ESPN on how Seahawks could make room for Myles Garrett

Does a Seattle Seahawks trade for one of the league's best pass rushers make sense?

Connor Benintendi | Feb 14, 2025

Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett celebrates after sacking Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady during the second half at FirstEnergy Stadium, Sunday, Nov. 27, 2022, in Cleveland. / Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Seattle Seahawks

When Cleveland Browns star pass-rusher Myles Garrett officially requested a trade last week, potential deals for every NFL team emerged. Even teams that don't need him on their roster would still immediately boost their defense by adding the four-time First Team All-Pro.

The Seahawks, however, are one team that actually may be edge-rusher-needy heading into 2025. Two of Seattle's top pass-rushers are still on rookie deals (Boye Mafe and Derick Hall), but the team's other top two players at the position are veterans on hefty deals.

Dre'Mont Jones and Uchenna Nwosu are both making at least $15 million per year on their current contracts, and each has at least a $21 million cap hit in 2025. Nwosu has struggled to stay on the field the last two seasons and Jones has been a below-average starter since arriving in Seattle.

With the Seahawks in a deep cap hole, ESPN's Bill Barnwell compiled a trade guide for a potential Garrett move. Barnwell slotted the Seahawks under teams that are "unlikely but plausible" to trade for the 2023 Defensive Player of the Year.

Jan 4, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett (95) warms up before the game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. / Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

"With three straight winning seasons and zero playoff victories after trading away Russell Wilson, the Seahawks might believe they need to take a bigger swing at a key position," Barnwell wrote. "They're $11 million over the projected cap, but they can free up approximately $32 million by releasing veterans Tyler Lockett and Uchenna Nwosu, neither of whom are expected to return in 2025 on their current deals.

"Moving on from Nwosu, who has been limited to 12 games over the past two seasons because of injuries, would also open up a spot in the edge rush rotation. Seattle got solid work out of Boye Mafe and Derick Hall in 2024, but Mafe is entering the final year of his rookie deal and could be a part of a potential Garrett trade. As was the case for the 49ers, we've also seen general manager John Schneider make aggressive moves for veterans on the trade market, including deals for Percy Harvin, Jimmy Graham and Jamal Adams. Those moves delivered mixed results, but none of those guys had Garrett's résumé, either."

Garrett, 29, is under contract through 2026 but has five void years tacked onto the end of his contract through 2031. It isn't exactly a rental, but whatever team trades for him wouldn't have much time to figure out whether Garrett would stick around long-term.

Based on the likely trade cost, that's something the team that deals for him would likely want to work out ahead of time. Seattle, depending on its plans for a few of its veterans, could be in that mix if they're willing to spend to add a key piece to Mike Macdonald's defense.

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