Seattle moved from No. 12 to No. 6 in the 1997 draft, sending…
Seattle moved from No. 12 to No. 6 in the 1997 draft, sending Tampa Bay the 12th pick and No. 63 for the choice used on Walter Jones. Jones became a Hall of Fame left tackle and started all 180 games of his career. Tampa Bay also did extremely well, landing Warrick Dunn and Frank Middleton, but Seattle secured the best player in the deal.
Seattle Seahawks Received
- pick 1997 1st round pick (6th overall, Walter Jones )
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Received
- pick 1997 1st round pick (12th overall, Warrick Dunn)
- pick 1997 3rd round pick (63rd overall, Frank Middleton )
Trade Analysis
Why Seattle Moved Up
Seattle entered the 1997 draft with the 12th pick and paid Tampa Bay an additional third-rounder, No. 63, to climb to No. 6. The target was offensive tackle Walter Jones. Both club histories and the draft-pick transaction record show the same exchange: Seattle received the sixth pick, while Tampa Bay received Nos. 12 and 63. It was a classic premium-position move, with Seattle paying extra to secure a specific elite prospect.
What Walter Jones Became
Jones justified the aggression. He started all 180 regular-season games he played, spent his entire career with Seattle and entered the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2014. He became one of the defining left tackles of his era and anchored the Seahawks line for more than a decade. Finding a Hall of Fame player at a premium position is the highest possible outcome for a draft-day trade-up, and Seattle achieved it.
What Tampa Bay Built With the Return
The Buccaneers also drafted extremely well. At No. 12 they selected Warrick Dunn, who won Offensive Rookie of the Year, made three Pro Bowls over his career and rushed for 10,967 yards. At No. 63 they selected guard Frank Middleton, who played 109 NFL games and started 92. Tampa Bay therefore turned one premium pick into two substantial NFL careers. This was not a case of one club failing while the other succeeded.
Final Verdict
Seattle Seahawks Win, but both teams earn elite marks. Seattle receives an A+ because Walter Jones became a franchise cornerstone and Hall of Famer. Tampa Bay earns an A because Dunn was a star and Middleton became a long-term starter. The Seahawks get the verdict because Jones was the best and most valuable player created by the exchange, especially at left tackle, but Tampa Bay’s return was excellent in its own right.