RENTON -- Given two opportunities to make a pick on Thursday night, the Seahawks punted on both occasions in moving out of the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft.
"Sorry guys," Seahawks G.M. John Schneider said with a wry smile as he entered the media room following the conclusion of the first round.
It's the fourth time in five years Seattle has not had a first-round pick.
"It just made sense based on where we were," Schneider said. "We didn't see the last (trade) coming. I didn't think that was going to happen. I thought we were going to pick but the player was still available so our guys did a great job of working the phones and we were able to put something together."
By twice trading down, the Seahawks managed to gain three additional draft picks this weekend to increase their total allotment from seven to 10. They gained a third-round pick (No. 95 overall) and a seventh-round pick (No. 249 overall) to move down five spots from No. 26 to No. 31 in a trade with the Atlanta Falcons.
The Seahawks then traded down again, moving from No. 31 to No. 34 and picking up a fourth-round pick (No. 111 overall) from the San Francisco 49ers.
"It was to a certain extent but not at the cost of losing a player, no," Schneider said.
Added head coach Pete Carroll: "That's what was great. We didn't feel like we lost a player to make the move so it really kept us incentivized. It was good."
The Seahawks now have a whopping six draft picks scheduled in tomorrow's second- and third-rounds, including five selections in a 21-pick span.
The total slate of picks is as follows:
2nd -- No. 34
2nd -- No. 58
3rd -- No. 90
3rd -- No. 95
3rd -- No. 102
3rd -- No. 106
4th -- No. 111
6th -- No. 210
7th -- No. 226
7th -- No. 249
"We're in a great spot in a couple of these rounds right now," Carroll said. "We're not going to turn down the phone calls. John's going to be working it."
Schneider wouldn't get into whether they took any additional calls from teams inquiring about cornerback Richard Sherman in trade. Schneider and Carroll also didn't have much to say about the trade sending Marshawn Lynch to Oakland completed on Wednesday.
Schneider didn't have anything to say on the topic while Carroll just said "we wish him the best."
Seattle holds the second pick of the day tomorrow.
Photo Credit: Seahawks G.M. John Schneider discusses Seattle's two trades to move out of the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft. (photo by Curtis Crabtree / Sports Radio 950 KJR)