Seattle Seahawks coaching camp will get underway as we speak (Wednesday). It’s the primary camp underneath new head coach Mike Macdonald, and there are numerous questions in regards to the roster which we hope can be answered via camp and the preseason.
This particular sequence will preview the season with questions regarding each a part of the roster. Within the curiosity of rushing issues up since this sequence will conclude in the midst of coaching camp, I’ll group large receiver and tight finish collectively for this version.
Large Receiver
Present WR roster: DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Jake Bobo, Dee Eskridge, Laviska Shenault Jr, Dareke Younger, Cody White, Easop Winston Jr, Marcus Simms, Hayden Hatten (UDFA rookie), Dee Williams (UDFA rookie),
Can Jaxon Smith-Njigba stand up the ranks?
The Seahawks took the 22-year-old from Ohio State as the primary receiver off the board within the 2023 draft. He had a pleasant rookie season given his standing as WR3 behind DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. The shortage of a functioning, wholesome offensive line partially defined why JSN’s route tree was restricted and he had a low common depth of goal in comparison with Metcalf. He confirmed flashes of why Seattle drafted him towards the back-end of the season, however did have a substantial situation with drops. Hopefully a wholesome offseason will change the dynamic for JSN, who was overrated closely final month by Seahawks Senior Director of Participant Personnel Matt Berry.
Berry on Seahawks WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba: “JSN is freakin unbelievable. Between coming off the hamstring popping out of the draft after which the hand harm, the place he’s now in comparison with the place he was this time final yr: holy cow, guys, holy cow. It is actually cool.” pic.twitter.com/lnB596nx0t
— Laptop Cowboy (@benbbaldwin) June 7, 2024
After I imply “stand up the ranks” I’m particularly zeroing in on his goal share. Can he usurp Lockett and/or Metcalf when it comes to targets per sport? And if that’s the case, will he enhance his effectivity with a heavier workload? I hope that’s the case.
Does Hayden Hatten have a shot?
Undrafted rookie Hayden Hatten set all types of faculty information at Idaho, catching 175 passes for practically 2,500 yards in his remaining two seasons. Is there an opportunity he can go from FCS star to NFL large receiver? With solely six recorded drops over 5 school seasons, he’s as surehanded because it will get.
Hatten did return a handful of kicks but it surely doesn’t appear as if he’ll be a contender for the vacant kick returner spot. We’ve not heard so much in regards to the UDFAs all through rookie minicamp, OTAs, and obligatory minicamp, however Hatten is somebody I’ll have my eye on all through coaching camp and preseason.
What number of receivers will the Seahawks hold?
It’s protected to say that DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba are successfully assured the highest three spots. Jake Bobo is in moderately good place to stay WR4, however there can be fierce competitors coming.
Along with Hatten, Dareke Younger, Dee Eskridge, and Laviska Shenault Jr are all vying for roster spots. Younger has not proven an entire lot as a large receiver, however he’s an excellent blocker and strong particular groups gunner. Eskridge has drifted into draft bust standing and he’ll want to indicate so much to justify staying on the workforce. His kick return capabilities might be a saving grace. Shenault Jr is one other one with return expertise, and whereas he’s considerably of a draft bust, he’s been significantly extra productive than Eskridge has ever been.
The brand new kickoff might present the likes of Dee Williams, Easop Winston Jr, and (almost certainly) Marcus Simms a combating probability to get on the common season roster.
Seattle has historically stored 5 large receivers (and typically 4). Are they keen to interrupt kind and roster six? If not, this can be one hell of a camp battle.
Tight Finish
Present roster: Noah Fant, Pharaoh Brown, Tyler Mabry, Brady Russell, A.J. Barner (rookie), Jack Westover (UDFA rookie)
Will Noah Fant have a breakout yr because the undisputed No. 1?.
Since his arrival in 2022, Noah Fant has been in a “tight finish by committee” function of types. Whereas he was the main receiver amongst himself, Will Dissly, and Colby Parkinson, the cut up of targets was not closely distributed towards Fant among the many trio.
2022 goal share: Fant 63 (46.7%), Dissly 38 (28.1%), Parkinson 34 (25.2%)
2023 goal share: Fant 43 (44.3%), Parkinson 34 (35%) , Dissly 22 (22.7%)
Fant has 106 targets during the last two seasons. Pharaoh Brown has 88 whole targets in six NFL seasons, so it’s protected to say who’s the chief of the pack. When Fant was a Denver Bronco, he had at the least 90 targets in his remaining two seasons (good for second on the workforce) and had the overwhelming goal share throughout the TE roster.
Even when Fant hasn’t been overly spectacular in a Seattle uniform, he’s nice after the catch and has a low drop charge. I wouldn’t anticipate Fant having a Denver-esque variety of targets given the highest three large receivers, but it surely’s exhausting to not suppose that the restructuring of the tight finish room was designed for Fant to characteristic extra closely within the passing sport.
How a lot 12 and 13 personnel will we see with Ryan Grubb in comparison with Shane Waldron?
The Seahawks made heavy use of 12 and 13 personnel (1 operating again + 2 or 3 tight ends) underneath Waldron. Final season they had been tenth in 12 personnel charge (22%) and 2nd in 13 personnel (9%). The earlier season they had been additionally 2nd in 13 personnel charge (11%) however 4th utilizing 12 (30%).
In distinction, Ryan Grubb used 11 personnel about 80 % of the time and 12 personnel simply 17.9 % in his remaining yr at Washington (per The Athletic). Pharaoh Brown is way more of a blocker than a receiving tight finish, and AJ Barner could also be in that very same spot however with extra potential as a receiver.
I think that whereas Grubb received’t totally copy-and-paste his Huskies offense over to the Seahawks, we’ll see a significant uptick in 11 personnel, which in flip might cut back the necessity to stash greater than three tight ends on the roster.
Can Jack Westover carve a job within the offense?
One of many extra in style UDFA signings this yr was Washington tight finish Jack Westover. He has familiarity with Ryan Grubb’s offense by default, and over the previous two seasons he emerged as the highest goal outdoors of Rome Odunze, Ja’Lynn Polk, and Jalen McMillan. In his senior yr, Westover ranked sixth amongst tight ends in receptions for first downs. With nice fingers and spectacular blocking talents, there’ll little question be
If he doesn’t make the roster, I’d think about he can be a primary observe squad candidate. One other route for Westover is in an H-back function/fullback kind, as he’s not an enormous tight finish for his measurement (6’2 and 243 kilos).
We’ll wrap up the offensive aspect of the ball with the offensive line on Thursday, then flip our consideration to the defensive position in the course of the weekend.
