With nearly 4,500 receiving yards, 38 touchdowns, and two All-Pro selections in only four NFL seasons, Odell Beckham Jr. has quickly become one of the NFL’s premier wide receivers.
But as trade rumors continue to swirl around the enigmatic talent, will the Seattle Seahawks emerge as a potential suitor for his services?
CBS Sports’ Jason LaCanfora linked several teams – including the Seahawks – to Beckham, who will be entering the final year of his rookie contract and appears to be on his way out of New York.
Among the top contenders to acquire Beckham, LaCanfora pegged the Seahawks as an intriguing trade partner due to general manager John Schneider’s history of making aggressive moves to acquire offensive playmakers. Previously, Schneider dealt a first-round pick to the Vikings for receiver Percy Harvin and also shipped a first rounder to the Saints for tight end Jimmy Graham.
The Harvin trade proved to be a monumental disaster and it’s debatable whether or not Seattle received enough production from Graham during his three seasons with the team. Both moves, along with the team’s decision to trade a second-round pick for Sheldon Richardson last September, could be viewed as cautionary tales for Schneider and his staff as the Seahawks “reset” the roster heading into 2018.
Still, Schneider loves to make big splashes, and Seattle needs help at the position after losing wide receiver Paul Richardson in free agency. The Seahawks have already signed veteran Jaron Brown and narrowly missed out on Terrelle Pryor, who signed with the Jets.
As LaCanfora mentions, the 25-year-old Beckham wouldn’t have to be a one-year rental for the Seahawks. A generational talent, his overall production and penchant for hauling in circus catches would make him a valuable addition to any NFL offense, including Seattle. He’s a dynamic vertical threat who also creates yards after the catch as well as any receiver in football, giving quarterback Russell Wilson a weapon unlike any he’s had during his previous six NFL seasons.
With Beckham in tow, Seattle could send out a receiving core tandem featuring the perennial Pro Bowler alongside Doug Baldwin and Tyler Lockett. Few teams could match up against that firepower, and both Baldwin and Lockett would benefit immensely from the attention opposing defenses give Beckham on the outside. If the Seahawks add a solid receiving tight end during the draft, suddenly the passing game looks downright lethal.
However, the Seahawks would have plenty of obstacles to overcome to make transform this fantasy into a reality.
For one, the Giants will likely be seeking, at minimum, a first-round pick and an additional late round pick to move Beckham. Despite being one of the best receivers in football, few teams would consider giving up a first rounder in exchange for a player heading towards free agency. This is especially true for Seattle, as the team already doesn’t have a second or third round pick due to prior trades for Richardson and tackle Duane Brown.
As LaCanfora suggests, Seattle could use capital acquired from a separate trade featuring safety Earl Thomas to land Beckham. But would Seattle really be any better off by basically swapping a future Hall of Fame safety for a top-tier wide receiver?
Secondly, even after cutting cornerback Richard Sherman, Seattle still finds itself in salary cap hell. The Seahawks could create over $7 million in cap relief by releasing defensive end Cliff Avril, but even with that move, the team would only have $16 million in cap space to work with. With plenty of roster spots to fill and potential extensions coming for Thomas and Brown, trying to squeeze a new contract in for Beckham would be challenging.
Further complicating matters, Beckham reportedly wants to earn $20 million per year during his next deal. Considering his sometimes questionable conduct on and off the field as well as the fact he’s coming off of a fractured left ankle injury, Schneider would face a ton of scrutiny if he ponied up that much cash for the wide receiver.
Visions of Wilson lofting a deep pass downfield and Beckham making a spectacular one-handed grab along the sideline would thrill Seahawks fans, but both the short-term and long-term expenses seem far too lofty. It’s not out of the question Schneider could pull the trigger given his history, but a lot of dominoes would have to fall to facilitate such a trade.
Instead, expect Schneider and the Seahawks to exhibit restraint and stick to the process by allowing young talent such as Amara Darboh and David Moore to battle for opportunities to contribute instead.
