Seahawks 2022 Training Camp Preview: Who Will Emerge As Viable Third Receiving Option?
Since the start of the 2019 season, few teams in the NFL have boasted a receiving duo rivaling the talent, reliability, big play ability, and overall production of Seahawks stars DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett.
Over the course of a three-year span, Metcalf and Lockett each surpassed 200 receptions and 3,100 receiving yards while scoring at least 26 touchdowns apiece. Only four other players in the entire league matched those numbers during that time and they were the only set of teammates on that exclusive list.
But while the presence of Metcalf and Lockett has struck fear in the heart of opposing defensive coordinators and will continue to do so moving forward, the Seahawks have not had much luck on their side finding a complementary tertiary option behind them. During those three years, no other receiver has eclipsed 450 yards in a season, with David Moore being the closest posting 417 yards in 2020.
Some of this, of course, boils down to the sheer number of targets Metcalf and Lockett received from quarterback Russell Wilson. Both wideouts eclipsed 100 targets each of the past three years, while Moore ranks a distant third with 47 targets in 2020 and Freddie Swain trails behind him with 40 targets in 2021. With only one football to go around, opportunities have been limited in Seattle's offense at times.
However, other factors have also contributed to the Seahawks lingering issues finding a viable third receiver on the outside, including mid-round draft misses, inconsistent play, and injuries. But these struggles haven't been due to a lack of talent and heading into a new season with a new quarterback under center, a strong argument can be made receiver stands out as the deepest position on their entire roster.
Away from Lockett and Metcalf, who may not report for the start of training camp later this month as he pursues a new contract, Seattle will be counting on Dee Eskridge to bounce back from a difficult, injury-marred rookie season. Possessing sub-4.40 speed and a powerful, compact frame, the 2021 second round pick was expected to be an immediate difference maker out of the slot as well as on special teams in the return game.
But after getting off to a good start in OTAs, Eskridge suffered a toe injury that kept him out for the rest of the Seahawks offseason program and part of training camp. Then, only a few weeks after returning to action, he took a big hit along the sideline during a season-opening win over the Colts and wound up missing seven games with a severe concussion.
When Eskridge finally received clearance to return to action, he largely remained a non-factor, finishing with an underwhelming stat line of 10 catches for just 62 yards and a single touchdown. After being selected over Oklahoma center Creed Humphrey in the draft a year ago, the pressure is on the speedy wideout to stay healthy and fulfill on his immense promise.
While Eskridge did miss the second half of OTAs and mandatory minicamp in June with a nagging hamstring strain, offensive coordinator Shane Waldron was thrilled by what he saw this spring and believes the explosive receiver will be ready for a sophomore breakout once camp opens.
"When he's been able to get out there and stack those days together, he looks impressive," Waldron remarked. "He looks like he always did in our evaluation of him coming out, where he's got that fast switch ability in the routes. He's got a good toughness in the run game. And so, he's really a guy that's going into year two with a lot of room to grow just based on some unfortunate circumstances.”
Given his physical tools and athletic traits, Eskridge will get every opportunity to lock down the No. 3 receiver role. But Seattle won't simply hand the job to him and he will have to fend off several quality wideouts to earn that spot on the depth chart, including a veteran newcomer with ties to the coaching staff.
Signed in early May, while he might not run a 4.27 40-yard dash at this stage of his career, former USA track star Marquise Goodwin proved during OTAs and minicamp that he can still fly. The 31-year old speedster caught 20 passes for 313 yards and a touchdown with the Bears a year ago, still averaging nearly 16 yards per reception while playing in one of the NFL's most punch-less offenses.
Although it has been five years since Goodwin's breakout 2017 season with the 49ers and he only has two seasons on his resume with more than 25 receptions, his prior experience playing in coach Kyle Shanahan's offense helped him hit the ground running in Waldron's similar system. He also has a prior relationship with receivers coach Sanjay Lal, as the two spent time together with the Bills, which could improve his chances of making a push for a roster spot.
"I think just like some of the other guys that are new to the building this year, how do you get into a new setting with new guys and really be able to blend right into the culture and to the people that are around you?" Waldron commented on Goodwin. "He's done a great job with that. And then, you get out on the field, and you notice right away that this guy is fast. So, it's a good starting point for a receiver.”
Goodwin joins a crowded receiver group that includes Swain, who doubled his numbers across the board in his second NFL season, as well as Penny Hart and Cody Thompson, two veterans who bided their time on the practice squad before earning significant playing time on the active roster. Additionally, Seattle invested a pair of seventh-round picks in Bo Melton and Dareke Young, two uber-athletic rookies with special teams experience who will be ready to compete for roster spots right away.
Aside from Goodwin, Swain may be the biggest threat to push Eskridge for the No. 3 spot on the depth chart. Exceeding expectations as a sixth-round pick out of Florida, he's dressed for all 33 regular season games in two seasons and proven to be a dependable asset for the Seahawks, recording 38 catches for 502 yards and six touchdowns while also returning punts on special teams.
After working with Swain as a rookie, Lal returned following a year coaching in Jacksonville to find a third-year player who has made strides in regard to technique, specifically citing "lowering his pad level and running with drive phase" as two significant areas of improvement in his game. He commended him for his football IQ and route running savvy, suggesting he could be a bigger focal point this year.
"Freddie's really smart," Lal explained. "He understands the premise of the concept, the ‘why’ of why I have to run this route this way because I may not get open, but I might be a placeholder to hold a defense if something else happens. Freddie's very savvy in that regard.”
As for Hart and Thompson, both players have continued to progressively improve and turned in outstanding offseason programs, with Lal saying Thompson had the "best spring of any receiver" for the Seahawks. With each now having noteworthy NFL regular season experience and familiarity with Waldron's offense, they hold a couple of key advantages over Melton and Young as they begin their respective careers.
With that said, Hart, Thompson, and third-year wideout Aaron Fuller don't possess the off-the-charts athleticism Melton and Young bring to the equation.
Coming out of Rutgers, Melton never produced more than 700 receiving yards in a season, but his underwhelming numbers can be pinned largely on sub-par quarterback play. He ran a blazing 4.34 40-yard dash at the NFL combine and also posted a sub-7.00 3-cone drill and 38-inch vertical, displaying elite speed, quickness, and explosiveness. Capable of running routes from the outside as well as the slot, he also could be a factor as a punt returner.
Taking a big leap from the Division II level to the NFL, Young faces a far steeper learning curve after starring at Lenoir Rhyne. However, he boasts a size/athletic profile rarely seen at the combine in the past 20 years. Standing 6-foot-2 and weighing 224 pounds, he ran a 4.44 40-yard dash along with a 6.88 3-cone drill and 37-inch vertical jump at his pro day workout, immediately capturing the attention of NFL scouts. Like Melton, his ability to return kicks and contribute on special teams should help his cause.
Since both rookies missed extensive time during the offseason program with hamstring injuries, Waldron and Lal didn't get much time to evaluate them on the field. However, both coaches were impressed with how they picked up the mental side of the game and they are eager to see where they fit into the competition.
"They've done a good job of being able to pick up the system, understand where to line up, understand some of the early nuances of their route running," Waldron said. "I think the biggest thing for them is just getting out on the field and getting a chance to, not just be able to do it in the meeting, but getting out on the field and consistently get those quality reps throughout the offseason and especially getting into training camp right there. Because they're both fast, they can both really run, so it'd be exciting to get them out there. And when they get that full understanding and full grasp of everything that's going on, really playing at their full speed.”
With so many intriguing pass-catching options offering different skill sets and strengths, Seattle has the pieces in place for a top-five - maybe even top-three - receiving corps if the group plays to its potential. As the past three seasons have shown with Lockett and Metcalf gobbling up most of the targets, that depth may not always be evident on the stat sheet, especially with Geno Smith or Drew Lock taking snaps under center.
However, for Seattle's passing game to thrive without Wilson at the controls, it will be more imperative than ever for the supporting cast to step up and support whoever wins the quarterback job. Whether it is Eskridge, Swain, Goodwin, or one of the other talented receivers set to compete in camp, at least one of those players needs to surface as a true No. 3 for the offense to play to its potential in 2022.
