Teams have inquired to the Seattle Seahawks about the availability of standout linebacker Boye Mafe and former Pro Bowl cornerback Riq Woolen, sources told ESPN on Saturday.
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.
The Seahawks have some big contracts to pay in their future — wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, offensive tackle Charles Cross and cornerback Devon Witherspoon — and they can’t afford to pay everyone.
Mafe, who turns 27 later this month, recorded 15 sacks over the past two seasons, but he enters Sunday with zero sacks and only one tackle for loss in seven games this year. The 2022 second-round draft selection is set to become a free agent after this season.
Woolen also was drafted in 2022 by Seattle — in the sixth round — and has struggled this season after a great start to his career. He tied for the league lead with six interceptions as a rookie but has no interceptions and three passes defensed this season. Woolen’s rookie deal also is set to expire after this season.
Several other high-profile players around the NFL have been discussed ahead of Tuesday’s 4 p.m. ET trade deadline:
• The Bengals have told teams they don’t intend to trade Trey Hendrickson, sources told ESPN. But if the Bengals lose Sunday to the Bears and drop to 3-6, there are some sources who have wondered if that might be enough to change Cincinnati’s stance.
Hendrickson, who did not practice this week and is doubtful to play Sunday because of a hip injury, had a prolonged contract dispute with the Bengals that ended two weeks before the start of the season, when he received a $13 million raise for the final year of his current contract. The four-time Pro Bowler has four sacks in six games this season.
Another Cincinnati defensive standout whose name has come up as the deadline approaches is linebacker Logan Wilson, who requested to be traded less than two weeks ago.
Teams that have expressed some level of interest in Wilson are the Bills, Cowboys and Colts, sources told ESPN. Wilson also is listed as doubtful for Sunday’s game against the Bears because of a calf injury.
• The Vikings did not want to head into this season without an experienced veteran backup quarterback, which is why — when they traded Sam Howell to the Eagles — they already had a deal lined up with veteran Carson Wentz, who underwent season-ending shoulder surgery last week.
If that was Minnesota’s thought process before the season, sources believe it would be the same now, with the Vikings still needing an experienced veteran backup quarterback for J.J. McCarthy.
Kirk Cousins would make sense, but the Falcons haven’t shown any willingness to trade him, and Atlanta needs an experienced veteran backup of its own. The Giants also have two experienced backups in Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston.
League sources believe Minnesota still could make a move for some type of quarterback by Tuesday’s deadline.
• While Cleveland already has completed three trades in the past month — acquiring offensive tackle Cam Robinson, sending quarterback Joe Flacco to Cincinnati and swapping cornerbacks with Jacksonville — most sources believe that the Browns will be aggressive in acquiring players before the deadline.
The Browns do not sound inclined to trade tight end David Njoku, but they have been calling around the league, still looking to add quality young players to their roster.
