The NFL Draft begins on Thursday, and with that key event of the offseason coming up, Seahawks general manager and president of football operations John Schneider and head coach Mike Macdonald met with the media on Monday to discuss the upcoming draft.
As of now, the Seahawks have only four picks, their own picks at the ends of Rounds 1-3, as well as a sixth-rounder they acquired in a trade with Cleveland. That very well could change, as Schneider acknowledged on Monday.
That and other takeaways from Monday's pre-draft presser.
1. It's "no secret" that the Seahawks are looking to move back in order to add more picks.
Having sent their fourth and fifth-round picks to the Saints in last season's trade for receiver and return specialist Rashid Shaheed, the Seahawks have only four total picks, and just one on Day 3 of the draft.
They also have a pick, No. 32 overall, that could be a good trade chip. As the final pick of the first round, that selection is the last one that comes with the fifth-year option, meaning a team that really likes a player still on the board late on Thursday, could look to move up to get that pick. And Schneider, who has moved back from his original first-round pick several times in his Seattle tenure, would love it if the right opportunity to move back came his way.
"It's the pick that everybody wants," he said. "A. You're blessed enough to win the Super Bowl, right? And the fifth-year option right there. It's no secret with us, we have four picks, so we'll be looking to move back."
2. Draft trades have become a little more complicated in recent years.
Early in Schneider's tenure with the Seahawks, almost every team in the NFL adhered to the Jimmy Johnson draft trade value chart that the former Cowboys coach popularized in the 1990s. With every team agreeing, for the most part, on a point value for every pick, that made trades easier to get done with the clock counting down between picks. Times have changed, however, and different teams value picks differently, meaning trades can be a little trickier to work out.
"You have to call every team and make sure you're on the same page, we all used to use the Jimmy Johnson sheet," Schneider said. "It was actually much easier to work off of and negotiate with other teams. We've added a lot more analytics groups to it, so it's built off of analytics, salary cap, previous history with trades. Because at the end of the day, if you want the player, you're going to get the player. We all used to be a little bit more disciplined in terms of sticking with the same point system, because can you get in situations now where you are, like, you don't want to come off as rude, but you're like, 'Why would I do that? We're getting our butt kicked.'"
3. A faster first-round shouldn't change things.
In an attempt to speed up the first round, the league made a change this year, reducing the time between first-round picks from 10 minutes to eight minutes. And because teams rarely need a full 10 minutes to decide on a pick or to work out a trade, Schneider doesn't see that change making much of a difference.
"I think you're usually ahead anyway," Schneider said of trade discussions. "You're a couple of picks ahead, and so it's just that time, that extra two minutes is not going to make a difference in terms of trading, moving around, that sort of thing. You try to line stuff up. Really you try to do it this week, but really people get serious, you know, like Thursday, Thursday morning, just throughout the day, talking on the phone. You talk about trading up and trading down, all that."
4. The Seahawks probably aren't done at running back, but they like the group they have.
The Seahawks lost starting running back and Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III in free agency, and while they'll miss Walker, Schneider and Macdonald do like the group of backs they currently have on the roster, led by returning players Zach Charbonnet, who is recovering from offseason knee surgery, George Holani and Kenny McIntosh, as well as free-agent addition Emanuel Wilson. The Seahawks very well could add a running back this week, but thanks to the addition of Wilson and the players they have coming back, they also won't feel like they are forced to address that spot this week.
"Signing Wilson really helps us in this year's draft as well," Schneider said. "Kind of gives us some freedom. We've talked about George. Charbs is doing great."
Added Macdonald, "I'm on record, I believe in our guys, and there's a process too where, thankfully we don't have to play for another five or so months. We have a lot of training to do."
5. A lack of draft capital isn't an excuse for having a bad draft.
The Seahawks may very well make some trades and come out of the draft with more than four players, but if they end up using their current picks, they still expect to find impact players despite having less draft capital than they have had in recent years when trades of players like Russell Wilson, DK Metcalf and Geno Smith gave them extra picks in the early rounds.
"I think there's a lack of depth in this draft," Schneider said. "I thought our scouts did a great job in the fall of identifying that and that loud us to be a little bit more willing to give up the fourth and the fifth-round draft pick (for Shaheed). No matter what draft you're in what year, it's our responsibility to the organization to be able to find true Seahawks all the way through it. So that means if we did have that fourth, fifth, and we're moving around and we acquire more draft picks, we're still going to be focused on making those guys true Seahawks. When you say nailing it, no matter if you have the three (picks in 2021), or last year having a bunch of draft picks, it doesn't matter. You still feel that same level of pressure to be able to bring the best people you can and for the organization and for the coaching staff."
The Seattle Seahawks began their voluntary offseason workout program on Monday, April 20, 2026 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks linebacker Derick Hall (58) worked out on day one of the voluntary offseason workout program on April 20, 2026.
Seahawks cornerback Josh Jobe (29) worked out on day one of the voluntary offseason workout program on April 20, 2026.
Seahawks tight end AJ Barner (88) and tackle Charles Cross (67) worked out on day one of the voluntary offseason workout program on April 20, 2026.
Seahawks linebacker Patrick O'Connell (52) and safety Ty Okada (39) worked out on day one of the voluntary offseason workout program on April 20, 2026.
Seahawks linebacker Connor O'Toole (57) worked out on day one of the voluntary offseason workout program on April 20, 2026.
Seahawks linebacker Derick Hall (58) worked out on day one of the voluntary offseason workout program on April 20, 2026.
Seahawks cornerback Noah Igbinoghene, safety D'Anthony Bell (23) and cornerback Nehemiah Pritchett (28) worked out on day one of the voluntary offseason workout program on April 20, 2026.
Seahawks cornerback Noah Igbinoghene and safety Rodney Thomas II worked out on day one of the voluntary offseason workout program on April 20, 2026.
Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon (21) worked out on day one of the voluntary offseason workout program on April 20, 2026.
Seahawks safety Maxen Hook (43) worked out on day one of the voluntary offseason workout program on April 20, 2026.
Seahawks linebacker Ja'Markis Weston (46) worked out on day one of the voluntary offseason workout program on April 20, 2026.
Seahawks safety Rodney Thomas II worked out on day one of the voluntary offseason workout program on April 20, 2026.
Seahawks safety D'Anthony Bell (23) worked out on day one of the voluntary offseason workout program on April 20, 2026.
Seahawks linebacker Jamie Sheriff (50) worked out on day one of the voluntary offseason workout program on April 20, 2026.
Seahawks linebacker Chris Paul Jr. (49) worked out on day one of the voluntary offseason workout program on April 20, 2026.
Seahawks linebacker Connor O'Toole (57) worked out on day one of the voluntary offseason workout program on April 20, 2026.
Seahawks cornerback Noah Igbinoghene worked out on day one of the voluntary offseason workout program on April 20, 2026.
Seahawks cornerback Noah Igbinoghene worked out on day one of the voluntary offseason workout program on April 20, 2026.
Seahawks safety AJ Finley (30) worked out on day one of the voluntary offseason workout program on April 20, 2026.
Seahawks linebacker Patrick O'Connell (52) worked out on day one of the voluntary offseason workout program on April 20, 2026.
Seahawks nose tackle Bubba Thomas (69) worked out on day one of the voluntary offseason workout program on April 20, 2026.
Seahawks nose tackle J.R. Singleton (70) worked out on day one of the voluntary offseason workout program on April 20, 2026.
Seahawks linebacker Jared Ivey (51) worked out on day one of the voluntary offseason workout program on April 20, 2026.
Seahawks defensive end Mike Morris (94) worked out on day one of the voluntary offseason workout program on April 20, 2026.
Seahawks defensive tackle Rylie Mills (98) worked out on day one of the voluntary offseason workout program on April 20, 2026.
Seahawks linebacker Jared Ivey (51) worked out on day one of the voluntary offseason workout program on April 20, 2026.
Seahawks defensive end Mike Morris (94) worked out on day one of the voluntary offseason workout program on April 20, 2026.
Seahawks defensive tackle Rylie Mills (98) worked out on day one of the voluntary offseason workout program on April 20, 2026.
Seahawks linebacker Jamie Sheriff (50) worked out on day one of the voluntary offseason workout program on April 20, 2026.
Seahawks cornerback Nehemiah Pritchett (28) worked out on day one of the voluntary offseason workout program on April 20, 2026.
Seahawks linebacker Tyrice Knight (48) worked out on day one of the voluntary offseason workout program on April 20, 2026.
Seahawks linebacker Connor O'Toole (57) worked out on day one of the voluntary offseason workout program on April 20, 2026.
Seahawks linebacker Patrick O'Connell (52) worked out on day one of the voluntary offseason workout program on April 20, 2026.
Seahawks cornerback Josh Jobe (29) worked out on day one of the voluntary offseason workout program on April 20, 2026.
Seahawks nose tackle Brandon Pili (95) worked out on day one of the voluntary offseason workout program on April 20, 2026.
Seahawks safety Ty Okada (39) worked out on day one of the voluntary offseason workout program on April 20, 2026.
Seahawks cornerback Josh Jobe (29) and safety Ty Okada (39) worked out on day one of the voluntary offseason workout program on April 20, 2026.
Seahawks cornerback Noah Igbinoghene worked out on day one of the voluntary offseason workout program on April 20, 2026.
Seahawks wide receiver Cody White (82) worked out on day one of the voluntary offseason workout program on April 20, 2026.
Seahawks tight end Nick Kallerup (89) worked out on day one of the voluntary offseason workout program on April 20, 2026.
Seahawks wide receiver Ricky White III (86) worked out on day one of the voluntary offseason workout program on April 20, 2026.
Seahawks running back Emanuel Wilson worked out on day one of the voluntary offseason workout program on April 20, 2026.
Seahawks running back Jacardia Wright (31) worked out on day one of the voluntary offseason workout program on April 20, 2026.
Seahawks quarterback Jalen Milroe (6) worked out on day one of the voluntary offseason workout program on April 20, 2026.
Seahawks running back George Holani (36) worked out on day one of the voluntary offseason workout program on April 20, 2026.
Seahawks running back Emanuel Wilson worked out on day one of the voluntary offseason workout program on April 20, 2026.
Seahawks tight end Elijah Arroyo (18) worked out on day one of the voluntary offseason workout program on April 20, 2026.
Seahawks running back Jacardia Wright (31) worked out on day one of the voluntary offseason workout program on April 20, 2026.
Seahawks tight end Nick Kallerup (89) worked out on day one of the voluntary offseason workout program on April 20, 2026.
Seahawks running back Emanuel Wilson worked out on day one of the voluntary offseason workout program on April 20, 2026.
Seahawks wide receiver Ricky White III (86) worked out on day one of the voluntary offseason workout program on April 20, 2026.
Seahawks running back George Holani (36) worked out on day one of the voluntary offseason workout program on April 20, 2026.
Seahawks tackle Charles Cross (67) worked out on day one of the voluntary offseason workout program on April 20, 2026.
Seahawks guard Bryce Cabeldue (77) worked out on day one of the voluntary offseason workout program on April 20, 2026.
Seahawks guard Grey Zabel (76) worked out on day one of the voluntary offseason workout program on April 20, 2026.
Seahawks center Federico Maranges (62) worked out on day one of the voluntary offseason workout program on April 20, 2026.
Seahawks tackle/guard Mason Richman (78) worked out on day one of the voluntary offseason workout program on April 20, 2026.
Seahawks center Federico Maranges (62) worked out on day one of the voluntary offseason workout program on April 20, 2026.
Seahawks fullback Brady Russell (38) worked out on day one of the voluntary offseason workout program on April 20, 2026.
Seahawks running back Kenny McIntosh (25) worked out on day one of the voluntary offseason workout program on April 20, 2026.
Seahawks running back Jacardia Wright (31) worked out on day one of the voluntary offseason workout program on April 20, 2026.
Seahawks guard Christian Haynes (64) worked out on day one of the voluntary offseason workout program on April 20, 2026.
Seahawks wide receiver Ricky White III (86) worked out on day one of the voluntary offseason workout program on April 20, 2026.
Seahawks fullback Brady Russell (38) worked out on day one of the voluntary offseason workout program on April 20, 2026.
Seahawks tight end Elijah Arroyo (18) worked out on day one of the voluntary offseason workout program on April 20, 2026.
Seahawks tight end Eric Saubert (81) worked out on day one of the voluntary offseason workout program on April 20, 2026.
