Seahawks shot high on initial trade proposal to Raiders

The Seattle Seahawks took the NFL world by storm on Friday night, trading starting quarterback Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders in a deal that's nothing short of stunning.

If the deal went through as originally proposed, though, stunning wouldn't even begin to describe it.

According to SI's Albert Breer and backed up by NFL Network's Mike Garafolo, the Seahawks originally approached the Raiders with a proposal that would've sent both Smith and DK Metcalf to Las Vegas, and sent star edge rusher Maxx Crosby to Seattle. If this was the actual deal, it would've been among the biggest in NFL history.

Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby celebrates a sack against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Dec 8, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby (98) celebrates after a sack against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the second quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

A four-time Pro Bowl selection, Crosby is one of the best edge rushers and one of the best overall players in the game today. The 27-year-old has 105 tackles for loss and 59.5 sacks in six NFL seasons, and that's with him missing significant time this season. If the Seahawks had acquired him, their pass rush would've immediately become one of the best in the entire league.

Of course, though, the Raiders were not going to give Crosby up that easily. Not only did they turn the Seahawks down, but they signed him to a three-year extension worth $106.5 million, making him the highest-paid non-quarterback in the league. He's clearly an irreplaceable player in the eyes of Raiders general manager John Schneider and head coach Pete Carroll, and understandably so.

On the other side of the deal, Metcalf's fit in Las Vegas would've been interesting. While he'd be a clear upgrade over Jakobi Myers as the Raiders' No. 1 receiver, but Metcalf reportedly wants to go to a contender with a "more stable" quarterback situation. The Raiders are definitely not a contender at this point in time, and if he went there alongside Smith, nothing would functionally change for him on the quarterback front.

Then again, Metcalf doesn't seem to have any trade protections, so the Seahawks could've easily dealt him to the Raiders regardless of his feelings on the situation.

Either way, this proposed deal will be nothing but a footnote in the context of the actual trade.

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