The Seahawks might have already been the league’s best team entering Week 10. On Tuesday, they got even better.
Only four hours before Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline, Seattle general manager John Schneider swung a big trade, acquiring receiver Rashid Shaheed from the Saints in exchange for fourth- and fifth-round picks.
Since entering the NFL as a rookie in 2022, Shaheed has improved annually. Last year, the 180-pound speedster was on pace for a huge season before getting hurt. In six games, Shaheed had 349 yards and three touchdowns. Coming back in ’25, Shaheed has flourished once more despite having a lackluster quarterback room in Tyler Shough and Spencer Rattler. In nine contests, Shaheed posted 44 catches for 499 yards and two scores.
Seahawks
This is a terrific move by Schneider. While the return isn’t a nothing-burger from Seattle’s point of view, the Seahawks are also dealing from a position of strength after acquiring second- and third-round picks this offseason from the DK Metcalf and Geno Smith trades, respectively.
At 6–2 and tied atop the NFC West, the Seahawks have reason to believe they can not only make a playoff run but perhaps reach the Super Bowl for the first time since 2014, largely because of an offense ranking ninth in yards and fifth in points per game.
Shaheed should be the perfect complement to Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who has blossomed into one of the league’s top receivers. A third-year man from Ohio State, Smith-Njigba is easily pacing the NFL with 948 receiving yards. However, he was without a quality sidekick, as no other Seahawks receiver has even 300 yards. Suddenly, that has changed.
Shaheed also provides a deep ball threat for quarterback Sam Darnold, who is in the MVP conversation with 2,084 yards and 16 touchdown passes. The newly acquired wideout ran a 4.4 coming out of Weber State and has quality ball-tracking skills to go with his speed.
Grade: A
Saints
New Orleans is 1–8 and in need of a total rebuild, but nothing about what the Saints are doing makes much sense.
Sure, trading Shaheed is understandable from the standpoint of his contract being up after this season, and the Saints likely not wanting to commit major dollars into future years for a player who is very good but not a star. Fair enough.
The problem is the process. Longtime general manager Mickey Loomis spent this offseason watching quarterback Derek Carr to retire, only to draft a 26-year-old to be his rookie quarterback in Shough. Additionally, the Saints gave up a third-round pick for receiver Devaughn Vele, who has played 30% of the offensive snaps.
If New Orleans wants to rebuild, as it should, Loomis should be looking to get rid of all possible veterans, including running back Alvin Kamara, wideout Chris Olave, defensive end Carl Granderson and others.
Grade: C
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Seahawks-Saints Trade Grades: Seattle Deals Surplus Picks for Impact Player.