John Schneider shamelessly lets the cat out of the bag regarding the Seahawks’ plan for Round 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft
The Seahawks are very limited when it comes to their picks in the upcoming NFL Draft. John Schneider bluntly stated he wants to trade back in order to accrue more selections.
The Seattle Seahawks have just four picks entering the 2026 NFL Draft and three of them are the final picks in Rounds 1-3. After that, John Schneider don’t pick until No. 188 overall, which also happens to be the final selection, in all.
The lack of draft picks is exactly why many people have pegged the Seahawks as a very likely trade-back candidate in the first round. It’s very plausible to receive a solid Day 3, or even a Day 2 draft pick, depending on how far they move back.
Regardless, Schneider made it very clear that he and the rest of the Seahawks draft team wants to trade back from No. 32 when he spoke to the media on Monday.
“Definitely. It’s the pick that everybody wants,” Schneider said when asked about the alluring qualities of the 32nd pick. “A, you’re blessed enough to win the Super Bowl, right? The fifth-year option right there. It’s no secret with us, guys. We have four picks, so we’ll be looking to move back. People are usually understanding that I think we tend to trend backwards, trade back.”
Which teams can the Seahawks target in the draft to trade with?
The key with this scenario is a lot of insiders and draft pundits believe a team will make a move for Ty Simpson toward the end of Round 1. The two teams that have been mentioned the most are the New York Jets and Arizona Cardinals. Both franchises sit a Nos. 33 and 34, respectively.
The Seahawks may be looking to move back a bit farther in the draft via trade-back, however, as falling a couple of spots won’t warrant much in return. Maybe the Seahawks would for the Jets’ 44th overall pick, as it would make more sense and garner more selections in return.
Either way, the Seahawks’ plan for the first round of the draft is clear. Granted, it takes two parties to pull off a trade, but knowing Schneider – he’ll find a way to make it happen.