To me, Chris Carson by a mile. Even over Malcom Smith (SB MVP). Carson was a tremendous runner who absolutely punished tacklers. Even though he lacked breakaway speed, it didn’t hold him back. He was my favorite Seahawk while he played.
Thinking about Bobo, more and more I think he gets squeezed out this season, unless they decide he is clearly needed on Special Teams. A few factors:
1. He held the WR4 slot last year, 17 targets and 319 snaps. Unless Horton and MVS bomb out, the WR3/4 snaps should go to them.
2. We have added a lot of big, physical receivers in the off-season - presumably to replace the work DK did and support the Kubiak scheme. Kupp, MVS, Horton, Arroyo.
3. WR snaps will be down this year (which I guess is already factored into the assumption that we might only keep 5, and Bobo is playing for the last spot). But comparing the Saints to us last year, they had about 2200 WR snaps vs our 3000. Not much left for WR4/5, and we will have more blocking skill players at TE & RB.
Bobo’s experience could show up in camp, as a bunch of rookies struggle to grasp the Kubiak NFL offense. But I suspect the team gives him a chance to catch on with another team at this point in his career, so he can at least play as much as he did last year.
And all that makes me think that Ricky White III has a shot (on paper) for the last spot, largely because he seems to have a different toolset. The coveted “Dee Eskridge slot”. I’m forgetting the names of all the guys who show-out at WR every year in Seahawks training camp and then get cut - could be that guy too. 7th rounder to practice squad seems most likely, I wouldn’t worry too much about a guy like him getting picked off waivers.
Chris Carson is the obvious favorite 7th round pick. He was a mauler and always gave his all. It was a let down at RB when he got hurt and had to retire early. Liked Justin Forsett also. I think Martinez will make some noise as a 7th rounder, with some bullish running. RW will make the team on special teams and may play later as a pass catcher.
I think Cody White and Dareke Young are not making the team. I also don't think MVS is a lock. That could be the spot that Horton takes. He ran a 4.41 while recovering from injury. There are a number of draft media folks who say he has legit 4.35 speed.
Only other thing in favor of MVS (who I agree is relatively uninspiring) is he's a veteran. For whatever reason, seems WR is a very tough 1st yr position, was even for JSN who was already an NFL-route-runner coming out of college. It's just really tough, which is why MVS may be a 1-yr necessity
MVS probably makes the team as a matter of attrition. He had a nice half season last year. It’s good to have a guy who can turn on the jets and run downfield faster than anyone else. But let’s be real here: Whatever his strengths, MVS will be 31 in October, has caught less than half the balls thrown to him, and has a career single season high of 42 receptions (2022). He’s not anyone’s idea of a #3 WR.*
That’s the problem with WR room. JSN is #1, should be #2; Cupp is #2, should be #3; MVS is #3, should be on the field mostly when it’s 2nd or 3rd and long. I doubt that any of them keep a DC up late at night.
Encouraging Word Dept: MVS says that Kubiak is the best OC he has played under.
In JSN and Kupp we've got two guys that just get open and catch the ball. DK didn't get open nearly enough and had an underwhelming catch rate. You know who wasn't a burner and just got open and caught the dang ball? Jerry Rice and Steve Largent. JSN can be an elite #1, Cooper Kupp was an elite #1 with similar attributes. You can win a lot of games without home run plays. These guys can be great at #1 and #2. A TE is probably our #3. I don't know what MVS is, but we'll find out soon enough.
Horton's recovery time and ability to practice/participate this offseason will impact the number of receivers they keep on the initial 53-man roster. Maybe he's good to go right away and we never hear about his knee again. If he's still limited throughout the offseason program, however, I think we'll go into week one with six WRs. This would obviously improve Ricky's chances.
We've got a good mix of different athletes in the WR room. I think Ricky first needs to be better than Sims if he's going to make the active roster. Bobo, Dareke, and Cody have their own mini competition. Plumlee is the wild card of the WR room. Is he good enough as a WR, and does he offer enough Taysom-Hillyness, to let another more experienced WR go?
Great article! I had a high opinion of White coming into the draft and thought he'd go higher until he ran a slow 40. Still a good roll of the dice in the seventh round. With Carroll and his former UCLA Coach, Chip Kelly, in LV, Bobo would at the very least get picked up by the Raiders who have a pretty weak WR room.
I have hi hopes, if not expectations for White, but I'm always willing to be surprised to the upside. He looks quick and fluid from what film I have seen. I hope he comes willing to learn and work his ass off for this opportunity. However, he could be an absolute steal if he realizes the talent he flashed in 2023.
Seeing his highlights just reminds me of the level of athletic talent necessary to make it in the NFL. Or to even be considered. Ricky 3 has a fluidity and also deceptive speed that leads one to believe he could totally make the roster. One more reason to be excited about next season.
I always appreciate reminders of just how far from reality our expectations for draft picks can be. I knew 7th wasn't a hotbed of excellence, but that was some serious historical perspective!
My bet is he's there to show out a special talent for blocking kicks, which should show in preseason games. His YAC and catch rate was great at UNLV, then it fell of a cliff at Michigan. Like Zabel, I wonder how he did on Senior Day?
Nobody ever blocks a kick. Maybe one in a million kicks gets blocked. If that's his special claim to fame, he'll be a great History teacher in a Jr. High School in his hometown.
Yeah. He would have to be an all-around good ST player (gunner?), because even the best can't block enough kicks to make a team. I don't see him being able to tackle well enough to bumb Dareke, who is much more physical.
Let me rephrase... he would have to be one of the best ever at blocking kicks by having some unique talent to take the perfect angle on the perfect getoff, borderline miraculous talent, to make it just on kick blocking skills alone..
He and Bobo might be fighting for the roster spot. Both would do anything for the team and will play their hearts out. Who’s healthy late in August might be the deciding factor.
To me, Chris Carson by a mile. Even over Malcom Smith (SB MVP). Carson was a tremendous runner who absolutely punished tacklers. Even though he lacked breakaway speed, it didn’t hold him back. He was my favorite Seahawk while he played.
Thinking about Bobo, more and more I think he gets squeezed out this season, unless they decide he is clearly needed on Special Teams. A few factors:
1. He held the WR4 slot last year, 17 targets and 319 snaps. Unless Horton and MVS bomb out, the WR3/4 snaps should go to them.
2. We have added a lot of big, physical receivers in the off-season - presumably to replace the work DK did and support the Kubiak scheme. Kupp, MVS, Horton, Arroyo.
3. WR snaps will be down this year (which I guess is already factored into the assumption that we might only keep 5, and Bobo is playing for the last spot). But comparing the Saints to us last year, they had about 2200 WR snaps vs our 3000. Not much left for WR4/5, and we will have more blocking skill players at TE & RB.
Bobo’s experience could show up in camp, as a bunch of rookies struggle to grasp the Kubiak NFL offense. But I suspect the team gives him a chance to catch on with another team at this point in his career, so he can at least play as much as he did last year.
And all that makes me think that Ricky White III has a shot (on paper) for the last spot, largely because he seems to have a different toolset. The coveted “Dee Eskridge slot”. I’m forgetting the names of all the guys who show-out at WR every year in Seahawks training camp and then get cut - could be that guy too. 7th rounder to practice squad seems most likely, I wouldn’t worry too much about a guy like him getting picked off waivers.
Chris Carson is the obvious favorite 7th round pick. He was a mauler and always gave his all. It was a let down at RB when he got hurt and had to retire early. Liked Justin Forsett also. I think Martinez will make some noise as a 7th rounder, with some bullish running. RW will make the team on special teams and may play later as a pass catcher.
Taco is a pretty great name.
I think Cody White and Dareke Young are not making the team. I also don't think MVS is a lock. That could be the spot that Horton takes. He ran a 4.41 while recovering from injury. There are a number of draft media folks who say he has legit 4.35 speed.
Only other thing in favor of MVS (who I agree is relatively uninspiring) is he's a veteran. For whatever reason, seems WR is a very tough 1st yr position, was even for JSN who was already an NFL-route-runner coming out of college. It's just really tough, which is why MVS may be a 1-yr necessity
Oh and the other thing: Kupp most likely (and sad to acknowledge this) has 8-9 game availability. Anything more, we should be thankful.
He played 12 the last 2 years. If I were a betting man, I'd say 11-12 is way more likely than 8-9.
Man I so hope you’re right!! Would be awesome!!
MVS probably makes the team as a matter of attrition. He had a nice half season last year. It’s good to have a guy who can turn on the jets and run downfield faster than anyone else. But let’s be real here: Whatever his strengths, MVS will be 31 in October, has caught less than half the balls thrown to him, and has a career single season high of 42 receptions (2022). He’s not anyone’s idea of a #3 WR.*
That’s the problem with WR room. JSN is #1, should be #2; Cupp is #2, should be #3; MVS is #3, should be on the field mostly when it’s 2nd or 3rd and long. I doubt that any of them keep a DC up late at night.
Encouraging Word Dept: MVS says that Kubiak is the best OC he has played under.
In JSN and Kupp we've got two guys that just get open and catch the ball. DK didn't get open nearly enough and had an underwhelming catch rate. You know who wasn't a burner and just got open and caught the dang ball? Jerry Rice and Steve Largent. JSN can be an elite #1, Cooper Kupp was an elite #1 with similar attributes. You can win a lot of games without home run plays. These guys can be great at #1 and #2. A TE is probably our #3. I don't know what MVS is, but we'll find out soon enough.
Hopefully you are right.
Horton's recovery time and ability to practice/participate this offseason will impact the number of receivers they keep on the initial 53-man roster. Maybe he's good to go right away and we never hear about his knee again. If he's still limited throughout the offseason program, however, I think we'll go into week one with six WRs. This would obviously improve Ricky's chances.
We've got a good mix of different athletes in the WR room. I think Ricky first needs to be better than Sims if he's going to make the active roster. Bobo, Dareke, and Cody have their own mini competition. Plumlee is the wild card of the WR room. Is he good enough as a WR, and does he offer enough Taysom-Hillyness, to let another more experienced WR go?
Malcolm Smith, hands down.
Because it never gets old:
https://youtu.be/OhtfaME_v0Y?si=71vKFxFXa8_6FIe_
And:
https://youtu.be/gJcPMq2QUNg?si=HFsO4bONfvHJFv2q
Great article! I had a high opinion of White coming into the draft and thought he'd go higher until he ran a slow 40. Still a good roll of the dice in the seventh round. With Carroll and his former UCLA Coach, Chip Kelly, in LV, Bobo would at the very least get picked up by the Raiders who have a pretty weak WR room.
Chris Carson is my favorite 7th rd pick, a guy who in his prime out-Charbonneted Charbonnet.
I have hi hopes, if not expectations for White, but I'm always willing to be surprised to the upside. He looks quick and fluid from what film I have seen. I hope he comes willing to learn and work his ass off for this opportunity. However, he could be an absolute steal if he realizes the talent he flashed in 2023.
Here's hoping Mr. Ricky White balls out on Special Teams 'n makes a solid place for himself.
Seeing his highlights just reminds me of the level of athletic talent necessary to make it in the NFL. Or to even be considered. Ricky 3 has a fluidity and also deceptive speed that leads one to believe he could totally make the roster. One more reason to be excited about next season.
I always appreciate reminders of just how far from reality our expectations for draft picks can be. I knew 7th wasn't a hotbed of excellence, but that was some serious historical perspective!
No, no, no! The current version of RW3 is the next Steve Largent. He's not tall or fast, but he's awesome.
My bet is he's there to show out a special talent for blocking kicks, which should show in preseason games. His YAC and catch rate was great at UNLV, then it fell of a cliff at Michigan. Like Zabel, I wonder how he did on Senior Day?
Nobody ever blocks a kick. Maybe one in a million kicks gets blocked. If that's his special claim to fame, he'll be a great History teacher in a Jr. High School in his hometown.
Yeah. He would have to be an all-around good ST player (gunner?), because even the best can't block enough kicks to make a team. I don't see him being able to tackle well enough to bumb Dareke, who is much more physical.
Let me rephrase... he would have to be one of the best ever at blocking kicks by having some unique talent to take the perfect angle on the perfect getoff, borderline miraculous talent, to make it just on kick blocking skills alone..
OK, We'll take it. Borderline Miraculous It Is.
Other 31 teams : "How did we let him get away ! ? !"
He and Bobo might be fighting for the roster spot. Both would do anything for the team and will play their hearts out. Who’s healthy late in August might be the deciding factor.