Emergence of David Moore Further Proves Sky's the Limit for Seahawks' Offense
It wasn’t too long ago David Moore’s time in Seattle was in doubt. Now, some four weeks and change later, it’s hard to imagine what the Seahawks’ offense would look like without him in 2020.
Despite losing free agent acquisition Phillip Dorsett to short-term injured reserve with a foot injury and the decision on Josh Gordon’s reinstatement still very much up in the air, the Seahawks have been rolling on offense to start their 2020 campaign. They've scored 30 or more points in all four of their games thus far, with Moore being a vital piece to the puzzle in the absence of the two aforementioned receivers.
Moore has caught 10 of 11 balls thrown his way, going for 173 yards receiving and two clutch touchdowns in two of Seattle’s four wins. His athleticism and versatility has been put on full display this year, whether it be with his excellent footwork on his touchdowns versus the Patriots and Dolphins, or on the designed jet sweeps offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer has called for him on a weekly basis.
While Moore has made some strong contributions since being drafted in the seventh round by the Seahawks in 2017, such as his fourth down touchdown grab against the Panthers in 2018, this is the first time we’ve really seen him featured in Seattle’s offense. They’re going out of their way to get the ball in his hands and quarterback Russell Wilson seems to trust him more than ever.
When the Seahawks signed Dorsett and eventually Gordon, it seemed as though Moore and his $2.13 million cap hit were all but out the door. Even with the uncertainty surrounding Dorsett and Gordon’s status, Moore’s roster spot still felt in jeopardy with John Ursua, Freddie Swain, and Penny Hart all breathing down his neck and, of course, the potential cap savings at play. But Moore never wavered and the Seahawks were going to give him every chance to remain with the team, eventually offering him the opportunity to restructure his contract, to which he accepted.
Following the Seahawks’ 35-30 victory over the Patriots in Week 2, Moore was asked if there had been any uncertainty about staying in Seattle when Pete Carroll and John Schneider cut their roster down to 53 players.
“Heck nah,” Moore responded. “It was meant for me to be here. Everything happens for a reason. To be back here, man, and having fun like this… Who would want to miss out on any of this?”
The Seahawks seem to be having a lot of fun offense in their conversion to a more pass-happy unit, otherwise known as the #LetRussCook movement. And while they’ve done just that by letting Wilson throw more often on early downs, the success of their passing game could also very well be accredited to the arsenal of weapons at the star quarterback's disposal.
Even with the breadth of opportunities given to Moore this season, he still remains the quaternary - or even quinary - option in this offense, which is more of a testament to how deep Seattle’s receiving corps is than anything. With two stars at the top of their wide receiver group in Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf, as well as one of the deepest tight end rooms in the NFL, it’s going to be hard to get everyone the ball consistently despite the increased volume in passing. That will become an even taller task when Dorsett and Gordon presumably return in the near future - it’s a very good problem to have.
But the Seahawks have the situational awareness to maximize the talents of their playmakers, as seen with the early success of Moore and Swain. Whenever either one has touched the ball this year, they’ve made quite the impact, especially Moore.
Moore’s role may be naturally lessened once the Seahawks get healthier, but it’s hard to envision him being completely phased out of their game plan at this point. The chemistry he’s developed with Wilson over the past three years has seemed to have finally reached a peak, with Wilson leaning on Moore in several high-leverage situations this season. Come January, if the Seahawks advance in the playoffs on a game-winning touchdown catch or need a clutch first down, don’t be surprised if Moore is on the receiving end. He’s silently become one of those crutches for Wilson.
Of all the great storylines that have come from the Seahawks’ historic start to the 2020 season, Moore may be the best one yet. Once faced with the very real and scary doubt about his future in Seattle and as a professional football player as a whole, Moore has been a significant contributor to one of the best offenses in the game, subsequently boosting his stock heading into his first year of unrestricted free agency in 2021.
