Seattle, WA
Do Seattle Seahawks have enough draft picks for every need?
The Seattle Seahawks currently hold the No. 16 overall pick in the first round of the NFL Draft on Thursday night.
If history is any indication, there’s certainly a chance Seattle might end up trading that pick to acquire more draft capital.
What’s happened when Seahawks trade back in 1st round of draft
Under general manager John Schneider, the Seahawks have traded back from their first-round pick in six of the past 14 drafts. Adding picks could be especially appealing to them this year, given that they dealt their second-round pick to the New York Giants last October as part of the trade for defensive lineman Leonard Williams.
In all, Seattle currently has seven picks: A first-rounder (No. 16), a third-rounder (No. 81), two fourth-rounders (No. 102 and No. 118), two sixth-rounders (No. 179 and No. 192) and a seventh-rounder (No. 235).
Do the Seahawks currently have enough draft capital to fill all the holes on their roster? Bob Stelton posed that question to former NFL linebacker Dave Wyman on Tuesday during Seattle Sports’ Wyman and Bob.
“Yes, I think they do, if you’re drafting for position,” Wyman said. “But they’re not going to draft by position. They’re going to draft like, ‘Where is the best (player)? We can create competition.’ That’s what (former coach Pete Carroll) used to talk about all the time – that these guys are gonna come in and they’re gonna compete. And that’s what you want. You want it to be a difficult decision (for playing time).”
Impact players or place-holders?
When evaluating Seattle’s areas of need right now, the complicating factor is that there are so many new and unproven players.
Under new coach Mike Macdonald, the Seahawks have undergone a significant roster overhaul this offseason. The team has parted ways with veteran players and replaced them with a slew of new faces with varying degrees of experience – most of whom are on one-year or short-term deals.
“There are names there, but are they good?” Stelton said. “Are they guys that you look at and say they are gonna make this a better team, or are they just occupying a spot right now? … The names are there, but whether they’re gonna be anybody that has any impact or will even make this team is a completely different conversation.”
Wyman pointed to safety as an example of the uncertainty on Seattle’s current roster. Julian Love, a Pro Bowler with the Seahawks last year, is a proven talent. Rayshawn Jenkins, a free-agent signing from Jacksonville, has 80 career starts. But the other five safeties on Seattle’s roster right now have combined for just 27 starts.
“There’s always gonna be some question marks (on a roster),” Wyman said. “But they do have the bodies. They’ve gone and gotten them in free agency. … You’d like to count on those guys, but you still don’t know, because they haven’t played here yet.”
Listen to the full conversation from Tuesday’s Wyman and Bob in the podcast at this link or in the player near the top of this post.
More on Seattle Seahawks and NFL Draft
• Brock’s Hawks Draft Profile: Trade-back target on the edge
• Kimes: How offense-heavy draft could benefit Hawks’ defense
• Former NFL GM: Hawks are ‘sleepers’ to draft QB
• Is Hawks’ Schneider or Macdonald under more pressure in 2024?
• Klatt: Why Seattle Seahawks should draft Michael Penix Jr. at No. 16
We haven’t been through The Junction in a few days so we don’t know how long this has been up, but this mural on the east side of the California/Erskine 7-Eleven caught our eye this evening, so we pulled over for a quick through-the-windshield pic. It bears both the Coca-Cola and 7-Eleven logos, so we’re pretty sure it’s official, though probably not part of the major Seattle World Cup mural project. (Seen other signs of World Cup mania-to-come in West Seattle? Let us know – thank you!)
SEATTLE — In neighborhoods like Little Saigon, near 12th and Jackson, the drug crisis is hard to miss.
Crowds gather on sidewalks, some openly using drugs while others sell stolen goods. The area has become one of Seattle’s most visible hotspots for crime, disorder, and overdose response.
RELATED | Seattle rolls out diversion program for misdemeanor drug cases
Seattle’s drug ordinance was meant to address scenes like this. It requires police to focus on diversion, not jail, for people caught using or possessing drugs.
On Tuesday, the Seattle City Council’s Public Safety Committee received a presentation on the effectiveness of the drug law and the diversion programs officers can make referrals to instead of jail.
Under department policy, officers are encouraged to refer people to treatment or services whenever possible. Arrest is supposed to be a last resort. And programs like LEAD, or Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion, are available 24/7 to divert people before they ever reach jail.
Research presented during the public safety presentation shows diversion can work. Independent studies found LEAD reduced repeat offenses by nearly 60%, cut felony charges, and significantly increased housing and employment outcomes.
However, the reality on the ground looks significantly different.
SEE ALSO | Belltown residents report rampant drug activity despite new SODA law
Open drug use remains a common sight in some of Seattle’s hardest-hit neighborhoods, even as the city’s drug law was designed to prioritize treatment over jail.
From 2024 to 2025, pre-arrest diversion dropped by 41%, and LEAD diversions overall fell by 30%. At the same time, arrests increased by 47%.
Funding cuts to LEAD in recent years had an impact on reducing its capacity, though that funding has since been stabilized.
During the meeting, Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes said diversion is still a key part of the solution, but not the only one. Barnes said officers need clearer standards for when to act, especially as the public grows frustrated seeing illegal drug use happening openly, sometimes right in front of police.
Current policy includes a broad checklist of factors before making an arrest, from a person’s behavior to their location near schools, parks, or transit. That complexity can lead to inaction.
SEE ALSO | Evaluating Seattle’s efforts against open-air drug use presents progress and challenges
Barnes also pointed to operational realities, including staffing challenges and limited diversion capacity, as factors affecting how the law is being enforced.
Meanwhile, illegal street sales continue to fuel the crisis, creating environments where drug use, theft, and violence intersect.
During public testimony at the start of the meeting, some community members said what’s needed is a more balanced approach, one that enforces clear public behavior standards while expanding access to treatment and outreach.
Without that, the system risks leaving neighborhoods unsafe while also not providing the help needed by people living with addiction.
You can’t have a “bee garden” without bees. So these bees showed up just in time for the heart of spring, and beyond, at the West Seattle Bee Garden in High Point. Thanks to Amy for this update (with video and photo):
Meet the new neighbors!
We’ve recently installed new honeybee hives at West Seattle Bee Garden. The bees are settling in to their new home, and the garden is starting to come alive for spring.
We are also gearing up for the annual Bee Fest, May 16th from 12-3 pm, where the community can come for some bee demos, local honey, enjoy some family friendly activities, and get some gardening advice.
For anyone interested in volunteering, please contact wsbeefest@gmail.com.
It’s been 13 years since the West Seattle Bee Garden was launched on the north side of High Point Commons Park (Graham/Lanham).
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