The Seattle Seahawks bolstered their receiving corps by trading for New Orleans Saints wide receiver Rashid Shaheed ahead of the 2025 NFL trade deadline. Seattle sent a 2026 fourth-round pick and a fifth-round pick to New Orleans for the 27-year-old speedster. Shaheed reunites with former Saints offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, now with the Seahawks.
The trade occurred on Tuesday, filling a key need for the Seahawks, who entered the deadline seeking receiver depth and a deep threat. Shaheed, an undrafted free agent signed by the Saints in 2022, has recorded 216 receptions for 2,055 yards and 12 touchdowns over his tenure in New Orleans. His standout 2023 season featured career highs of 46 catches for 719 yards and five scores, while he earned All-Pro honors as a return specialist, averaging 13.6 yards per punt return with one touchdown.
This season, Shaheed has been reliable with 44 receptions for 499 yards and two touchdowns, maintaining at least four catches in each of nine games—a streak tied for the NFL's third-longest active. He ranks third league-wide since 2022 with 11 touchdown receptions of 40 yards or more, trailing only Ja'Marr Chase and Tyreek Hill. A highlight was his 87-yard touchdown in the Saints' Week 5 upset over the Giants. As a returner, he has 10 punt returns for 129 yards this year, plus one kickoff return for 29 yards, including another punt-return score in 2024 at a career-high 15.9 yards per return.
For Seattle, now 6-2 and leading the NFC West, Shaheed joins a potent offense led by Jaxon Smith-Njigba's NFL-leading 948 receiving yards. Quarterback Sam Darnold has completed over 70% of his passes with 16 touchdowns against five interceptions. The move addresses depth issues exposed in their 38-point Week 9 win over the Commanders, where Cooper Kupp (heel, hamstring), Dareke Young (quadricep) and Jake Bobo (Achilles) were sidelined. Darnold threw for 330 yards and four touchdowns in that game, with 129 yards to Smith-Njigba.
Under Kubiak, Shaheed previously posted 20 catches for 349 yards and three touchdowns in six games. His contract expires after this season, making him a potential short-term addition, but he also brings return value as a 2023 All-Pro.
The 1-8 Saints, with a rookie quarterback and first-year coach, prioritized future assets by acquiring the picks, avoiding a possible free-agent loss after 2025. Trade grades reflect the deal's balance: an A- for Seattle's immediate boost and a B for New Orleans' rebuild focus.