Colorado Buffaloes QB Shedeur Sanders warms up before the game against the Brigham Young Cougars at Alamodome. Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

NFL insider predicts Seahawks-Steelers trade involving Shedeur Sanders

Originally posted on Seattle Seahawks on SI
By Randy Gurzi | Last updated Apr 21, 2025 2:00 PM ET

The Seattle Seahawks were huge players in the quarterback market this offseason. They sent their starting quarterback to the Las Vegas Raiders in a trade, allowing Geno Smith to reunite with Pete Carroll, and then signed the biggest name on the free agent market, Sam Darnold, to a three-year deal.

Even with Darnold in Seattle, there's a belief they could look for a quarterback in the 2025 NFL draft. With Darnold's history of inconsistent play, they might be wise to add a player to develop behind the veteran. What we shouldn't expect is for them to go for a signal-caller in Round 1. However, that doesn't mean they won't be involved in the quarterback discussion early in the draft.

That's the case in a piece from The Ringer's Sheil Kapadia, who predicts the first round and has Seattle trading with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Seattle drops back three spots, adding another third-rounder. Pittsburgh then uses No. 18 on Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders.

"At 18, the Seahawks are expected to take the best available offensive lineman. But wait! We have a trade! Seattle is moving back three spots to 21, swapping with the Steelers. Since the Seahawks already have 10 picks in this draft and the Steelers have only six, Pittsburgh gives up a 2026 third-rounder in the deal. The Steelers take a dart throw on Sanders as an inexpensive, long-term solution at quarterback, and the Seahawks add valuable future draft capital." — Kapadia, The Ringer

Pittsburgh currently has Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson on their depth chart. That means they have to find a quarterback in the draft, making this a good move on their part.

It's also a win for Seattle, as they add a third-round pick next year, while still being able to land a starting-caliber player at No. 21.