Seahawks predicted to consider trading a player they just signed
Fans of the Seattle Seahawks may not have liked the decisions general manager John Schneider made at the beginning of the 2025 offseason, but at least there was some symmetry to them. Geno Smith out, Sam Darnold in. Goodbye, DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. Welcome, Cooper Kupp and Marquez Valdes-Scantling.
If one industry publication is correct, those plans may already be headed for some serious modification. NFL Trade Rumors’ managing editor Logan Ulrich recently took an in-depth look at all 32 NFL clubs and discussed the most likely trade candidates in the run-up to the regular season.
Some teams had as many as a half dozen players on the trading block. Others only had one. Count the Seahawks in the latter category. It was not some long-standing veteran tied into a bad contract. It wasn’t even a position that was particularly loaded. Indeed, Seattle’s roster isn’t exactly teeming with a lot of excess talent. But Ulrich did identify one player, and it isn’t as crazy as it may initially sound.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling has yet to play a down for Seattle, but he is already being discussed as a possible trade candidate. MVS was signed this offseason to a one-year, $4 million deal. That’s a reasonable price for a receiver who brings the type of explosive speed and big-play capability to an offense.
His career 17.4 yards-per-catch is elite, and his touchdown rate – 20 TDs in 205 catches – would entice any offensive coordinator.
The problem with MVS is that those numbers have been strung across a seven-year career. No one is especially concerned about him losing a step. But there is legitimate concern about his efficiency as a receiver. He has been prone to drops throughout his career, and in terms of raw numbers, he simply hasn’t made that many plays.
Still, MVS can add something to the team that needs speed on the outside. That describes Seattle. So why would they consider trading him at this point?
Part of the reason is that he actually does have something to offer. Many NFL teams are desperate for more playmakers on the outside. Terry McLaurin is holding out in Washington. Jauan Jennings is asking for a new contract in San Francisco. Many of the league’s top receivers, like CeeDee Lamb and Tee Higgins, have gone through protracted contract negotiations of late, and you can expect to see more down the road.
So if your top receiver is starting to make contract demands and someone a bit farther down the depth chart pulls a hamstring in camp, a veteran deep ball threat like Valdes-Scantling might look awfully attractive. Perhaps the Seahawks could get a decent return on their minimal investment.
More to the point, Seattle doesn’t even consider trading MVS if they don’t have someone ready to assume his role. That’s where Tory Horton comes in. We have only gotten the briefest of glimpses of the rookie from Colorado State. But those glimpses have been very enticing.
Horton has looked big and fast. That may seem a strange thing to say since we have detailed heights and weights and 40 times on every NFL player. But those numbers on paper don’t always translate onto the field. When Horton is on the field, he looks like a dangerous pro receiver.
In Seattle's first preseason game, his first catch went for a touchdown in traffic. He later made a fine catch, toe-tapping the sidelines. He showed the long stride that could eat up corners if they weren’t giving him a cushion. Aside from a slip on a quick out, his routes looked excellent.
In other words, it’s not hard to imagine Horton giving Seattle everything MVS might offer and more. Maybe not right away, but soon. If that is the case, Schneider has to at least consider a trade.
The one mitigating factor, even if Seattle believes Horton is a star-in-the-making, is that there simply isn’t a lot of speed after those two players on the current roster. Kupp, Jake Bobo, and Cody White – they are big targets, but they are not going to scare defenses. The faster wideouts, like Tyrone Broden and Ricky White III, are untested rookies. So is Horton, for that matter.
It doesn’t currently appear that Schneider needs to trim salary, nor does it appear that any of the receivers at the bottom of the depth chart are making a big push for a roster spot. That means there isn’t a great deal of incentive to move MVS.
Ulrich might have looked at players along the defensive line or in the defensive backfield, where Seattle has better depth for possible trade targets.
However, suppose a player like Broden begins to shine. Suppose a contending team convinces itself that they are one speed receiver away from a great season. They might be willing to overpay a bit for a player like Valdes-Scantling, and Schneider might be willing to hear the offer. At the very least, he is taking the call.
