Trader John: Ranking Every Seahawks Draft Weekend Trade Under Schneider
Widely regarded as one of the premier general managers in the NFL, John Schneider has cut his teeth orchestrating a flurry of draft weekend trades calling the shots for the Seattle Seahawks.
Since being hired in collaboration with coach Pete Carroll in 2010, Schneider has made a whopping 33 trades during draft weekend for Seattle. This includes making a ridiculous seven trades during the 2019 NFL Draft, turning four picks into 11 new players, including star receiver DK Metcalf.
While many of these trades executed by Schneider and the front office have paid off by bringing in talented players to add to the roster, he's also had his share of deals that didn't work out as planned for various reasons.
With his 14th draft with the Seahawks on the horizon, which trades stand out as Schneider's best over the years? And which ones proved to be most regrettable?
Though he later resurrected his career in Cleveland, Malik McDowell never played a single down for the Seahawks.
33-31. Trio of trades that netted DT Malik McDowell (2017)
Players Added: McDowell, Lano Hill, Chris Carson, Tedric Thompson, Mike Tyson
When it comes to snafus made by Schneider and Carroll, the dreadful decision to invest a second round pick in McDowell stings the worst, in part because of the process that led to the selection in the first place. Seattle traded down not once, not twice, but three times before finally making a pick in the 2017 NFL Draft before picking the talented Michigan State defensive tackle.
While a two-time 1,000-yard rusher in Carson came from a seventh round pick acquired in one of those trade downs, McDowell suffered significant injuries in an ATV accident and never played a down for the team. Replacing Earl Thomas at free safety, Thompson struggled mightily before being released, Hill wasn't much better battling injuries primarily as a special teams player and situational third safety, and Tyson never played in a game for the team either, making this collection of trade downs a four alarm fire that set the franchise back on several fronts and forced them to overhaul their approach with character further prioritized.
30-29. Disastrous trades highlighted by Christine Michael selection (2013)
Players Added: Christine Michael, Jesse Williams
At the time, the decision to invest their first pick in an heir apparent for Marshawn Lynch made plenty of sense for the Seahawks. Michael tore up the combine in Indianapolis and had drawn comparisons athletically to Adrian Peterson, which would make any team enticed by his potential. But in two stints with the team, he never emerged as a viable NFL starter and struggled in all facets, rushing for just 926 yards in 26 games with the team.
Meanwhile, two other picks acquired in Seattle's first trade down with Baltimore were flipped to Detroit to move up for Williams, who never dressed for a regular season game due to chronic knee issues. The two failed trades headline the worst overall draft in Schneider's tenure with few short or long-term difference makers being added to the roster.
28. Seahawks acquire picks No. 123, 199 from Bengals for pick No. 111 (2014)
Players Added: Kevin Norwood, Garrett Scott
Flipping around a trio of day three picks doesn't usually lead to unearthing All-Pro or Pro Bowl talents, but this trade blew up in Seattle's face. Norwood contributed some as a rookie, catching nine passes for 102 yards, but the team moved on from him after only one season and he washed out of the league by 2016. As for Scott, due to an unknown heart condition discovered after the draft, the tackle from Marshall was forced to step away from the game before even participating in a practice.
With the pick acquired trading up, the Bengals got a quality center in Russell Bodine who stepped right into the lineup and started 64 games over four seasons with the franchise. Since high picks weren't involved, this one isn't on par with the McDowell or Michael misfires, but it belongs in the discussion with such minimal contributions from the pair of players drafted after the fact.
27-26. Shipping future capital for wasted seventh-round selections (2019/2020)
Players Added: John Ursua, Stephen Sullivan
Shipping a future late round pick to another team to acquire an additional seventh round pick to select a player who may not sign as an undrafted free agent isn't necessarily a bad strategy. The hit rate on picks that late in the draft already is pretty low, so it's not an expensive flier. But Ursua and Sullivan combined to play in four regular season games, producing one catch for 11 yards and a fumble recovery between the two of them. It's safe to say betting future sixth round picks didn't pan out in either instance.
Despite being back with Pete Carroll, Lendale White lasted only a month in Seattle before the team made the quick decision to move on.
25. Reuniting Pete Carroll with Lendale White doesn't pan out (2010)
Players Added: Lendale White, Kevin Vickerson, Walter Thurmond, Anthony McCoy
While stuck in the shadow of Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush throughout his college career, White still put up video game-worthy numbers playing for Carroll at USC, rushing for over 3,100 yards and 52 touchdowns in three seasons. As a result, the Titans invested a second round pick in him and two years later, he rushed for over 1,000 yards in his second NFL season.
In one of his first moves at the helm after jumping back to the NFL, after the veteran back fell out of favor in Tennessee, Carroll hoped to make White the Seahawks and the team acquired him in a draft weekend trade. But he never played a snap for the team and shockingly was cut barely a month after the trade. Vickerson didn't see any regular season snaps either, getting released in September, while Thurmond and McCoy each battled injuries in their respective tenures with the franchise.
24-22. Trio of trade downs from No. 21 overall to eventually select Marquise Blair (2019)
Players Added: Marquise Blair, Ugo Amadi, Ben Burr-Kirven
This cluster of trades would have been even lower on the list if not for the fact that one of the picks acquired from Carolina in a third trade down by Schneider eventually was included in yet another trade in the same draft for a future All-Pro. More on that later...
With that said, Blair never emerged as the hard-hitting safety Seattle hoped he would in large part due to injuries, as he played in just 22 games over three seasons. His struggles learning the playbook as a rookie also led to the costly decision to trade two first round picks and additional compensation to the New York Jets for Jamal Adams, which might not have happened if he displayed better preparation out the gate. Whiffing on a second round pick the same year that netted L.J. Collier in the first round, it wasn't Schneider's finest start to a draft.
Away from Blair, Amadi proved to be a serviceable special teams player and saw significant playing time at nickel cornerback because of Blair's injuries, but he was cut before the final season of his rookie contract. Burr-Kirven, a former Washington standout, excelled on special teams for two seasons before suffering a severe knee injury in the preseason in 2021 and has since been released by the team twice, likely signaling the end of the linebacker's NFL career.
21. Seahawks acquire picks No. 120, 204 from Vikings for pick No. 114 (2019)
Players Added: Gary Jennings Jr., Travis Homer
One of what seemed to be a billion trades made by Schneider during the 2019 draft, the Seahawks orchestrated a second deal with the Vikings to add another day three selection. The sixth round pick acquired as part of the deal was used on Homer, who became a core special teams player in four seasons with the organization and also contributed nearly 1,000 all-purpose yards on offense in limited action. For a pick in the 200s, the team got solid value out of that pick for a reserve running back.
However, this trade gets dragged down a notch or two with the mid-round pick wasted on Jennings, who joined Chris Harper in an infamous group of fourth round receivers who didn't even play in a regular season game in Seattle. He bounced around with several NFL teams before washing out of the league and now plays in the XFL for the St. Louis Battlehawks.
20-19. Two draft day trades keep Seattle at just three total picks (2021)
Players Added: Tre Brown, Stone Forsythe
In the "too soon to tell" department, the Seahawks may still have something in Brown, who flashed as a rookie before suffering a significant knee injury and missing a large chunk of the 2022 season. If he bounces back and pushes for a starting job, then Schneider's shuffling with minimal picks to work with may be rewarded.
As things stand, however, Brown and Forsythe look to be NFL backups. With day three picks, that's not necessarily a bad thing and the two have played fairly well when given opportunities, but it highlights how much agony Schneider had to be dealing with only having three picks after a series of trades for veteran players depleted their capital, including dealing a king's ransom for safety Jamal Adams.
18. Seahawks acquire picks No. 158, 233 from Chiefs for pick No. 145 (2022)
Players Added: Tyreke Smith, Dareke Young
Happening less than a year ago, chalk this trade up as another one that needs a lot more time for proper evaluation. Due to a hip injury, Smith didn't play at all last season, but the Seahawks remain high on him as a potential contributor rotating in at outside linebacker moving forward.
As for Young, the former Lenoir-Rhyne standout played in 13 games as a rookie, shining on special teams and earning a larger role on offense as the season progressed. A stout blocker and elite athlete, he may have a bright future behind DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett, which would make this trade a home run that could vault up this ranking in future years.
When healthy, Paul Richardson enjoyed moderate success in Seattle and turned one solid season into a big free agent contract with Washington.
17-16. Two trade downs from the second round backfire, again, this time due to injury misfortune. (2014)
Players Added: Paul Richardson, Cassius Marsh, Kiero Small
Holding the final pick of the first round after winning the Super Bowl, Schneider hoped to transform Seattle's top selection into several extra lottery tickets. First, he dealt from 32 down to 40 to recoup an extra fourth-round pick. Moments later, he traded down five spots for fourth and seventh round selections, eventually picking the speedy Richardson at No. 45 overall to team up with Doug Baldwin and Jermaine Kearse.
Unfortunately, persistent injuries prevented Richardson from reaching his potential catching passes from Russell Wilson. He did enjoy a bit of a breakout season in 2017, including catching a touchdown pass in a playoff win over Detroit, using that performance to land a multi-year contract from Washington in free agency. That fact salvages an otherwise lackluster pair of trades, however, as Marsh never emerged as anything more than a special teams contributor and Small didn't play a snap in the NFL.
15. Seahawks acquire picks No. 88, 209 from Vikings for picks No. 92, 159 (2019)
Players Added: Cody Barton, Demarcus Christmas
The first trade made with the Vikings in 2019 may not have unearthed a star, but Barton did enjoy a steady run with the Seahawks. Along with being a super sub at all three linebacker spots, he thrived as a special teams stalwart in his first three NFL seasons. Then in 2022, he took over as a starter following the departure of Bobby Wagner and amassed more than 130 tackles and two interceptions, playing better than most fans were willing to acknowledge.
While Barton's selection as a third round pick would have been better value if he emerged as a multi-year starter, the pick still should be viewed as a decent one for Schneider. Christmas, the other player acquired in the deal, never made the team as a seventh-round pick.
14. Seahawks acquire picks No. 31, 94 from Broncos for pick No. 26
Players Added: Germain Ifedi, Nick Vannett
Some fans may scoff at this trade ranking this high on the list because Ifedi became the punching bag of choice for many 12s during his penalty-laden four seasons playing right tackle for the Seahawks. But in fairness to the player, he served as a marginal starter at the position for four seasons, which is better than some late first round picks muster in the league, and he probably received more criticism than he deserved. Netting a four-year starter puts this trade right in the middle of the pack, even if Vannett didn't make it through his rookie deal as an underwhelming third round pick.
13. Seahawks acquire pick No. 147, 243 from Patriots for pick No. 225 and a future fourth-round pick (2016)
Players Added: Quinton Jefferson, Kenny Lawler
In terms of flashiness, this trade probably shouldn't be quite this high. Lawler never played a snap in the NFL as a seventh round pick and spent most of his time playing north of the border in the CFL.
So why does this deal fall just outside of the top 10? Even though his career started off rough with injuries and a brief stint with the Rams practice squad, Jefferson wound up becoming an excellent fifth round find along the defensive line. In his final three seasons in Seattle, he produced at least 30 quarterback pressures, four sacks, and seven swatted passes, providing consistent interior pressure as a pass rushing presence. In terms of value, it may be the most underappreciated day three selection by Schneider and the scouting department.
12-11. A pair of trades headlined by the controversial selection of Rashaad Penny (2018)
Players Added: Rashaad Penny, Rasheem Green, Jacob Martin, Alex McGough
Now that Penny has joined the Eagles, there's closure on one of the tougher draft trades to evaluate under Schneider. On one hand, the dynamic runner performed like a top-tier back when healthy, averaging nearly six yards per carry and looking the part of a first round-caliber talent in spurts. The end of his 2021 season was scintillating, as he led the NFL in rushing over the final six weeks and ripped off explosive run after explosive run.
Unfortunately, Penny had the worst injury luck imaginable and missed 40 regular season games in five seasons in Seattle. One can only wonder what he would have been able to accomplish if he could have enjoyed a clean bill of health for at least one full season. Since he showed star flashes, Schneider was a victim of misfortune rather than poor scouting in this instance and the fact Green became a serviceable rotational defensive lineman boosts the ranking a bit.
10. Seahawks acquire picks No. 69, 148 from Panthers for pick No. 64 (2020)
Players Added: Damien Lewis, Alton Robinson
In terms of overall value added, Schneider made out quite well during the COVID-impacted 2020 NFL Draft, which was done virtually due to the pandemic. While making trades was a bit tougher due to the unprecedented process, the Seahawks swung a pair of deals, including moving down five picks to recoup a fifth-round pick. Back on the clock for their third selection, they picked Lewis, who became an immediate day one starter at guard and has started 45 games in his first three NFL seasons. That's great value for a third round selection.
Meanwhile, Robinson impressed as a rookie, registering four sacks and five tackles for loss in limited action. The fifth-round pick out of Syracuse wasn't as effective in his sophomore season and missed all of last year with a knee injury, but his contributions as a rotational pass rusher when healthy have been decent for a day three pick that was packaged as part of a trade down.
After missing his rookie season due to injury, Taylor has been a productive pass rusher over the past two seasons, including nearly hitting double digit sacks in 2022.
9. Seahawks acquire pick No. 48 from Jets for picks No. 59, 101 (2020)
Player Added: Darrell Taylor
Two years ago, Schneider's decision to trade up for Taylor likely would have had a flag firmly planted in the same zip code as the McDowell deal, as he missed his entire rookie season recovering from a stress fracture in his leg. Some wondered if the defender would ever return to the form that made him a top prospect coming out of Tennessee.
However, while Taylor's run defense has left much to be desired and led to a demotion from the starting lineup last season, he has been worth the investment made by Seattle from a pass rushing standpoint. After producing 6.5 sacks in his pseudo-rookie year in 2021, he overcame a sluggish start in 2022 to nearly hit double digit sacks, tying for the team lead with 9.5. He also forced four fumbles, showing a penchant for the strip sack. If he can take another step forward in 2023 and play his way into another contract, this trade will look like one of Schneider's best.
8. Seahawks acquire pick No. 149 from Broncos for picks No. 156, 226 (2018)
Player Added: Michael Dickson
When the Seahawks traded up with the Broncos and drafted a punter, members of Denver's front office reportedly broke out in laugher. But five years later, most of the people who were in that draft room aren't employed by the franchise anymore and certainly none of them are laughing.
Arguably the best punter in franchise history at this point, Dickson earned First-Team All-Pro distinction as a rookie, immediately making the decision to trade up for him look like a home run. While he hasn't been selected to a Pro Bowl or named an All-Pro in any of that past four seasons, he still has been one of the very best at his position, consistently pinning opponents inside the 10-yard line with his punting wizardry and ranking among league leaders in net yardage.
7. Seahawks acquire picks No. 15, 114, 172 from Eagles for pick No. 12 (2012)
Players Added: Bruce Irvin, Jaye Howard, Jeremy Lane
In the immediate aftermath of the 2012 draft, experts put Schneider on a skewer, panning him for a draft class that received poor grades from most media outlets. One pick that drew the most ire was Seattle's decision to "reach" for Irvin in the first round, as many viewed him as a day two talent with character question marks galore.
But while Irvin never made a Pro Bowl, he immediately made an impact for a rising Seahawks defense, registering eight sacks as a rookie. Enjoying an 11-year career with three different stints with the franchise and stops with three other teams, he's produced 343 tackles, 55.5 sacks, and three interceptions, putting up a quality stat line for a former first round pick.
This trade also receives a bump from Lane's impact as a sixth-round pick. Though he only started 21 games in six NFL seasons and primarily played defense as a sub-package specialist, the feisty slot corner proved to be an integral special teams player for Seattle's two Super Bowl teams.
6. Seahawks acquire pick No. 49 from Bears for picks 56, 124 (2016)
Player Added: Jarran Reed
While Schneider has earned his reputation mostly for trading down to gain picks, he actually has a far more sterling track record in the rare instances where he has traded up to acquire a player. In just another example, the decision to vault back into the middle of the second round to draft Reed wound up being an excellent value, as the former Alabama standout evolved from a run stuffer into an excellent all-around 4-3 defensive tackle, including becoming only the third defensive tackle in franchise history to eclipse 10 sacks in a season in 2018.
Even if Reed has never been a Pro Bowler, his 22 sacks and 58 quarterback hits over five seasons with the Seahawks coupled with his long track record of stout run defense make him one of the better value additions made by Schneider in his tenure.
A dynamic returner who bounced back from a nasty leg injury, Leon Washington provided an instant spark on Seattle's special teams.
5. Seahawks acquire RB Leon Washington, pick No. 236 from Jets for pick No. 139
Players Added: Leon Washington, Dexter Davis
While Seattle's trade for White drew the most attention during the 2010 NFL Draft, it was a different deal for another back that ended up making a far bigger splash. Coming back from a broken leg, the Jets decided to move on from Washington, who had been one of the NFL's best return specialists prior to the injury.
Rebounding and then some, Washington returned three kickoffs for touchdowns in 2010, providing constant fireworks on special teams to help lead the Seahawks to an NFC West title and wild card upset over the Saints. In three seasons with the team, he returned four kickoffs and one punt for a touchdown, re-emerging as one of the league's most feared special teams playmakers while earning a Pro Bowl and Second-Team All-Pro honor. Not a bad return for a fifth round pick.
4. Seahawks acquire pick No. 69 from Redskins for picks No. 95, 112, 167, 181 (2015)
Player Added: Tyler Lockett
Midway through the 2015 draft, Schneider went all in, making a rare move dealing not two, not three, but four picks to slide up from the tail end of the third round into the top 70. This allowed the Seahawks to nab Lockett, one of college football's most productive receivers and return specialists, who had fallen into the third round in large part due to his diminutive size at under 180 pounds.
Making Schneider look like a genius for rolling the dice, Lockett proved himself to be more than worth the cost of trading up, immediately earning First-Team All-Pro honors as a returner in his rookie season. Since then, he has evolved into a top-tier receiver in the league, posting more than 1,000 yards and eight touchdowns in each of the past four seasons. He now ranks in the top three in franchise history in receptions, yards, and touchdowns.
3. Seahawks acquire pick No. 64 from Patriots for picks No. 77, 118 (2019)
Player Added: DK Metcalf
Continuing to master the art of the day two trade up, Lockett wasn't the only star receiver Schneider got his hands on moving up the draft board. On the heels of multiple trade downs to pick Blair, the Seahawks reversed course after Metcalf, who had turned heads with a remarkable combine performance, somehow plunged to the bottom of the second round.
Seeing an opportunity to land an elite talent for pennies on the dollar, Schneider dealt a third and fourth round pick to the Patriots to climb back into the second round and ended Metcalf's free fall. It turned out to be a brilliant move, as the 6'4, 228-pound receiver became a day one starter across from Lockett and has recorded over 4,200 receiving yards and 35 touchdowns in four NFL seasons while being named Second-Team All-Pro in 2020. Already one of the league's brightest young stars at the position, he still has plenty of room to improve.
2. Seahawks acquire picks No. 75, 107, 154, 205 from Lions for picks No. 57, 157, 209 (2011)
Players Added: Richard Sherman, John Moffitt, Kris Durham, Pep Livingston
When the Seahawks made this trade moving down nearly 20 picks from the second to third round to gain three day three selections, nobody could have envisioned they would have a future Hall of Famer fall into the their laps with one of those picks. But while Moffitt, Durham, and Livingston didn't do anything at the next level, Sherman arose as one of the pillars of the "Legion of Boom," arguably the greatest secondary ever assembled.
Becoming a starter midway through his rookie season, the vocal, uber-confident Sherman became a no-fly zone for quarterbacks, intercepting 20 passes in his first three NFL seasons. In seven years with the Seahawks, he picked off 32 passes and returned two of them for touchdowns while producing 99 passes defensed, earning First-Team All-Pro honors three times and four Pro Bowl nods. Securing one of the best fifth round picks in NFL history, a case can be made for this trade being Schneider's best...
Owner of 11 consecutive seasons of 100 or more tackles, Bobby Wagner has a bronze bust and gold jacket awaiting him in Canton.
Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports
1. Seahawks acquire picks No. 47, 154, 232 from Jets for pick No. 43 (2012)
Players Added: Bobby Wagner, Korey Toomer, Greg Scruggs
But while a case can be made for the trade that landed Sherman being atop this list, as great of a player as he was, Schneider's best draft pick ever came on the heels of a trade down one year later. At the time, Seattle was weighing between picking California linebacker Mychal Kendricks and Wagner, ultimately deciding to swap down four picks with the Jets. After making the deal, Philadelphia drafted Kendricks 46th overall, a move that wound up being a blessing in disguise.
With Wagner still on the board, the Seahawks quickly turned in the draft card and the rest is history. Becoming a day one starter and never looking back, the ex-Utah State star ranks first in franchise history in tackles (1,383) and First-Team All-Pro selections (six) while making eight Pro Bowls. With nine All-Pros on his resume, including one with the Rams in 2022 before returning to his original team, he should be a first ballot Hall of Famer whenever he decides to hang up his cleats as one of the greatest linebackers to ever play the game.
Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Seahawks? Click Here to subscribe to AllSeahawks.com's Newsletter.
Follow All Seahawks.com on Twitter and Facebook
Make sure to subscribe to our daily podcast @lockedonseahawks today! Click here To Listen.
Want even more Seattle Seahawks news? Check out the SI.com team page here.
