Getty Seahawks general manager John Schneider (left) and head coach Pete Carroll appear to have won the Russell Wilson trade.
Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider made it clear to the rest of the NFL that the team is open for business with the No. 5 pick. Much of the speculation has been about the potential for the Seahawks to trade down but would the team consider moving up to snag a top target?
USA Today’s Doug Farrar presented a unique scenario that has Seattle trading up to the No. 1 pick but not for a quarterback. The mock has the Seahawks sliding up to land Georgia star defensive tackle Jalen Carter, who Farrar sees a lot of similarities to future Hall of Famer Aaron Donald.
“Seattle would obviously have to be all in on Geno Smith for this to happen, and there are multiple reasons for them to be,” Farrar wrote on January 26, 2023. “The thing about Carter that puts him above most players at his position, college or pro, is the complete skill set. Carter can wind by blockers with estimable power, killer speed and quickness, and an impressive technique palette which should be even better with the benefit of NFL coaching.
“As for the idea that an edge-rusher would be more valuable to any team… well, remember the current priority on interior pass rush, and consider that Carter can also demolish offensive lines from the edge. When you’re 6-foot-3 and 300 pounds, that’s kind of terrifying, and it’s one of many reasons I see a lot of Aaron Donald in Carter’s game. Kentucky’s Will Levis discovered that to his consternation last season.”
Jalen Carter Is Drawing Comparisons to Eagles Star Fletcher Cox
Farrar does not offer the specifics for the trade proposal but a quick glance at the trade value chart created by former Cowboys coach Jimmy Johnson in the early 90s shows Seattle would need to pay a premium to move up to the top slot. The Bears pick is valued at 3000 points compared to 1700 for the No. 5 selection, and even if Seattle included No. 20 (850), Schneider would still need to add future picks to pull off the blockbuster deal. ESPN’s Matt Miller compared Carter to Eagles six-time Pro Bowler Fletcher Cox.
“The 2021 Georgia defense had five players selected in the first round of the 2022 draft, and Carter (not eligible in that draft) might have actually been the best defender on the team. At 6-3 and 310 pounds, he has great first-step quickness and a powerful frame that can split double teams. Carter battled ankle and knee injuries this season and platooned on a deep Georgia defense last year, but he still accumulated six sacks and 16.5 tackles for loss over the past two seasons.”
The Seahawks Dropped Hint on Potential Draft Trade
As much as Carter would look great in the middle of the Seahawks defensive line, this is too high of a price for Seattle to pay given the current roster. Seattle is not simply one player away from contending and are in desperate need of an influx of new talent on defense. Farrar’s mock has Alabama star pass rusher Will Anderson falling to No. 5 for the Bears, which would be a complete steal and even more reason for the Seahawks to keep the pick.
Seattle would be better served sticking and picking rather than trading away valuable assets to move up for a non-quarterback. Whether it is a trade to move up or down, what fans can expect is for the Seahawks to be active in making deals during the draft.
“Not the choice of player, it’s the options that are available to you because it’s such a high pick,” Schneider told Seattle Sports’ “Wyman and Bob” during a January 20 interview. “So Indy losing that (Week 18) game really hurt, obviously Denver winning that (last) game (hurt) otherwise we’d have had the third pick. But even that difference between three and five, in terms of moving around, the value of that pick is really important. I’ve only been involved with it one time this high.”