Seattle thought it addressed the problems with its running game when it traded for Quenton Nelson last week. It turns out the Seahawks’ rushing deficiencies are far from resolved, and it’s going to lead them to make yet another big splash before next week’s trade deadline. Only one person can solve their problems — and it’s the only running back who knows what it’s like to rush behind Nelson on a weekly basis. 

Jonathan Taylor is all but headed out of Indianapolis before the NFL’s trade deadline. It's just a matter of where he’ll end up. The Cincinnati Bengals and Minnesota Vikings have been rumored to land the All-Pro running back. Seattle should be in that mix. If they want to gain ground in the NFC playoff picture, they have to get aggressive, and that starts with landing Taylor by any means necessary. 

This emergency trade gives Sam Darnold the offensive help he desperately needs

The Seahawks will have to give up a plethora of draft picks to get this deal done. They could possibly do a player swap too, but because they are the defending Super Bowl champions, keeping draft picks should be the least of their concern. They picked up a haul of compensatory picks and if you remember last year, the Seahawks started the draft with four total picks. Getting Taylor is more important than banking on draft potential. Indianapolis needs the draft capital, so getting two top-100 picks and a Day 3 pick for a star player should convince them to move on.

The only thing that could change this trade is if the Colts feel Taylor is worth at least a first-round pick. Even if that’s the asking price, the Seahawks should meet it. The offense struggled Monday night and the problem largely stems from the problems with the rushing attack. The Seahawks have lost three of four. In their only win in that stretch (a 20-3 win over Kansas City), they had a 100-yard rusher. Coincidence? Probably not. 

Why Seattle needs to urgently improve its running game

As good as Darnold is, he’s not the type of quarterback that can consistently pass his way to a win. Seattle’s success in 2025 hinged a lot on Kenneth Walker III and his ability to make plays and complement the passing game. Seattle's wins this year are because of its run game. While Jadarian Price’s debut only yielded 52 rushing yards, Seattle has combined 173 rushing yards in the other two wins before the skid. The Seahawks are at their best when they have a strong rushing attack. 

The Seahawks are 4-4 and on the brink of being outside the playoff bubble. They can’t hope that getting Price or Zach Charbonnet back is going to be enough. They need a proven weapon in the run game that can take this team to the next level. Taylor is the perfect replacement for Walker, and the longer they wait to make the move, the more likely they are to miss out on him.

Indianapolis is incentivized to trade Jonathan Taylor to Seattle

The one team the Colts probably don’t want to trade Taylor to is the Cincinnati Bengals, because they are also in the AFC. That said, Seattle probably has the most reason to make an aggressive deal. Minnesota might not want to give up a lot of draft capital and the Bengals aren’t known to be aggressive players at the trade deadline. Seattle already landed Quenton Nelson. Why not go all in to get Taylor and solidify this offense for a push in the second half of the season?

The Colts would be smart to work out a deal with Seattle because they’re the one team I could see being willing to give up a first-round pick. The Colts don’t have a first-round pick until 2028, and Taylor could be the key to getting that important pick back after the New York Jets might benefit from two top-10 picks if the Colts’ season continues to spiral.