Not long after one receiver domino fell on the trade front, another swap has been worked out at the position. To little surprise, Rashid Shaheed is on the move.
The Saints are sending Shaheed to the Seahawks, Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network report. Seattle’s passing attack will receive a boost for at least the second half of the campaign with the pending free agent in the fold. This swap will allow for Shaheed to reunite with offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak. New Orleans will receive fourth- and fifth-round picks in 2026, ESPN’s Adam Schefter adds. The trade is now official.
Earlier today, veteran insider Jordan Schultz identified the Seahawks as one of the candidates to make a notable addition. Jay Glazer of Fox Sports later confirmed Seattle could be among the teams to swing a move hours before this afternoon’s deadline. That has indeed taken place, and the 6-2 outfit will have a notable new element on offense for the stretch run.
The Seahawks entered Tuesday with nearly $21MM in cap space; they will take on the prorated remainder of Shaheed’s $4.2MM salary. Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated notes no extension agreement has been worked out as part of this trade. As such, this is strictly a rental acquisition.
Seattle had emerged as one of the candidates for an offensive line addition on the trade front. One could still be coming, of course, but for the time being it appears this will be the team’s primary move ahead of the second half of the campaign. Jaxon Smith-Njigba has been stellar in 2025, and he currently leads the NFL with 948 receiving yards. Free addition Cooper Kupp missed Sunday’s night’s win while dealing with heel and hamstring injuries. This move may be a sign more missed time is forthcoming in his case.
Even if not, though, Shaheed will be in line to serve as a strong complementary option for his new team. The 27-year-old has flashed potential as a deep threat over the course of his Saints tenure, averaging 14.9 yards per catch across his career. Adding a vertical element to a WR room led by Smith-Njigba and Kupp could be key in allowing the Seahawks to remain in contention for the top spot in the highly-competitive NFC West.
The Saints have been linked to trades involving not only Shaheed but also fellow wideout Chris Olave. The latter would have been a more surprising trade target, and an extension could be in the team’s plans. That may be especially true without Shaheed in the fold any longer. New Orleans had set a high asking price leading up to the deadline, reportedly asking at least one suitor for a third-round selection. To no surprise, that did not prove attainable, especially with a pair of Day 3 picks being moved for Jakobi Meyers.
Shaheed always represented the Seahawks’ top target at the receiver spot based on Kubiak’s presence, Rapoport notes (video link). A lengthy acclimation period will not be required based on the familiarity between the two. Kubiak served as New Orleans’ OC in 2024, a year in which Shaheed was on track to deliver another strong campaign before suffering a season-ending knee injury. Now healthy, he will look to boost his market value with a new team as the Seahawks prepare for what could be a deep playoff run.
New Orleans had previously set an asking price of a third-rounder, but they accepted less value for Shaheed knowing that he was hitting free agency in March. He was hesitant about the team’s quarterback situation, according to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, making him less likely to re-sign with the Saints.
