> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# Should Seahawks Entertain Offers to Acquire Additional Draft Picks?
- URL: https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/should-seahawks-entertain-offers-additional-draft-picks-riq-woolen-ken-walker/
- Published: 2025-04-22T21:22:06.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-08T06:20:39.000Z
- Author: Corbin Smith
- Tags: Seahawks, Riq Woolen, Ken Walker III, Zach Charbonnet, Boye Mafe, 2025 NFL Draft

[Embed from Getty Images](http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/2191250016?ref=emeraldcityspectrum.com)

Just two days away from the start of the 2025 NFL Draft in Green Bay, the Seattle Seahawks already have a well-stocked arsenal with 10 selections, including five in the first 96, the most for any team in the NFL in the first three rounds.

Known for his aggressive mindset navigating up and the down the board with 35 draft weekend trades on his resume, Seahawks general manager John Schneider expressed his enthusiasm about having a bounty of day two selections during his annual pre-draft media availability on Monday by referencing one of actor Will Ferrell’s most quotable lines from the comedy classic Step Brothers.

"It's exciting. We were in there yesterday afternoon staring at \[the draft board\] for a while. It's fun. There's a lot of room for activity,” Schneider laughed. “It just provides us with more opportunities to either just stay and pick good players, or maneuver around."

Indeed, based on Schneider’s history of engineering trades over the years during draft weekend, holding nearly half a dozen picks in the first 92 selections opens the door for Seattle to go wild wheeling and dealing on Thursday and Friday

But after already trading former starting quarterback Geno Smith and receiver DK Metcalf this offseason, it’s worth wondering if Schneider has any more moves up his sleeve involving established veterans with eyes on further stocking the cupboard with picks to capitalize on a draft class with strong depth at numerous position groups. Specifically, away from the high probability of dealing backup quarterback Sam Howell, decisions on the once-ballyhooed 2022 draft class loom large as players from that class head into the final year of their rookie contract, including running back Ken Walker III and cornerback Riq Woolen.

When healthy and benefiting from decent blocking in front of him, Walker has been one of the NFL’s most electric backs, including ranking among league leaders in 15-plus yard runs as a rookie in 2022 and ripping off 24 runs of 10 or more yards in 2023\. Even without quality blocking last season, he gave a valiant effort frequently turning tackles for loss into positive plays by forcing a career-high 61 missed tackles, showcasing his underrated power slipping through the grasp of defenders and creating yardage after contact.

Unfortunately, Walker has dealt with frequent injuries over the course of three NFL seasons, including missing six games with various ailments last season as he finished with career-lows in rushing yards (573) and yards per carry (3.7). While new offensive coordinator' Klint Kubiak’s zone-heavy offense better fits his skill set than Ryan Grubb’s system did, with only one year left on his contract and a historically deep stable of backs in this year’s draft crop, it wouldn’t be a surprise at all if Schneider has called around a bit to see if any teams would have interest in dangling a day three pick in exchange for him.

If the Seahawks want to hang on to Walker, 2023 second-round pick Zach Charbonnet may offer more value for prospective suitors due to the fact he still has two years left on his contract. For teams that employ more gap-oriented schemes in the run game, as demonstrated during a strong second half in Grubb’s offense a year ago, he could be a strong fit as a featured workhorse back, an opportunity that he has only had in spurts in the Pacific Northwest so far.

Considering the high attrition rate at the running back position, Seattle might be perfectly content with rolling into the 2025 season with a backfield of Walker, Charbonnet, and Kenny McIntosh, waiting until 2026 to potentially retool the position. But given the immense talent at the position in this year’s class, which Schneider cited publicly at the NFL combine in February, the urge to invest a pick at some point on a back will be a strong one.

Away from the possibility of moving Walker or Charbonnet out of town, the Seahawks could have some difficult decisions looming with 2022 draftees on defense as well, starting with Woolen. The former fifth-round pick out of UTSA looked like a budding superstar as a rookie, leading all cornerbacks with six interceptions and finishing third in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting, and the idea that he would be anywhere other than Seattle for a second contract would have seemed laughable at the time.

Since that incredible rookie campaign, however, Woolen’s performance has been incredibly inconsistent over the past two years, as he has struggled to finish tackles as a run defender and left too many opportunities on the field in coverage. Under two different head coaches, even though he returned to the lineup soon after, he has also been briefly benched at one point each of the past two seasons, something that wouldn’t happen to players who are viewed as foundational cornerstones.

Moving on from Woolen would carry substantial risk for Seattle, as there isn’t a defensive back in the NFL who possesses the blend of size, athleticism, and ball skills that he brings to the table. Having seen what he’s capable of when playing at his highest level, the organization may want to play things out and see how he performs in year two paired with Mike Macdonald before making a decision on his future with the team.

But at the same time, if Schneider and the front office have reservations about paying him a big second contract amid concerns about his consistency and/or scheme/mindset fit in Macdonald’s defense, especially with former top-five pick Devon Witherspoon eligible for an extension next summer, trading him now with the potential to receive a decent mid-round pick in return would prevent them from losing him in free agency for a fourth-round pick compensatory pick at best next March, making exploration of a potential deal worth consideration.

In the trenches, the same could be said for outside linebacker Boye Mafe, who has been a rock solid starter for the Seahawks over the past two years but has yet to elevate his game into top-10 or 15 talent either. After posting 9.5 sacks in 2023, including tying a team record with a sack in seven consecutive games, he took a bit of a step back last season with six sacks, though his run defense graded out slightly better than the year prior and he still produced eight tackles for loss and three pass deflections.

Now 26 years old, Mafe has flashed the all-around skill set to warrant a second contract, and Macdonald seems to hold him in high regard. But pass rushers command big bucks in today’s NFL, as 19 players currently earn $16 million or more per season, making it one of the most expensive non-quarterback positions in the sport. If Mafe is seeking that type of money in negotiations, while he has been a capable starter to this point and has plenty of room to still improve, extending him may be too expensive of a pill to swallow in regard to bang for the buck.

As far as a possible deal involving Mafe, there is past precedent for Schneider and the Seahawks, who dealt Frank Clark to the Chiefs for a first-round pick and second-round pick back in 2019\. Mafe wouldn’t fetch that type of return since he has yet to hit double digit sacks in a season as Clark did with 13.5 in 2018, but with him being in the prime of his career and still on the upswing, getting a day two pick and day three capital on top of it could be a possibility in a sign-and-trade.

With just two days until the first round kicks off, Seattle isn’t in a position where Schneider has to desperately try to move any players, and Walker, Woolen, and Mafe may all still be in line for extensions with the franchise this summer, which has been the hot spot for new contracts to be etched out. A strong argument can be made that dealing any of those three players right now makes the team weaker for the 2025 season regardless of what they do with the acquired draft picks received in return, which may make the chances of a trade slim.

But smart organizations also know when to shop talented players rather than risk losing them in free agency if a new contract isn’t in the cards, evidenced by the recent Metcalf deal as well as the aforementioned Clark trade.

For that reason alone, with Schneider and members of the Seahawks personnel department working the phones non-stop over the next 48 hours, if those discussions transition from talking about trading up or trading down to dealing an established veteran on an expiring contract, they will be listening with open ears. Whether or not that leads to anything happening remains unknown, but if the past serves as any indication, nobody should be stunned if such a trade ends up materializing at some point this weekend.