NFL Trade Verdict

Seattle Seahawks Win

Seattle traded LB Aaron Curry, the #4 overall pick in 2009 and one of the most disappointing early picks in franchise history, to Oakland for late-round draft compensation. The return ultimately helped Seattle land J.R. Sweezy, a useful starter on the offensive line. Curry's exit was a salvage operation after a disastrous top-five selection. Getting any useful draft value mattered, and the downstream Sweezy outcome made the trade far better than it looked in the moment. It does not erase the original draft miss, but it was a smart recovery move by Seattle.

October 14, 2011 Seattle SeahawksLas Vegas Raiders Confidence: high Tier: standard

Seattle Seahawks Received

Trade Summary

Seattle traded LB Aaron Curry, the #4 overall pick in 2009 and one of the most disappointing early picks in franchise history, to Oakland for late-round draft compensation. The return ultimately helped Seattle land J.R. Sweezy, a useful starter on the offensive line. Curry's exit was a salvage operation after a disastrous top-five selection. Getting any useful draft value mattered, and the downstream Sweezy outcome made the trade far better than it looked in the moment. It does not erase the original draft miss, but it was a smart recovery move by Seattle.

Trade Analysis

Seattle traded LB Aaron Curry, the #4 overall pick in 2009 and one of the most disappointing early picks in franchise history, to Oakland for late-round draft compensation. The return ultimately helped Seattle land J.R. Sweezy, a useful starter on the offensive line. Curry's exit was a salvage operation after a disastrous top-five selection. Getting any useful draft value mattered, and the downstream Sweezy outcome made the trade far better than it looked in the moment. It does not erase the original draft miss, but it was a smart recovery move by Seattle. The partner acquired the known player while surrendering draft flexibility.