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Pat McAfee praises Seahawks for Leonard Williams trade
Pat McAfee explains why he’s happy the Seattle Seahawks traded Leonard Williams.
In exchange for Williams, according to sources, the Seahawks are sending a 2024 second-round pick and a 2025 fifth-round pick to the Giants.
The Giants are getting most of the $10 million owed to Williams, sources told ESPN’s Jordan Ranan.
The NFL trade deadline is Tuesday at 4pm ET.
The trade comes a day after the Giants lost in overtime to the New York Jets to fall to 2-6, last place in the NFC East. The Seahawks, who defeated the Cleveland Browns to improve to 5-2, lead the NFC West.
The Seahawks got strong play from defensive linemen Dre’Mont Jones and Jarran Reed this season, but they lacked depth behind those two and veteran Mario Edwards, and needed another difference-maker up front after losing outside linebacker Uchenna Nwosu for one season. Ending the chest injury in the seventh week.
The Seahawks’ trade for Williams represents the most significant deadline acquisition made by general manager John Schneider and coach Pete Carroll since they added safety Quandre Diggs from the Detroit Lions in 2019.
On his Seattle Sports 710-AM radio show Monday morning, Carroll was asked if the Seahawks would try to make an addition before the deadline.
“We are always competing,” he said. “We’re always competing. If there’s an opportunity to do something, we’re always available…Johnny is working on it.”
The Seahawks no longer have more draft picks coming via the Russell Wilson trade to the Denver Broncos in 2022, but they did get an additional 2024 third-round pick from another trade they made to Denver in April’s draft, which helps offset the second-rounder they’ll be sending. To the Giants for Williams.
After the Seahawks’ win over the Giants in Week 4, Carroll praised the work Seattle’s offensive line did against what he described as the best group of interior defensive linemen they would face all season, referring to Williams and Dexter Lawrence.
The move comes as the Giants struggle and look to add resources for the future. Williams was in the final year of a three-year, $63 million deal signed in 2021. He was unlikely to return next season at that hefty price after the team committed to signing Lawrence this offseason.
A source told Raanan that Williams is one of several Giants players who have attracted interest ahead of Tuesday’s trade deadline. It’s possible New York could make more moves, though the team recently told running back Saquon Barkley that their intention is not to trade him.
Cornerback Adoree’ Jackson and wide receiver Parris Campbell are two other potential trade options.
The Giants’ previous regime under Dave Gettleman traded for Williams from the Jets in 2019. That cost them a third- and fourth-round pick at the time. The difference was that the Giants were in the midst of a lost season while the Seahawks were potential NFC contenders.
Four years and one day later, Williams left New York for the first time in his career. He was drafted by the Jets sixth overall in 2015. He leaves a huge void in the middle of the Giants’ defense, which has been built around Lawrence and Williams up the middle the past few years.
The Giants defense will now likely turn its focus to Lawrence and outside linebacker Kayvon Thibodeau, who had three sacks Sunday against the Jets and now has 8.5 this season.
Williams has 1.5 sacks this season and 39.5 sacks in his career.
News of the trade was first reported by NFL Network.
ESPN’s Brady Henderson contributed to this report.
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