Carolina Panthers' Draft Video Hints At Failed Seattle Seahawks Trade?

The Seattle Seahawks had several opportunities to trade down in the first round.

Sep 24, 2023; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) shakes hands with Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9, right) following a 37-27 Seattle victory at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports / Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Before the Seattle Seahawks drafted Texas defensive tackle Byron Murphy II at No. 16 overall, many saw them as a prime candidates to trade down in the first round. Multiple teams were rumored to have interest in trading up with Seattle, and thanks to a recent behind-the-scenes video, one of those teams may have confirmed those rumors themselves.

Last week, the Carolina Panthers released the second episode of "Panthers Blueprint '24," a series documenting the team's journey throughout the offseason. In the video, Panthers general manager and former Seahawks executive Dan Morgan can be seen picking up his phone and saying, "What's up, John?"

There are only two current NFL general managers named John: John Schneider of the Seahawks and John Lynch of the San Francisco 49ers. That, along with several Carolina staffers having ties to Seattle, is already a strong sign of a potential trade in the works, but what comes next essentially confirms it.

A scene shortly after shows Panthers executive vice president of football operations Brandt Tilis advising Morgan that the team he's talking with is on the clock, but Morgan declines to make the offer in hopes of a prospect falling. Almost immediately after, Morgan is seen tearing up a piece of paper while the Seahawks' selection of Murphy is announced. Putting the pieces together, it's almost certain that the Panthers were indeed thinking of trading up with the Seahawks.

Obviously, Carolina's offer not going through means we'll never know for sure what was on the table, but it's possible to make an educated guess.

The Panthers didn't have a first-rounder of their own thanks to their trade up for Bryce Young last year, but they did have two early second-rounders in their own at No. 33 and the New York Giants' at No. 39. Those two picks may have been enticing for the Seahawks, who didn't have a second-rounder of their own after trading it for Leonard Williams at the deadline, but probably not enough to move out of the first round entirely.

Carolina eventually did trade into the first round, moving up one spot with the Buffalo Bills to select South Carolina receiver Xavier Legette. If this trade with the Seahawks had gone through, though, it's likely they would've taken a different player entirely and started a domino effect. Alas, it's yet another example of the trades that aren't made being more interesting than the ones that are.