The Seahawks indeed have made a trade before the NFL deadline.
Seattle has an agreement to trade two draft choices to the New Orleans Saints to acquire 2023 All-Pro wide receiver Rashid Shaheed. That is per multiple reports Tuesday morning including by the league-owned television network and website.
The deal reported sends a fourth-plus a fifth-round pick to the Saints for the 27-year-old receiver. He also has returned punts and kickoffs in his four NFL seasons.
In making the trade for Shaheed the Seahawks are banking on familiarity with their offensive system and play-calling. Klint Kubiak, Seattle’s offensive coordinator, was New Orleans’ offensive coordinator last season calling Shaheed’s plays with the Saints.
Seattle has had quarterback Sam Darnold throwing primarily, and efficiently, to Jaxon Smith-Njigba, the NFL’s leading receiving halfway through the season. He set a team record Sunday night with his fourth consecutive 100-yard receiving game, in the Seahawks’ blowout win at Washington.
But 32-year-old wide receiver Cooper Kupp missed that game. The 2021 NFL offensive player of that year and Super Bowl MVP to end that season with the Los Angeles Rams has two leg injuries, a heel before he injured his hamstring in practice last week. His previous three seasons with the Rams were all filled with injuries. That is why they released the Yakima native this offseason.
The Seahawks signed him to a three-year contract worth up to $45 million as a free agent.
Seattle’s third wide receiver has been rookie Tory Horton, who also returns punts. The fifth-round pick from Colorado State had two touchdown catches in his most prominent game so far at Washington this past weekend, with Kupp out.
This story will be updated.