Four thoughts on the report from ESPN's Dianna Russini that the Seattle Seahawks are trying to trade veteran wide receiver Jermaine Kearse:

What the WR depth chart could look like. Kearse's departure via either a trade or a release (more on that possibility later) would create some room in what has become a crowded group of receivers behind Doug Baldwin and Tyler Lockett, the presumed starters. Kearse was Seattle's No. 2 receiver for most of the past three seasons, but his drop-off in production allowed Lockett to supplant him late last season before Lockett broke his leg. Paul Richardson has at times worked ahead of Kearse in Seattle's receiver rotation this summer, including in the preseason, when he has been the No. 2 because Lockett hasn't played. So Kearse's departure would likely secure Richardson's spot at No. 3. Rookie Amara Darboh and third-year pro Kasen Williams would then be virtual locks to make the roster, which has seemed likely but not quite set in stone. And it could open up a spot for Tanner McEvoy or rookie David Moore to make the team as the sixth receiver, if Seattle keeps that many.

Seahawks would be counting on unproven players. Seattle's apparent willingness to move on from Kearse is understandable from a production standpoint. But the five-year veteran has extensive experience in Seattle's offense and has been durable, two things the Seahawks can't say about any of their receivers behind Baldwin and Lockett. Richardson has elite speed but has had a hard time staying healthy, missing 17 games over his three seasons. Darboh, a third-round pick out of Michigan, impressed the team early in the summer but hasn't done much since dealing with injuries. Williams has made some spectacular plays in the preseason, but has played in only three regular-season games while spending most of his first two years on the practice squad. There's also the fact that Lockett is coming off a serious injury. The Seahawks have plenty of talent at the back end of their receiver corps, but if they were to move on from Kearse, they'd be taking a leap of faith that those unproven players can step up -- and stay healthy -- in his absence.

Could this be a precursor to a larger move? The three-year, $13.5 million deal Kearse signed in March 2016 is scheduled to pay him $2.2 million in base salary this season. So the Seahawks would not be saving a significant amount of money by trading him, particularly when factoring in the cost of adding a replacement. It's unlikely Seattle would be able to get much more than a late-round pick, if anything, in a straight-up trade for Kearse. But might the Seahawks have larger plans in mind? They're not particularly deep at defensive tackle and could be looking for a difference-maker at that position with top draft pick Malik McDowell potentially unavailable for his entire rookie season after suffering injuries in a vehicular accident. Acquiring a high-priced player such as Sheldon Richardson of the Jets would require Seattle to shed quite a bit of salary. Kearse's would be a start.

What if he's not traded? This type of activity is common as NFL teams prepare to trim their rosters from 90 to the league-mandated limit of 53 this weekend. A report that a team is trying to trade a player can mean said team is strongly considering releasing that player and is looking to see what he might bring in a trade. What that means for Kearse is that even if Seattle isn't willing to find a trade partner, there's no guarantee he'll remain with the Seahawks.