Seahawks-Falcons trade shows Seattle's newfound confidence in offensive line

The Seattle Seahawks don't have the best offensive line in football. The last few years have made that abundantly clear, and it's hampered their success on the field. They have, however, attempted recently to fix that. And the latest trade they just made seems to indicate that they have.

The offensive line has been graded pretty well this preseaso n. The addition of Grey Zabel seems to have worked wonders, as they've blocked admirably throughout the preseason slate. In fact, the offensive line is apparently deep enough that the Hawks can afford to trade away a tackle.

Seahawks trade tackle to Falcons for draft pick

Seattle Seahawks offensive tackle Michael Jerrell is headed to the Atlanta Falcons. In return, the Falcons are sending back a 2027 conditional pick in the seventh round. It's a pretty insignificant trade overall.

This is because the pick will ultimately amount to nothing, but Jerrell was probably facing a tall task to make the roster and an even taller one to get any sort of playing time. Still, it does indicate that the Seahawks feel good with their tackles, which is a huge win.

Trade! The #Seahawks are sending OT Michael Jerrell to the #Falcons for a conditional 2027 seventh-round pick, per source. pic.twitter.com/YHsQBUr0AI
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) August 26, 2025

The interior of the line was boosted with Grey Zabel's arrival through the draft, but the tackle duo was not. And while Charles Cross and Abe Lucas are a decent tandem, they're not world-beating. Despite that, Seattle felt confident enough in the players they have there to swing a deal like this.

The offensive line is one of the most important units on an NFL team, and it's especially important for the Seahawks. Sam Darnold needs protection to do well at all, which was very evident in 2024. The running backs, which figure to be a focal point of the offense, will need blocking, too.

All in all, the Seahawks made a small trade that doesn't mean much, except that it means they're confident in the tackle situation. The small move made that abundantly clear, which should be a huge win for the team. Reading between the lines of a trade like this makes it look way more impactful than a conditional seventh-rounder would ever be.

Seahawks trade tackle to Falcons for draft pick

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