The Seattle Seahawks nearly knocked off the Denver Broncos in a comeback effort last Thursday night. Regardless of how they lost, it showed that defending their Super Bowl title won’t be easy. In fact, the Seahawks are at the point where they have to start considering how they want to approach the trade deadline. They can’t afford to not make any big moves if they want to turn things around.

Here are the emergency trades they need to make to make sure they’re playoff contenders this season. 

RB Jonathan Taylor

This has to be the most important move they make. Even if the Philadelphia Eagles start selling off at the deadline, I doubt Saquon Barkely is available. The Indianapolis Colts, however, very much have reason to let go of Taylor if they lose again next week. Taylor is their most valuable asset and could help them replenish some early draft capital for 2027 — the New York Jets have their first round pick in the 2027 NFL Draft. 

The run game has suffered tremendously this season without Kenneth Walker III and the Seahawks have to find immediate help. Taylor makes sense because he’s such a weapon out of the backfield and a big play waiting to happen. Sam Darnold needs help out of the backfield if this offense wants to improve. Taylor makes a lot of sense and would be the perfect addition to this offense. Without him, Darnold and the Seahawks will continue to struggle. 

LB Patrick Queen

The Seahawks are thin at interior linebacker when it comes to depth. Drake Thomas missed last week and Chazz Surratt is also listed as questionable ahead of Week 7. Do the Seahawks desperately need depth? No. But Patrick Queen gives them depth in the event they have more injuries to the interior of their linebacker room and he’s affordable too. Queen has been inconsistent in Pittsburgh, which is why they might be interested in getting a Day 3 pick for him if the Seahawks obliged. 

Queen wouldn’t be a massive upgrade for this defense, but he’s better than nothing. This defense has been solid considering it took a hit in the secondary. Mike MacDonald has put together a defensive scheme that has worked with the current personnel. Any moves made are strictly for depth. This team is solid; they just need to perform better. Queen could give them some insurance if injuries start to pile up. 

DT Daron Payne

Again, Seattle doesn’t need a lot of help on either side of the ball outside of running back. That said, the value Daron Payne could add would certainly make this defense scarier than it already is. The Washington Commanders are already spiraling and seeing as they’re probably not going to re-sign Payne, they have every reason to part ways with him. Like Queen, trading for Payne won’t be costly. After all, he hasn’t really backed up the $90 million extension he got in 2023. He had 11.5 sacks that season and hasn’t had a season with more than four sacks since. 

He is an interior defensive lineman, so a lot of what he does doesn’t always show up in the box score. But he was extremely destructive to start his NFL career and hasn’t really been since. Maybe a new team could help him recapture his form. Seattle’s defense is pretty stout, but adding a proven defensive tackle could give them some much-needed depth for the end of the season and playoffs.