The Seahawks’ QB comments are the perfect 2025 NFL Draft trade bait

Read between the lines on this one.

It’s just over a week until the 2025 NFL Draft and this is the time for misinformation. If you’re trying to glean which way a team might go in the draft then you definitely don’t want to be listening to general managers, all of whom are doing their best to hide their hands ahead of the first round.

So when something comes out from Seahawks GM John Schneider about the 2025 quarterback class you’re right to raise an eyebrow. Especially when he’s saying this class might actually be good. In his weekly radio show Schneider said the following:

“I’d be careful when you hear people say this isn’t a great draft,” Schneider said, via the team’s website. “I think it depends on the team, the player, the quarterback, how you’re going to acquire him, where you’re going to acquire him. Bringing him through the building is really about, we need more time, we need more answers, and we need more time with this player based on the questions that we need answered in terms of the vision we see for this player and the fit.”

The assumption was that the Seahawks wouldn’t need a quarterback after signing Sam Darnold in free agency and still having Drew Lock on the roster, but curiously the team had Top 30 visits with Jaden Milroe and Tyler Shough, both of whom would be available at the No. 18 pick, but likely not on the board when the team picks again at No. 50 in the second round.

These visits are even more curious in light of murmurs around the league that the Rams might be targeting Milroe with the No. 26 pick as an heir apparent to Matthew Stafford, while Shough has gained steam as being the first QB off the board in the second round.

Swirl the tea leaves around enough and the Hawks could be in a prime position to trade back in the first round, which makes a lot of sense when you look at how the board is aligning with team needs. The organization is in dire need of getting more offensive line help and a top receiver, but 18th could very well mean they’re in a no-man’s land of sorts when it comes to making the selection. The pick is slightly too high for either the second level of receivers in what’s a weak class, or if the expected run on offensive linemen happens it would be a major reach to take someone at No. 18 when they might be projected as an early 2nd round talent on their board.

That said, picking 18th is an amazing spot for a potential trade, if we assume the QB board holds. That operates under the assumption that Cam Ward is gone at No. 1, and that Shedeur Sanders could be a trade target in the early teens. From there you’d have a lot of teams potentially feeling froggy over a player like Jaxson Dart, or the aforementioned Milroe and Slough — widely viewed as the only guys in this class after Ward and Sanders who have shots at being NFL starters.

So who could move up? That’s where this gets interesting.

• The Steelers at 21: Pittsburgh taking a QB feels like the worst kept secret in the NFL. If they have strong feelings about Dart or Milroe it could easily spook them into taking action
• The Rams at 26: This would be insurance to jump in front of the Steelers and get their guy, if they really feel Milroe is a potential future franchise QB
• The Giants at 34: This is a fascinating potential option too. While falling back this far might not seem ideal, New York could have one heck of a chess piece to dangle in Kayvon Thibodeaux, who would be out of place if the Giants take Abdul Carter at No. 3.
• The Browns at 33: There’s been some murmurs about Milroe in Cleveland too, and the Browns are in win-now mode. That sure as hell ain’t happening with Joe Flacco — so it behooves them to get a QB.

Watch how this unfolds, because this feels very much like Seattle is playing chess and trying to get someone to bite on a trade. It’s really difficult to imagine the Seahawks would seriously consider a QB at No. 18 with their other pressing needs, and that will make this fascinating to watch.