The Seattle Seahawks enter the preseason with a problem most defending champions would gladly take.
They may have more proven depth at center than they can realistically keep long term.
That’s why Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox believes Seattle should at least test the market for Olu Oluwatimi before Week 1.
In an Aug. 10 piece naming one player from every NFL team who should land on the trade block, Knox pointed to Oluwatimi’s experience, contract situation and place behind Jalen Sundell on the depth chart.
“If the Seahawks want to get something in return via a trade before Week 1, though, center Olu Oluwatimi would be a logical candidate,” Knox wrote.
Moving reliable offensive line depth bears obvious risk, but Oluwatimi’s situation makes him one of Seattle’s more sensible trade chips as roster decisions begin to tighten.
Bleacher Report Sees Oluwatimi as a Trade Chip
GettyATLANTA, GEORGIA – DECEMBER 07: Olu Oluwatimi #55 of the Seattle Seahawks prepares to snap the ball during the first half against the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 07, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Oluwatimi has started 13 games since the Seahawks selected him in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL draft. He started eight games in 2024 and another four last season, filling in when Seattle needed him.
The problem for Oluwatimi is that Sundell has taken control of the position.
Seattle entered last summer with a competition at center, but a back injury sidelined Oluwatimi during camp.
Sundell took advantage.
When head coach Mike Macdonald announced the starting offensive line in August 2025, he said Oluwatimi had been playing “the best football of his career” before the injury, while Sundell had done enough to win the job.
Sundell went on to start 13 regular-season games and every playoff game during Seattle’s Super Bowl run.
Oluwatimi stepped back into the lineup for four games while Sundell was on injured reserve, giving the Seahawks a proven replacement when their starter went down.
Meanwhile, Seahawks.com draft analyst Rob Rang wrote in April that he was “confident” Oluwatimi could start in the NFL, while noting Sundell’s athleticism made him the better fit for Seattle’s wide-zone scheme.
There’s also a contract clock involved. Spotrac lists Oluwatimi in the final season of the four-year rookie contract he signed in 2023. He is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent in 2027.
Seahawks Would Be Trading Away Insurance
GettySEATTLE, WASHINGTON – DECEMBER 22: Olu Oluwatimi #51 of the Seattle Seahawks in action against the Seattle against the Minnesota Vikings at Lumen Field on December 22, 2024 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
The possibility of a deal comes down to value.
If Seattle believes Sundell is its center for the foreseeable future, this may be the final chance to turn Oluwatimi into draft capital rather than potentially losing him in free agency next spring.
The counterargument is easy to see.
Seattle’s offensive line became one of the team’s biggest success stories in 2025.
Seahawks.com noted Aug. 6 that all five starters are back after the unit cut its sack rate from one every 10.9 pass attempts in 2024 to one every 17.8 last season. Keeping dependable depth behind that group has worth for a team trying to repeat.
The Seahawks do have another center on the roster in Federico Maranges, who spent last season on the practice squad. But Maranges has yet to appear in a regular-season NFL game, leaving a sizable experience contrast if Oluwatimi is moved.
Thus, the Seahawks find themselves in a bit of a bind since Oluwatimi may be good enough to help another team immediately, even though his greatest value to the Seahawks could come from being ready if Sundell misses time again.
Knox’s proposal gives Seattle something to consider before roster cuts.
The return would have to outweigh the comfort of keeping a 13-start center on the bench for second championship run.
Seahawks’ Veteran Tabbed as Logical Trade Candidate Ahead of Week 1