Seattle sent Larry Seivers to Tampa Bay in August 1977 and…
Seattle sent Larry Seivers to Tampa Bay in August 1977 and received the 1979 fifth-round pick that became No. 116, quarterback Dan Manucci. Seattle's own trade history also records that the club later transferred that choice to Buffalo as voluntary compensation connected to Ahmad Rashad. The fifth-round identification makes Seattle's side of the transaction clear.
Seattle Seahawks Received
- pick 1979 fifth-round pick (#116-Dan Manucci)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Received
- player Larry Seivers
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
Seattle's official trade history identifies the return as a 1979 fifth-round pick, No. 116, not a fourth-rounder. That choice ultimately became quarterback Dan Manucci after Seattle transferred it to Buffalo as voluntary compensation tied to the earlier Ahmad Rashad signing. Tampa Bay received Larry Seivers on August 30, 1977.
Seattle's Return
Seattle did not ultimately make the No. 116 selection itself, but that does not erase the value it obtained. A fifth-round choice was a movable roster-building asset, and Seattle used it to settle a separate compensation matter. Converting a player it was willing to move into usable draft capital gave the Seahawks flexibility even though Manucci's NFL career unfolded with Buffalo rather than Seattle.
Tampa Bay's Return
Tampa Bay's return was far thinner. Seivers had been a productive college receiver, yet his Buccaneers tenure ended almost immediately. Transaction records show Tampa Bay released him in September 1977, so the club surrendered future draft value for essentially no sustained regular-season contribution. That short stay is the central reason the grades separate despite the modest round of the pick.
Value in Hindsight
The trade is a reminder that the player ultimately selected with a pick is not always the right way to judge the original recipient. Seattle's value was the fifth-round asset itself and the flexibility to apply it elsewhere. Tampa Bay's value was Seivers' actual time on the roster, which proved fleeting. On those terms, Seattle created more practical value.
Final Verdict
Seattle Seahawks Win. Seattle receives a B- for turning Seivers into a legitimate fifth-round asset that retained value in a later compensation move. Tampa Bay receives a D+ because Seivers did not become a lasting contributor after the acquisition. The fifth-round designation matters, but the outcome still favors Seattle clearly.