Seattle acquired tight end Kellen Winslow from Tampa Bay in…
Seattle acquired tight end Kellen Winslow from Tampa Bay in May 2012 for a 2013 conditional seventh-round pick that could have become a sixth-rounder. Seattle released Winslow before the regular season, and the Seahawks' own trade history says the conditions were not met, so Tampa Bay ultimately received no exercised selection from the deal.
Seattle Seahawks Received
- player Kellen Winslow
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Received
- pick 2013 conditional seventh-round pick (could become a sixth-round pick; trade criteria not met)
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
Seattle traded a conditional 2013 draft choice to Tampa Bay for Kellen Winslow in May 2012. Contemporary reporting identified the choice as a seventh-rounder that could rise to a sixth-rounder. The Seahawks were seeking another receiving option at tight end, while Tampa Bay was reshaping its roster under a new coaching staff and was ready to move on.
Seattle's Return
The football return never reached the regular season. Winslow worked through the offseason and preseason, but Seattle released him on September 1, 2012. That meant the Seahawks received no regular-season receptions, starts, or sustained roster value from the acquisition. The short stay also explains why this transaction should not be represented as if Tampa Bay received a completed 2012 draft choice.
Tampa Bay's Return
Seattle's official trade history states that the trade criteria were not met. The conditional pick therefore was not exercised, so Tampa Bay did not receive a draft selection. Even so, the Buccaneers achieved their immediate objective of moving a player who no longer fit their plans and shedding the associated roster commitment. Their gain was organizational flexibility rather than draft capital.
Value in Hindsight
Because the condition failed, Seattle did not lose an actual selection, which limits the damage. Still, the Seahawks spent time and a roster spot evaluating a veteran who never played a regular-season snap for them. Tampa Bay likewise received no pick, but it had already decided Winslow was not part of its future. That makes the Buccaneers' outcome slightly more favorable rather than a major win.
Final Verdict
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Win. Tampa Bay receives a B- for cleanly moving on from Winslow without taking on additional cost, even though the conditional selection never conveyed. Seattle earns a D+ because the acquisition produced no regular-season value, though the failed condition protected the Seahawks from losing draft capital. The deal is a modest Tampa Bay win, not a blockbuster.