The Seattle Seahawks have quietly played their way into one of the more intriguing situations of the season. Somehow, someway, they’re sitting at 5-2, knotted with the Los Angeles Rams atop the NFC West. And they need to make sure that they get things right before the trade deadline to compete well in the second half of the season.

Head coach Mike Macdonald knows that getting these next few days right could make all the difference for the second half of the year. Here’s the catch, though: Seattle might not be able to keep everyone. Multiple teams have reportedly called the Seahawks about two of their cornerstones, linebacker Boye Mafe and cornerback Riq Woolen.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter said, “Seattle hasn’t wanted to trade Mafe or Woolen, according to sources, but it will be interesting to see how aggressive another team might be ahead of Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline.”

He also noted that the reason they might end up trading them away is that the Seahawks have some major contract liabilities every year. They have to pay up wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, offensive tackle Charles Cross, and cornerback Devon Witherspoon. Of course, they can’t afford to pay everyone in the world.

When you look at Boye Mafe and Riq Woolen this season, it’s hard not to feel a little underwhelmed. Let’s start with Mafe. A second-round pick in 2022, he looked like a breakout star the past two years, racking up 15 sacks and looking every bit the ascending edge presence the Seahawks thought they drafted.

But fast forward to this season, and it’s been all quiet on the pass-rush front. Zero sacks, one tackle for loss, and not a whole lot of disruption through seven games. For a player who turns 27 this year and hits free agency after the season, that’s a tough combination.

Then there’s Woolen. Remember his rookie year? Six interceptions, freakish athleticism at 6-foot-4, and the kind of length-speed combo that made him look like a prototype corner for the next decade. That version hasn’t shown up this fall. He’s got 19 tackles in six games, no interceptions, and just three passes defensed. The splash plays just aren’t there.

He’s heading into the final year of his $3.9 million rookie deal, and with so many extensions looming, it’s fair to wonder if Seattle will even entertain a new deal right now.

The Seahawks cannot pay everyone

And that’s really the heart of it for the Seahawks. Even if they don’t make any big moves midseason, the salary cap realities are impossible to ignore. Charles Cross and Devon Witherspoon, both first-rounders, come with fifth-year options, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba will be extension-eligible after 2025.

Cross already had his fifth-year option picked up this offseason, keeping him under contract through 2026 and giving him a solid raise. But his next deal will be massive, and the Seahawks won’t let a franchise player walk like that. The same goes for Witherspoon. He’s everything you want in a modern corner: aggressive, smart, versatile. He’s not going anywhere.

But the biggest cash spend would probably be on Jaxon Smith-Njigba. The former first-rounder has already made a Pro Bowl and continues to look every bit like the kind of player you build an offense around. Spotrac projects his next deal around three years, $109.5 million, roughly $36 million a season.

And it’s not too hard to understand why. In October alone, Smith-Njigba put up 24 catches, 417 yards, and three touchdowns on 36 targets. He also became the first Seattle receiver ever to win Offensive Player of the Month. He’s earned every bit of what’s coming.