Chargers deal cornerback Avery Smith to Seahawks for 2027 sixth-round pick (reported)

The Los Angeles Chargers have reportedly traded cornerback Avery Smith to the Seattle Seahawks for a 2027 sixth-round draft pick, according to Tom Pelissero reporting via The Ringer and circulated by Pro Football Rumors. The move ends Smith’s brief stint with the Chargers after they brought him in as an undrafted free agent during the spring.

For the Chargers, the reported trade looks like an investment decision with limited downside. Smith was not part of the team’s drafted class, and trading a player for a late-round selection can be a way to reallocate roster and practice-squad opportunities while still collecting future capital. The compensation, a 2027 sixth-round pick, suggests the Chargers valued the ability to turn an unproven rookie contract opportunity into a future selection.

For Seattle, acquiring Smith provides another young defensive back option as the Seahawks continue to shape their secondary through the draft and supplemental moves. The Seahawks’ reported return includes a pick in the middle-to-late range of the draft, implying they expect Smith to be at least a developmental piece. Cornerback depth often becomes an organizational need late in a season, particularly for teams that prefer to keep multiple players ready for rotation roles.

The timing also matters. Transactions close to the season’s start tend to reflect how teams view their current depth chart and practice reps. While Smith’s status with the Chargers was clearly part of the team’s plans enough to keep him through the spring window, the decision to move him now indicates that Seattle has a role in mind, whether that is competing for snaps, adding special-teams value, or covering specific scheme needs.

Contract and procedural details are not included in the reporting, and the transaction is presented as a report rather than an official league release in the source available here. As with many draft-pick trades involving late picks and undrafted players, specifics such as conditional language, roster protections, or additional exchanges cannot be confirmed from the information provided.

What to watch next is how Smith fits into Seattle’s cornerback group, particularly in the early-season rotation and in practice utilization. The Seahawks’ approach to developing undrafted or fringe defensive backs will be a key indicator of whether Smith is viewed as immediate depth or a longer-term developmental plan. For Los Angeles, the main question will be how they replace that cornerback opportunity internally, since the reported trade also changes the competition and depth behind their established defensive backs.