**Seattle Seahawks Acquire Leonard Williams from New York Giants in Trade**
By Dianna Russini, Charlotte Carroll, Jeff Howe and Michael-Shawn Dugar
The Seattle Seahawks and the New York Giants have come to an agreement on a trade deal that will see defensive end Leonard Williams move to Seattle. In exchange, the Giants will receive a 2024 second-round pick and a 2025 fifth-round pick. The trade was announced on Monday.
One noteworthy aspect of the trade is that the Giants will retain a significant portion of Williams’ salary. This means that the Seahawks will only be responsible for paying the balance of the veteran minimum for this season. League sources have confirmed this information.
This is not the first time that Williams has been traded just before the trade deadline. In 2019, he was sent from the New York Jets to the Giants in exchange for third- and fifth-round picks.
During his time in New York this season, Williams has recorded 21 tackles and 1 1/2 sacks in eight games.
**What the deal says about Giants’ long-term plans**
The trade signifies a major move for the Giants, indicating that they are planning for the future beyond the current season. By unloading Williams’ hefty contract, the Giants’ general manager, Joe Schoen, and the team have acquired two valuable draft selections as building blocks. It is estimated that Williams is owed approximately $10 million, which the Seahawks do not have the cap space for. Consequently, the Giants will assume the majority of this salary as they focus on their long-term plans.
Although the Giants have struggled offensively this season with a 2-6 record, their defense, anchored by Williams and Dexter Lawrence, has been solid. In an effort to provide some rest for Lawrence and Williams, the Giants added Rakeem Nunez-Riches and A’Shawn Robinson to beef up the defensive line. With Williams now gone, Lawrence and the newly added players are expected to take on more playing time. – Charlotte Carroll, Giants staff writer
**Trade affirms Schoen is a seller**
The trade also confirms that Schoen has adopted a seller approach to bolster the Giants’ roster. In last season’s trade deadline, Schoen traded Kadarius Toney to the Chiefs, resulting in the acquisition of a 2023 compensatory third-round pick and a 2023 sixth-round pick. Although the Giants had a strong start last season, the move was made in line with Schoen and the front office’s rebuilding plans. One year later, that trade has evolved into the acquisition of Darren Waller and the drafting of cornerback Tre Hawkins.
While the Giants will have to deal with the financial implications of the trade, the deal appears favorable as it allows Schoen and coach Brian Daboll to continue building, considering the team’s current standing this year. On the other side, Williams will have the opportunity to showcase his pass rush skills for a competing team, reuniting with former Giant safety Julian Love in Seattle. – Carroll
**How Williams helps Seattle**
The Seahawks have received solid performances from Jarran Reed and Dre’Mont Jones, their latest free agent signing in the defensive tackle position. However, behind them, the Seahawks have relied on fourth-round rookie Cam Young, veteran Mario Edwards Jr., and Myles Adams. Williams has the potential to make a bigger impact than the current reserves in the Seahawks’ defensive front.
After last season’s wild-card loss to the San Francisco 49ers, coach Pete Carroll recognized the need for more dynamism in the team’s defensive line. He believed that the gap between the Seahawks and their divisional rivals could be explained by the quality of players on San Francisco’s D-line. With the Seahawks currently leading in the division standings, they wanted to address this gap to avoid another premature end to their season. – Michael-Shawn Dugar, Seahawks staff writer