Goedert returned to Philadelphia on a one-year, $7 million deal.
For Seattle, the appeal is a different kind of addition. Another tight end could complement the existing receivers and AJ Barner while replacing some of the flexibility lost with Arroyo’s injury. It would give the offense another personnel option without requiring a wholesale reshuffling of the receiver rotation.
Barnwell also identified Patrick as a bargain target. The veteran played only seven snaps against Miami in Week 7 before becoming a healthy scratch against Las Vegas in Week 8, according to the ESPN analyst.
Patrick’s blocking is central to that suggestion. Seattle has already invested in Nelson and welcomed back running backs Zach Charbonnet and Jadarian Price. A receiver who contributes to the ground game would fit that effort, even without commanding a large share of the passing targets.
Sam Darnold Injury Complicates Seahawks Deadline Decision
Mike Macdonald announced Nov. 4 that Darnold is week-to-week after injuring his quad late in Monday’s loss to Chicago. Darnold also suffered a fractured rib early in that game.
Seattle does not plan to place him on injured reserve. Lock is preparing to start, with Jalen Milroe getting ready to back him up.
Barnwell was blunt about the limits of a quarterback trade: Darnold has struggled even when healthy, but he does not see a better answer available on the market.
That leaves improving the players around the quarterback. Barnwell also pointed to Seattle’s financial commitments to Cooper Kupp and Rashid Shaheed, along with its desire to evaluate Tory Horton, as complications when considering another receiver.
These are proposed fits, rather than reported negotiations. Barnwell expects Nelson to remain John Schneider’s biggest move before the offseason.
Goedert would give Seattle another way to finish drives. Patrick would help the effort to sustain them. Both suggestions target problems that will still be there when Darnold returns.
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