Throughout the offseason, trade rumors continue to surround Seattle Seahawks backup center and former starter Olu Oluwatimi. Prior to the draft, these rumors started to surface as the team aimed to acquire more draft capital. Recently, trade talks resumed with speculative links to the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens seek center depth with the departure of Tyler Linderbaum.
With Oluwatimi entering a contract year, it makes sense why the Seahawks entertain trade possibilities. A trade would guarantee compensation instead of waiting for a compensatory pick from free agency. However, some plead the case that the potential rewards are not worth it for the organization.
While the Seahawks could develop one of the other backup lineman into a capable center, centers with starting NFL experience are hard to acquire. A sixth or seventh round pick may not benefit the team long term at all.
Trade Buzz Around Seahawks Former Starter Continues
GettyOlu Oluwatimi lost his starting role to Jalen Sundell last offseason.
While Oluwatimi graded poorly in his limited starts in 2025, he still has started 13 games in his NFL career. PFF gave him a 55.9 grade last season, ranking 35th out of 40 eligible centers. Oluwatimi lost the starting job last offseason to current center Jalen Sundell.
Those metrics indicate that Oluwatimi performs around an average level for an offensive lineman. However, that type of production can be difficult to acquire for NFL teams without experience in the building.
In addition, trading Oluwatimi for a late round pick in 2027 proves somewhat superfluous for the Seahawks. The team currently projects to have 11 picks including compensatory selections next year. Possibly, an additional late pick could help the Seahawks trade up next year, but that is far from a lock.
Keeping in mind his veteran status and lack of value, the Seahawks trading a former starter on their roster could hurt them in season if an injury occurs. The lack of a reliable option behind Oluwatimi at this point makes a trade unlikely.
Seahawks Finally Have Depth on the Offensive Line
GettyWhile the offensive line has historically been a problem, the Seahawks finally have depth.
With Oluwatimi and Josh Jones, the Seahawks have two backup offensive lineman with plenty of starting experience. There’s no reason to sacrifice that for minimally valued draft capital regardless of Oluwatimi being in a contract year. The logical conclusion remains that the Seahawks keep both of these players and let the season play out.
There’s always a possibility that Oluwatimi comes back to Seattle on a one year contract, similar to that of Jones. Both Oluwatimi and Jones started games last year for the Seahawks to keep the stability of the offensive line. This is depth that Seahawks fans dreamt about for years on the offensive line. After years of having one of the worst units in the NFL, the offensive line now appears to be a strength for this offense.
Trading Oluwatimi could help the Seahawks draft pick situation, but the potential risk is too great unless the team finds a reliable option in free agency.
Seahawks Pushed to Hold Former Starter After Recent Trade Buzz