Seattle Looks to Bolster DB Corps Early, But First-Round Pick Is Uncertain

The Super Bowl winning Seahawks could pivot in any number of directions with the final pick of the first-round, and even this far before the selections begin some of general manager John Schneider’s peers have a hunch about what he might do.

“He’s going to trade down, right?” asked one general manager who has done business with Schneider in the past. “What are the odds he keeps that pick?”

Schneider, indeed, has a reputation for moving down in the first round in general, and especially with him picking this late, and have already amassed a roster that is this deep, it stands to reason he is allured by the prospect of grabbing additional picks on day two and passing on the first round entirely. 

It’s totally on brand, and would also make a lot of sense given the strengths and deeper positions in this draft.

Trade Down or Lock in a Corner?

However, if there is a cornerback who meets the team’s criteria, length, wingspan, flexibility, that could be the position group that carries the day. And it’s also a position that should provide ample options beyond round one. 

Head coach Mike McDaniel runs a system that requires a plethora of defensive backs and the team could also use an upgrade at corner opposite stalwart Devon Witherspoon. Riq Woolen fell out of favor and left in free agency, and McDaniel came up as a rising coach in Baltimore, where the team prized assembling as many corners as possible with a first-round pedigree. 

It is not unusual at all for there to be a run on corners at the tail end of the first round. 

Seattle is currently +145 (DK) to draft a corner with its first pick. Whether that happens in the first round, or second round, it seems like a solid choice. When markets emerge for teams most likely to make a trade in the first round, Schneider is always a top candidate for that designation.