Running Out of Chances, Seahawks WR David Moore Needs to Impress in 2020
Remember the buzz Seahawks receiver David Moore was generating during the 2018 season? He was in the midst of a breakout year, emerging as another classic late-round steal for John Schneider and his scouting department.
Now two years later, Moore will be fighting for his spot on the roster every single week.
In the aftermath of the 2018 season, Moore was an exciting building block for an emerging Seahawks passing attack. He appeared in all 16 games and made seven starts where he caught 26 passes for 445 yards, averaging an outstanding 17.12 yards per catch. He also reeled in five touchdowns. Moore was incredibly efficient when he caught the ball, but there were a few red flags in his impressive 2018 campaign.
From Weeks 4-12, Moore reeled in 22 of his 26 passes for 413 yards and all five touchdowns. But from Week 13 on, Moore was a ghost, catching just four passes for 32 yards on 16 targets. This was the first in a long line of inconsistencies, but it didn't stop there.
He entered 2019 with more competition than ever. Seattle had traded up into the late-second round to select DK Metcalf, took Garry Jennings in the fourth, and traded back into the draft to select John Ursua, adding a ton of competition at the position. Then, Moore soon suffered a serious shoulder injury in training camp that nearly landed him on injured reserve to open the season.
Moore missed the next six weeks and broke all momentum he had heading towards the regular season. He would return in Week 3, but would record just a single catch in each of his first three games back. Ultimately, the former East Central (Oklahoma) product never could get back on track and missed a solid opportunity to improve his stock going forward.
Moore was pushed aside for Josh Gordon mid-season, then couldn't beat out Malik Turner for snaps down the stretch. Tight end Jacob Hollister became the de facto number three receiver for Seattle and despite unproven talent around him, Moore's opportunities remained limited.
Despite all of that, going into 2020, the Seahawks still believe in Moore. They placed an original round tender on him this spring and he is set to earn $2.1 million this season, so long as he can keep his roster spot. Thanks to his inconsistent play, he may face an uphill battle in that regard.
Metcalf and Lockett are one of the most dynamic combinations in the sport. The Seahawks brought in Greg Olsen and Phillip Dorsett and return Will Dissly from injury. They also bring back Hollister and Ursua and are widely expected to re-sign Gordon if/when he is reinstated by the NFL. The Seahawks also drafted Colby Parkinson, Freddie Swain, and Stephen Sullivan, who are all capable pass catchers. Oh, and a former undrafted free agent receiver in Cody Thompson has been turning heads at training camp so far.
Simply put, Moore faces more competition than ever for reps heading towards unrestricted free agency next March. If he can show the consistency he did for an eight-week stretch in 2018, it very well could extend his time with the Seahawks. But if he's unable to do so, he'll be more likely to be looking for work in 2020 than on the Seahawks in 2021.
Make or break is often an overused moniker for NFL players. But 2020 is, without hyperbole, a make or break season for David Moore. With other receivers around him enjoyed strong starts to camp, he will need to step it up quickly.
