Seahawks predicted to make bold NFL Draft trade decision by ESPN

The Seattle Seahawks are coming off a Super Bowl title, but as the cost of winning typically is, they've lost a lot of talent in free agency.

To best replace that lost talent, the 2026 NFL Draft is a prime target to improve the roster for another Super Bowl run. John Schneider has the chance to bolster the roster, but he might have to get creative with only four picks.

That league-low four-pick total is why ESPN's Field Yates is predicting that the Seahawks could be one of the teams most likely to trade down in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Seahawks predicted to trade down in NFL Draft

"But the Seahawks are a sensible pick for two obvious reasons," Yates writes. "They enter the draft with a league-low four selections and can offer the 32nd pick to another team that wants to secure a fifth year of a contract for a prospect."

Instead of picking 32nd overall, the Seahawks could trade down into the second round and land some decent value in return to get more dart throws in the later rounds of the draft while still retaining some valuable assets early on Day 2.

While the Seahawks could use the 32nd pick to land a good player, it might make more sense, with only four picks, to find a trade partner and move into Round 2 and pick up some extra picks on Days 2 and 3.

If someone like Ty Simpson is still available, the New York Jets, Cleveland Browns, Arizona Cardinals, or another QB-needy team might make a bold leap back into Round 1 to land Simpson at the Seahawks pick to get that fifth year.

More: Mike Washington Jr. is Seahawks ideal R2 draft pick

There could also be another player who's falling down the board that a team is willing to get aggressive in a trade-up for to make sure they can land said player before Day 2 of the draft begins.

Seattle has no clear roster holes other than running back, which likely won't be resolved with the 32nd pick anyway.

This trade-down prediction from Yates makes too much sense for Schneider and the Seahawks.

While it might annoy some fans who waited all night long to see the Seahawks 32nd pick in Round 1, this would be the right move if they could get good value in a trade.

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