Seahawks really like dealing with Denver. Another draft trade, six picks coming Saturday

Thirteen months after Russell Wilson, the Seahawks aren’t done dealing with Denver.

Seattle traded its third-round choice in the 2023 NFL draft Friday to Broncos. In return, the Seahawks got another choice in round four Saturday (108th overall) plus a third-round pick in 2024.

Schneider had said late Thursday after round one he wanted to “move around the board,” meaning trade. He does that every draft.

He has a familiar fellow GM to call when seeking a deal. Schneider and Broncos general manager George Paton struck the massive deal that sent Wilson to Denver in March 2022 for three players plus the Broncos’ first-round pick and second-round pick in this draft.

“We had a goal going into this thing of trying to get into next year a little bit, next year’s draft,” Schneider said Friday night. “Throughout the process, we had a couple of upsets there — meaning that we had some guys go that we were interested in. It happens, especially early in the draft.

“We felt really blessed to be able to get into a deal with Denver and acquire that third-round pick.”

With the trade, Schneider is already looking ahead to the 2024 draft.

“Yeah, next year’s class is supposed to be really good,” he said. “I’m not slighting this year’s class, but there’s a common theme. Everybody knows it.”

The trade meant Seattle entered Saturday’s fourth through seventh rounds still with 10 total picks in this draft.

It also meant the Seahawks’ picks Friday were confined to the second round.

The team selected Auburn linebacker and pass rusher Derick Hall with the 37th overall pick. With the 52nd pick of the draft later in round two the Seahawks got needed depth behind last season;’s rookie 1,000-yard rusher Kenneth Walker by choosing hard-nosed UCLA running back Zach Charbonnet.

“Great day, we drafted two grown men today,” Schneider said. “They are huge competitors, excellent human beings, alpha-dog guys, and leaders. Derick and Charbonnet are really impressive people. You guys are going to find them both really impressive. Pass rush and attitude with Derick, and motor and hustle.

“Charbonnet, the toughness, effort, and the maturity with both of these guys. .... He’s a tough, rugged dude. He wears people out.

“It’s really exciting to add the toughness to this group.”

Charbonnet, who transferred to UCLA after two seasons at Michigan, improved his pass-catching the last two college seasons. He was a 1,000-yard rusher for the Bruins in 2021 and again in 2022. He said Friday his pass blocking remains an area to improve.

Coach Pete Carroll said the Seahawks intend for Walker and Charbonnet to be the one-two duo Walker and Rashaad Penny were supposed to be last season. Penny then got his latest season-ending injury, last October. Seattle let his contract expire. He signed with Philadelphia as a free agent last month.

The Seahawks have DeeJay Dallas returning to the backfield for 2023. Travis Homer signed with Chicago.

“Yeah, really Zach is legitimately that. He’s going to be right in there with Ken,” Carroll said. “It’s going to take both guys to get the workload, with some help from DeeJay. I really like the versatility like we are talking about because he can block, can catch the ball out of the backfield. He’s good in the screen game. He makes big plays, and he’s been the workhorse.”

Charbonnet is the ninth running back Carroll and Schneider have drafted the last eight years.

“I’m pretty excited about this one,” Carroll said.

Hall impressed the Seahawks with a strong workout in front of them at his pro day at Auburn last month.

“He’s stout. He’s a penetrator. He really gets off (the ball) and he’s really fast,” Carroll said. “Again, we add another fast guy to play on the edge that will show up in particular.”

Hall had 16 sacks his final two seasons at Auburn in the mighty Southeastern Conference.

“Speed and power are really his strength, and he pursues the ball really well. He chases it,” Carroll said. “Probably why that happens and why you get those numbers is because of the motor that he brings. He’s really a constant. He plays with great energy, and he played a ton of plays. I think he played 80-something percent of the time last year, so he’s a tough-minded kid, as well.

“He has to really be a help for us on (special) teams because he fits right into all of the core areas. He will be a big guy for us in all of that stuff.”

For Saturday’s final draft day, Seattle has that pick they just got from Denver early in round four, then another 15 spots later in the fourth round. The Seahawks have two fifth-round picks three spots apart. They have one pick in the sixth round and one in the seventh.

This story was originally published April 29, 2023 at 12:39 AM with the headline "Seahawks really like dealing with Denver. Another draft trade, six picks coming Saturday."

Gregg Bell

The News Tribune

Gregg Bell is the Seahawks and NFL writer for The News Tribune. He is a two-time Washington state sportswriter of the year, voted by the National Sports Media Association in January 2023 and January 2019. He started covering the NFL in 2002 as the Oakland Raiders beat writer for The Sacramento Bee. The Ohio native began covering the Seahawks in their first Super Bowl season of 2005. In a prior life he graduated from West Point and served as a tactical intelligence officer in the U.S. Army, so he may ask you to drop and give him 10. Support my work with a digital subscription