The Seattle Seahawks are in a tough spot with the 25th pick in the 2011 NFL Draft and may be looking to unload it. But the Seahawks do not want to trade up and are, instead, exploring options to move down to near the end of the first round or out of the round entirely. As it stands, the players expected to be available at No. 25 don’t provide a ton of value and Seattle could flip the pick in the scramble that is the end of the first round.
On Thursday, word leaked indicating the New England Patriots may be looking to move up in the draft. As of now, the Patriots hold the No. 28 pick, but are reportedly trying to leap-frog the Baltimore Ravens, who hold the No. 26 pick. And which team sits right in front of the Ravens? None other than the Seattle Seahawks
SB Nation’s Pats Pulpit lays out the options for the Patriots and what the smoke signals indicating a trade may mean. Either New England is serious about moving up, or Bill Belichick is doing his due-diligence and exploring all options.
I think option 2 is the more likely scenario, but because the report is from Schefter, I have to give it some weight. Don’t be surprised if the Patriots trade up three or four spots from 28 overall (like up to the Seahawks at #25, a team Schefter says is looking to trade down), but also don’t be surprised if the Patriots trade down again.
It wouldn’t surprise me in the least if this was Belichick playing head games, but there could be an ounce of truth to this. Belichick is known for his tricks and is especially shrewd when it comes to the draft. But, for the Seahawks sake, let’s hope this one is true. A trade with the Patriots would keep Seattle in the first round — bumping the Seahawks from No. 25 to No. 28 — and would give the ’Hawks the added benefit of a late-round pick.
We’ll be covering the latest news and rumors ahead of Thursday’s first round in our 2011 NFL Draft StoryStream. Stay with us throughout the day for more on the draft as it becomes available. Check out our 2011 NFL mock draft StoryStream and our Jake Locker StoryStream for even more predictions and projections.