Why the Seahawks Won the Trade Deadline in the NFC West

On the surface, the Seattle Seahawks made no trade deadline moves this year, but they still did better than their division rivals.

Seattle Seahawks guard Quenton Nelson (53) warms up prior to a game against the Chicago Bears. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Should the Seattle Seahawks have made a trade before Tuesday’s deadline? Maybe. Maybe not. Everyone has their own take. For my money, standing pat was totally understandable and probably correct. In fact, I believe that by standing pat, the Seahawks fared better than any of the other teams within the NFC West. Let’s run through it.

Arizona Cardinals Stay Dormant

If the Cardinals believe themselves to still be in play for a playoff spot this season (which is absurd, of course), then they did nothing at the deadline to bolster their thin roster. Of course, I seriously doubt that’s the case, and I would never suggest the Cardinals were wrong to not acquire any players. The real issue is their failure to trade veterans for assets.

Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker (3) against the Denver Broncos. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Supposedly, the Buffalo Bills put a second round pick on the table for Budda Baker, a 30 year old safety who is entering his contract year in 2027. Passing up that deal feels like malpractice given Arizona’s situation. They also retained Josh Sweat, who requested a trade months ago. Failing to get picks for these veterans makes the Cardinals a deadline loser.

Los Angeles Rams Passively Wave The White Flag

The Rams also sat the deadline out, which strikes me as a pretty big mistake. I would have understood it if they had tapped out more aggressively, trading away some pieces that aren’t part of their long term so they can replenish their meager draft picks. Or they could have taken another step into the all-in waters and traded for some help. They did neither.

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua (12) runs with the ball against the Washington Commanders. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

This leaves the Rams incredibly destitute at wide receiver and defensive tackle, and also weak at cornerback. They’ll cross their fingers for players like Puka Nacua, Davante Adams, and Kobie Turner to come back and play well. Keep in mind that, even when moderately healthy, this Rams team has been fairly lackluster this year. It might be Brandon Aiyuk or bust.

Knock on wood, but by doing nothing, it feels like the Rams are likely going to be out of the playoff race with the next month or so. Their schedule is brutal, and many of their top players will be missing important games. That helps clear the way for the Seahawks. And if they really are giving up on their superteam, with low draft capital next year, it's a dream for Seahawks fans.

San Francisco 49ers Shop At The Dollar Store

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Mike Evans (5) warms up before the game against the Washington Commanders. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Like the Seahawks, the 49ers made their major acquisition a couple weeks ago. DeForest Buckner for a 4th round pick is a good move, although with all the injuries San Francisco has eaten at defensive tackle it’s more of a ‘keep your head above water’ trade. They did have one more acquisition before the curtain fell, Keenan Allen for a 6th round pick.

In a vacuum, the trade is fine, and Allen has been modestly productive this season for the Colts. But given that the 49ers have a pretty serious need for wide receivers, and many fans had their sights set on Garrett Wilson, getting someone like Allen almost feels like a punchline. It’s a bargain bin move that probably won’t move the needle.

Clearly, the 49ers are hoping what they have is good enough, and they’re trying to avoid giving up massive assets. Understandable, but if Mike Evans can’t bounce back from his achilles injury and De’Zhaun Stribling doesn’t hit the ground running when he returns, it’s hard to imagine such a lackluster receiver core winning anything. No gamble, no future.

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