Why Seahawks could have trouble trading back in 1st round of draft

The Seattle Seahawks have a history under general manager John Schneider of trading back in the NFL Draft, especially in the first round. And this year seems to be another draft where it would make plenty of sense for them to play that card again.

But there’s a catch.

Stacy Rost: Three things to know as Seahawks head into draft

If this is a year where the Seahawks look to trade back, it makes sense that it would also be the case for other teams. And if you’ve ever been caught in traffic where a whole bunch of people are trying to get to the same spot, you know how much harder that makes it to move.

General manager John Lynch of the NFC West rival San Francisco 49ers talked Tuesday, and he gave an indication that is what the 2025 draft could be like.

“I feel like there’s a lot of people trying to (trade back),” Lynch said, according to David Lombardi of The San Francisco Standard. “Generally, each time everyone is trying to do the same thing, there isn’t a lot of opportunity.”

That’s a good reminder that just because a team wants to trade during the draft, it doesn’t mean they will be able to. In fact, Schneider has said a few times in past drafts that he’s tried to make deals to move up or down, only to be turned away. That includes just last year, when Schneider said Seattle tried multiple times but ultimately couldn’t trade up into the second round, where they were without a pick due to a previous trade for Leonard Williams.

A couple other reasons the Seahawks could have trouble trading back in Thursday’s first round? What their biggest need is, and where they’re scheduled to make their top pick.

Salk: The only acceptable scenarios where Hawks don’t draft OL at 18

The Seahawks need help on the offensive line – which is always a big need in general for many teams. Meanwhile, the top three offensive linemen in the 2025 draft class are ranked 17th or higher on draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah’s rankings of the top 150 prospects on NFL.com, and the next two show up at 26 and 27.

Seattle’s top pick in the first round? It’s No. 18. So yeah, the Seahawks could very well find themselves in between two spots they’d rather be.

Then again…

With all that being said, if other teams are willing to deal in the first round, look out.

As Seattle Sports’ Brock Huard explained Monday, there’s a sense that the Seahawks – who enter the draft with 10 picks, including five in the first 92 overall – could be busy making deals all weekend.

“They’re gonna move all over this (draft) board,” Huard predicted. “… I’d be shocked if what’s on paper between those top five picks – one through 92 and all the ones that they’ve got in them – if we get there on Monday morning like, yep, here’s who they took at 18. Yep, here’s who they took at 50. Yep, here’s where they took at 52.”

Seattle Seahawks draft coverage

• Why Brock believes Seahawks will ‘move all over’ in draft
• Analyst: Why the Seahawks may not draft O-line in first round
• Brock’s Seahawks Draft Profile: A ‘dominant’ guard from Ohio State
• A full seven-round Seahawks mock draft – with three trades
• Brock on Seattle Seahawks: ‘Draft Kelvin Banks’

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