The Seattle Seahawks‘ first-round pick must go.
On Monday, Seahawks general manager John Schneider discussed the organization’s plans for Day 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft, set for Thursday, and revealed that if things go according to plan, Seattle will sit it out.
“We have four picks,” Schneider told reporters. “So we’ll be looking to move back.” (h/t The News Tribune)
As Schneider noted, the Seahawks only possess four picks — No. 32, 64, 96 and 188 — making a trade down the best way to acquire extra 2026 capital.
Seahawks wise to explore traded own with only four 2026 draft picks
Seattle parted with 2026 fourth- and fifth-round picks in a November 2025 trade-deadline deal with the New Orleans Saints for wide receiver Rashid Shaheed. In August 2024, it sent its 2026 seventh-rounder and center Nick Harris to the Cleveland Browns for a 2026 sixth, which it used to acquire defensive tackle Roy Robertson-Harris from the Jacksonville Jaguars during that season.
Coming off a Super Bowl LX win, Seattle can afford to take a conservative approach to the draft. And considering the team’s hit rate in later rounds over the past few seasons, adding Day 2 and possibly Day 3 picks could be a wise team-building strategy as the Seahawks look to keep their championship window open.
The franchise selected several key 2025 contributors between Rounds 2-5 over the course of recent drafts, including safety Nick Emmanwori (No. 35 overall, 2025), defensive end Boye Mafe (No. 40, 2022), right tackle Abraham Lucas (No. 72, 2022), right guard Anthony Bradford (No. 108, 2023), safety Coby Bryant (No. 109, 2022), tight end AJ Barner (No. 121, 2024) and cornerback Riq Woolen (No. 153, 2022).
That success, plus a lack of glaring needs, makes moving back the correct play for Seattle. It could get more than teams might usually get, dealing the last pick of the first round, depending on how the rest of the selections fall.
If quarterback Ty Simpson falls, teams needing one, such as the Browns or Arizona Cardinals, might be desperate enough to make an aggressive move for No. 32, which would be great news for the Seahawks. At that point, they may be able to negotiate from a position of strength, extracting the most value out of the pick.
When Seattle gets on the clock Thursday evening, Schneider will be busy working the phones, but likely not to call any prospects. Instead, he’ll be dialing rival general managers in an effort to add more picks to a depleted war chest. If the Seahawks leave the first round without making a deal, they could be one of the weekend’s biggest losers.
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