Going deep: Highlights, updates from every Seahawks WR
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Going deep: Highlights, updates from every Seahawks WR
Seaside Bonus: Updates on Seattle's 13 wide receivers
The Seattle Seahawks currently have 13 wide receivers on the roster and while we know of two starters, the competition is heavy to be numbers three, four, and five, to say the least.
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Kevin Kassis:
Undrafted free agent Kevin Kassis last played football in 2019 at Montana State. He was working at an eye care company until deciding to re-dedicate himself to football roughly six months ago. He was invited to participate in Montana State’s pro day, which had significant interest because of former teammate Troy Andersen’s rising stock over the last year.
Kassis’s pro day measurements are not known. He caught 67 passes for 871 yards and six touchdowns in his final season for the Bobcats.
Dareke Young:
My first write-up on Dareke Young is here.
Dareke Young spoke to reporters in May about his first rookie minicamp. Coaches were reportedly not happy that they weren’t available for some minicamp workouts last week.
Young had 25 catches for 303 yards and four touchdowns in five games. He was regularly rushing the ball in 2018-2019, but not the last two seasons.
Bo Melton:
I wrote a bit about Bo here. Does he have some “Doug Baldwin” in his game?
As mentioned with Young, Melton’s absence was not appreciated by the coaching staff and may have opened up opportunities for other young (veteran-ish) receivers fighting to make the final roster.
Watch a Bo Melton press conference here. Melton had 55 catches for 618 yards and three touchdowns in 10 games at Rutgers last season. I mentioned Rutgers in my most recent Ken Walker piece.
Penny Hart:
Hart had his opportunity to shine again with other receivers missing practices.
Hart is 5’8, setting him apart from most receivers in at least one way, and he was always productive at Georgia State: two seasons with at least 70 catches, 1,100 yards, and eight touchdowns.
Hart was added to the practice squad in 2019, waived in 2020 before being added to the roster for 13 games. He was active for all 17 games in 2021, playing in 142 offensive snaps and 209 special teams snaps. Hart had seven catches for 59 yards, including this first down catch from Geno Smith.
Deontez Alexander:
Similar to Kassis, Alexander has been waiting multiple years to sign as an undrafted free agent, last playing for Franklin College in 2018. He had 114 catches for 2,133 yards and 33 touchdowns over his last two seasons, over 21 games.
Alexander is 6’1, 196 lbs, and ran a 4.35 at his pro day.
Aaron Fuller:
Undrafted out of Washington in 2020, Fuller had 117 catches for 1,576 yards over his last 26 college games. Here he is playing catch with Drew Lock:
Fuller played in one snap last season, his only career snap. He did get two special teams snaps as well. Will the 5’11, 188 lb receiver (4.59) breakthrough past the practice squad this year? He also caught some work with Colin Kaepernick in March:
Cade Johnson:
Undrafted in 2021, Johnson is getting his second chance to be a part of the Seahawks in the regular season. Spent 12 weeks on the practice squad before being released, then returning again. Does he have a better shot this time?
One could make the argument that Seattle's offense is now better tailored to Johnson's strengths than it was last season. This is thanks in large part to Wilson's exit and the well-documented impact his smaller build has on the throws he feels comfortable making and the concepts the team runs. Attacking the middle of the field and being efficient in quick game concepts had proved problematic for the Wilson-led Seahawks, and that was ultimately Johnson's bread and butter in college.
Johnson had 2,863 career yards at South Dakota State. As usual, Seattle got a closer look at a player they liked at the Senior Bowl:
Cody Thompson:
Undrafted out of Toledo in 2020, Thompson is another player maybe trying to extend his opportunity after the pandemic erased that year’s preseason and then further complicated matters in 2021. There just aren’t quite the same opportunities as there were before but that could change with another preseason chance this August.
Thompson is 6’1, 205 lbs, ran a 4.57 and posted a 38.5” vertical at his pro day. He made five appearances in 2021, playing four offensive snaps.
Thompson had 1,269 yards and 11 touchdowns way back in 2016.
Marquise Goodwin:
NFL Network had a 14-minute segment on Goodwin’s track life and football journey three years ago. Goodwin caught 20 passes for 313 yards with the Bears in 14 games last season. He will be 32 in November, but his speed is still considered something of a marker.
The Seahawks gave him a one-year, $1.2 million deal.
Here he is connecting with Smith long:
And Smith short:
Dee Eskridge:
There is no shortage of concern that the 2021 second round pick will never be a fully healthy, uber productive wide receiver in the NFL. But patience is important, as it was for Golden Tate, Tyler Lockett, and even Doug Baldwin to a degree, as he struggled in his second season with the Seahawks. For Eskridge, most of his issues stem from a lack of availability and not getting needed reps on the field.
Eskridge had 10 catches for 64 yards as a rookie. He will make the roster, but will he make an impact? Or could his presence force another receiver to lose his opportunity?
Freddie Swain:
We now enter year three for the 2020 sixth round pick out of Florida. The 6’, 199 lb Swain caught 25 passes for 343 yards and four touchdowns last year, including six catches on 11 targets for 35 yards when playing with Geno Smith.
Can he get wide open a few more times next season?
What are your expectations for Swain? Can he be a long-term answer at WR3 or is it hopeful that another receiver comes up and steals that job?
Tyler Lockett:
He’s one of the great hype men in the NFL, always encouraging his teammates and Seahawks fans online. He’s also still one of the great receivers in the NFL, catching 73 passes for 1,175 yards and eight touchdowns last year.
I wrote something on his 2021 season here.
Lockett caught 17 of 27 targets from Geno Smith, gaining 196 yards and 10 first downs. He will be 30 in September and he has a $3 million base salary this year, that jumps to $9.7 million next year. By all accounts, Lockett will spend the next two seasons on the Seahawks, barring a trade next year, but could potentially be a cap casualty by 2024.
All the more reason to extend DK Metcalf now.
But what would be great is many more seasons of both.
DK Metcalf:
I wrote some stuff about Metcalf’s non-holdout here, the do’s and dont’s of DK here. He was recently seen wearing clothes.
He’s a very good player now who could be a very great player for many years. Metcalf was targeted 129 times, catching 75 passes for 967 yards and 12 touchdowns.
With Geno, Metcalf had 17 catches on 21 targets for 251 yards and four touchdowns.
And those are Seattle’s 13 receivers. Which five or six do you expect on the final roster?
Going deep: Highlights, updates from every Seahawks WR
Pete Carroll was very enthused with Cody Thompson, saying he had a great two weeks of practice. The only way Penny Hart, or Cody Thompson makes Seattle together on the opening day roster is the Hawks keep six receivers, they did do that in 2020. I don't see both making unless the injury bug bites. Cody Thompson has some interesting numbers. He had a very pedestrian high 4.5s in the 40, but he turns around and shows power with a 38.5 vertical does he have really long arms, His 3 cone drill wasn't bad either. His best shot is being a clean blocker while running in the offense, and on Kick and punt returns
I apologize if my spelling is bad Marquise Goodwin is almost a lock. He had adequate numbers with Chicago who had a poor offense last year. Pete thinks he has the fastest Seahawk team he has coached. This is why Pete was somewhat irritated with Bo Melton and Dereke Young having sore hamstrings. He was more forgiving of Dee Eskridge. I believe that the last OTA was the only practice he missed, I think I am right, if not let me know. Skipper Joe is right that Eskridge makes the team, but if he doesn't have a good year that could be it. I would find this such a let down as I wrote the Skipper last year that the Hawks should take Eskridge with their first pick in round 2, and bye God they did. Side bar I didn't know Crede Humphrey would still be available at the same time. I am still convinced that Eskridge will have a 500 yard 4 or 5 touchdown season, maybe better. Tyler is a shining Gem, and finally not referred to as a gadget player. Three outstanding season in a row will do that to even the laziest of national pundits. Last but not least John/Pete no screwing around sign DK as a top 5 receiver and do it before camp. The Great man mountain is putting up Hall of Fame numbers. The only two who edged DK out for the best first 3 years are, Jerry Rice and Randy Moss. The scary part for the league, DK is still learning how to play receiver. Old Miss criminally under used DK and AJ both of them running very stunted route trees. Thanks for your time, it's June and I am looking for all things that will be good for the Hawks. Victoria Chris
When did John Ursua get cut? He had some terrible timing on that knee injury but always looked promising in preseason games. A lot of receivers do though. Remember Tanner McEvoy? There was another who Richard Sherman got ill about us cutting who never panned out in the league.