Seahawks' promising EDGE named 'best trade asset' heading into 2025 NFL Draft

Could the Seahawks firesale continue?

Seattle Seahawks linebacker Boye Mafe / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Seattle Seahawks have been one of the more active teams during the offseason. They made multiple high-profile trades and then picked up a few replacements in NFL free agency. The biggest names they added were quarterback Sam Darnold and defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence.

Not everyone liked the move for Lawrence, but the Seahawks are committed to the former Dallas Cowboys All-Pro after giving him a three-year deal worth $42 million. That could be why PFF's Bradley Locker sees Boye Mafe as a potential trade piece. Locker named the "best trade asset" for all 32 teams heading into the 2025 NFL Draft and selected Mafe for Seattle.

He called Mafe the team's top defender but believes the presence of Lawrence — as well as Uchenna Nwosu and Derick Hall — makes a trade feasible.

"Over the past two years, Mafe slots in the 66th percentile in PFF pass-rushing grade and the 74th percentile in PFF run-defense grade while recording a solid 12.2% pass-rush win rate. His pass-rushing metrics dipped a bit last year, but his run defense improved significantly. Seattle invested $32.5 million in DeMarcus Lawrence and has other impressive pieces in Uchenna Nwosu and Derick Hall, which could make Mafe available if the team doesn’t want to extend him."

Mafe was the 40th overall selection in the 2022 NFL Draft out of Minnesota and has 18 sacks in his first three seasons. He's not going to threaten to make $40 million per season the way Myles Garrett did with the Cleveland Browns, but perhaps the four-year, $80 million deal Greg Rousseau signed with the Buffalo Bills is realistic.

If Seattle isn't comfortable paying that, maybe they do look for a trade — even though it won't be popular.

Seattle Seahawks linebacker Boye Mafe / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

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