Seattle acquired Chris Clemons and a 2010 fourth-round pick…

Pete Carroll and John Schneider were only months into reshaping Seattle's roster when they made a low-profile trade that became one of their best early moves. On March 16, 2010, the Seahawks sent defensive end Darryl Tapp to Philadelphia for Chris Clemons and a fourth-round choice. Philadelphia wanted a younger lineman with starting experience, while Seattle saw untapped edge-rushing ability in Clemons, who had mostly been a situational player.

Clemons immediately transformed his career. He recorded 11 sacks in each of his first three Seahawks seasons, giving Seattle the consistent edge pressure it had lacked. He suffered a knee injury during the 2012 postseason but returned in 2013 and contributed to the defense that won Super Bowl XLVIII. Across four Seattle seasons he produced 38 sacks, a remarkable return for a player Philadelphia was willing to include alongside a draft pick.

Tapp gave the Eagles useful but much smaller value. He spent three seasons in Philadelphia as part of the defensive-line rotation, recording 6.5 sacks and providing experience at end. He was a legitimate contributor, but he never approached Clemons' impact as a pass rusher. Philadelphia also surrendered the fourth-round selection that became No. 127, which Seattle used on defensive end E.J. Wilson; Wilson contributed little, but the extra asset only strengthens Seattle's side of the exchange.

The date and Philadelphia perspective are now fully reconciled. Seattle earns an A+ for acquiring four seasons of high-level pass rush, including a championship year, while also receiving a draft choice. Philadelphia gets a C for obtaining several seasons of rotational work from Tapp. The Seahawks won decisively because Clemons became the best player in the transaction by a wide margin.