According to Tony Pauline of SI.com, via the draftinsider.net blog, the Seattle Seahawks are interested in trading back in the first round of the draft, in order to grab Alabama ILB Donta Hightower.
If true, this is significant news for the Chiefs because they are slotted to pick one slot in front of the Seahawks at #11.
It will be hard for Seattle to move their pick until the evening of the draft. Unlike the Redskins moving up to #2 to get Robert Griffin III, moving up to #11 before the draft board starts to shake out would make little sense. The team moving up would need to ensure that the player they are targeting is going to be there when that pick comes up.
Some had hypothesized that should Ryan Tannehill fall to the Chiefs at #11, that a team might be willing to make a deal with KC to snag the QB before he got to the Seahawks. Seattle recently signed Green Bay backup Matt Flynn, however he is no sure bet and the Hawks might want to double down on QB. This news makes it sound unlikely that Seattle is interested in sticking around for Tannehill. In fact, it makes it sound as if the Seahawks may not be interested in Boston College linebacker Luke Kuechly, who could also be available when they pick.
Things happen very quickly on that first night of the draft and even the best laid plans have to be adjusted on the fly.
Speaking of flies, the one in the ointment for the Seahawks could have red and yellow wings. The 10, 11 and 12 spots are a great target for a team looking to trade up for a player that gets that far. The San Diego Chargers, for instance, moved up from #28 to #12 to select RB Ryan Matthews.
If the Chiefs are going to be able to trade back, I think it more likely that it will be with a team hoping to move up to grab a player like Kuechly or Trent Richardson.
What kind of compensation might the Chiefs or Seahawks get if they are able to trade back?
That will depend largely on where the team they are trading with is coming from. The teams will obviously swap first round picks so if the team trading with the Chiefs is coming from the end of the first round, instead of say, somewhere in the mid-teens, the Chiefs stand to get more value.
When the Chargers moved from #28 to #12, the Dolphins who held the 12th pick, got pick #28 in the first, as well as #40 in round two, #126 in round four and linebaker Tim Dobbins. Along with the 12th pick, the Dolphins sent San Diego a 4th and 6th round pick.
Essentially, if the team wishing to trade up is coming from the 20’s, Pioli should be able to snag an extra second round pick out of the deal, which would enable him great flexibility in the back end of the first and throughout the second round to get another player he wants.
What do you think Addicts? Will the Hawks move back or will Pioli strike a deal first and pick up some extra bargaining chips?