Will the Seahawks Deal Olu Oluwatimi Between Now and the Trade Deadline?

We’re one day away from the Seattle Seahawks opening up training camp, so attention is about to shift to the field. Be in the field at the VMAC, the field at Lumen, or any of the road fields they’ll be playing games at this year. This is what we work for all offseason. Thoughts of roster-building and asset acquisition move to the backburner, for the most part.

Especially when you’re about to embark on a title defense like the Seahawks. This is not a rebuilding situation, where the future takes some priority over the present. Right now, this team wants players that can help them win now more than they want draft picks that might help them win later. However, there’s one asset on this roster that might be better off flipped.

Too Good For The Bench?

I can't shake the feeling that Oluwatimi is better off on a team where he can get playing time. — Seattle Seahawks center Olu Oluwatimi (51) warms up before an NFL game between the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams on January 05, 2025. | (Photo by Jordon Kelly/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Olu Oluwatimi has found a way to at least some playing time in each of his first three seasons in the NFL, including a 2024 where he started for half the year. He hasn’t exactly been great, but my sense is that he’s one of the thirty-two best centers active in the NFL. However, as of right now, he won’t be one of the thirty-two centers who start in week one of the 2026 season.

Brady Henderson published a training camp preview for the Seahawks on ESPN yesterday, which included a depth chart projection. He did not have Oluwatimi making the team, specifically mentioning him as a candidate to be traded. While you might assume that the time to trade him was months ago, Henderson seems to believe it’ll happen soon.

Mutually Beneficial Parting of the Ways

A draft pick with a four year deal is likely worth more than Oluwatimi's one year. — Center Olu Oluwatimi #51 of the Seattle Seahawks stands in a huddle during the first half of an NFL football game against the New York Jets, at MetLife Stadium. | (Photo by Brooke Sutton/Getty Images)

And there's a good reason for that belief, whether or not it happens. Taking a backup role to Jalen Sundell in 2026 isn’t good for Oluwatimi, who is in the final year of his rookie deal and will be hitting the open market next year. If he wants to earn a notable contract, he’ll need to play well in 2026, and that starts by actually getting to play.

While the Seahawks, on some level, do benefit from having Oluwatimi as a backup in the event of a Sundell injury (which did happen last season), that benefit is conditional. And given that he’s in the final year of his contract, it’s very likely that a 2027 or 2028 draft pick that comes with a four year contract provides more value than Oluwatimi.

Finding a Replacement

We might have to wait for a team to require his services. — Olu Oluwatimi #51 of the Seattle Seahawks during warm up before the game against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium. | (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

Henderson’s roster projection only had nine offensive linemen listed, with Oluwatimi and Christian Haynes both gone. If Oluwatimi is moved, someone else will have to serve as the backup center. We’ll just be looking for a base level of competency here, someone who can snap the ball and not embarrass himself in the process.

Grey Zabel was largely being projected as a center in pre-draft, so he could likely do it, but that’s not especially useful when he’s already a starter. Beau Stephens has the arm length of a typical center, but never played a snap of it in college. Same for Mason Richman and Bryce Cabeldue. Maybe one of those three can prove themselves snap-capable in camp.

Two to Tango

Let him get a shot at earning his next contract. — The Seahawks offensive line prepares for a run fit walkthrough drill. From left to right, McClendon Curtis, Olu Oluwatimi, Laken Tomlinson, and Charles Cross. | Corbin Smith/All Seahawks

Then, you’d have to find a trade partner. The obvious pick a week ago would have been the Baltimore Ravens, who had Danny Pinter lined up to start, and are a team with obvious high aspirations this season. However, they signed Ethan Pocic, and are probably satisfied with the state of their center depth. Who else might be in the market?

The Carolina Panthers have Luke Fortner penciled in to start, the Lions may not be happy about Cade Mays, the Vikings have big issues with Blake Brandel in the middle, the Titans currently have Austin Schlottmann in their lineup, and the Commanders are working with Nick Allegretti. I’d definitely be calling these teams up to fish for a late draft pick.

The alternative would be to hold Oluwatimi on the roster and wait for a team to find themselves in need of him during the season. Injuries are inevitable, and players may simply fail to play well enough to hold their starting jobs. The trade deadline is November 10th, which means there’s plenty of time for someone to end up coveting him more than the Seahawks do.

An extra draft pick in a loaded 2027 class might be nice to have. — Olu Oluwatimi #51 and Christian Haynes #64 of the Seattle Seahawks look to block during the third quarter of a game against the Arizona Cardinals at Lumen Field. | (Photo by Rio Giancarlo/Getty Images)

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