Report: Veteran WR Marquise Goodwin on Seahawks' Radar
Three weeks into free agency, the Seahawks have yet to make an addition to their receiving corps. But multiple veteran wideouts are on the radar as the team seeks experienced depth on the outside for quarterback Russell Wilson.
According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, while former All-Pro receiver Antonio Brown remains an option and the team could still make a run at him, Seattle has also put out a "feeler" expressing interest in former 49ers receiver Marquise Goodwin. The team also reportedly looked into signing Willie Snead and Sammy Watkins before the two players opted to sign elsewhere.
Given Wilson's desire to play with Brown, it shouldn't be a surprise that the mercurial receiver has once again been linked to the Seahawks in free agent chatter. Though the team didn't sign him before his eight-game suspension concluded last November, coach Pete Carroll didn't deny the team's interest when speaking with reporters, saying the franchise has been "endeavored to be in on everything."
When pressed by the media, Wilson didn't hide his affinity for Brown either, calling the ex-Steelers star "one of the best players to play this game obviously." The two have previously worked out together on numerous occasions, including last spring when Brown remained without a team.
Ultimately, Brown latched on with the Buccaneers, catching 45 passes for 483 yards and scoring four touchdowns in eight regular season games. He also caught eight passes for 81 yards and two touchdowns in the playoffs, including scoring a touchdown in Tampa Bay's Super Bowl LV win over Kansas City in February.
To this point, Brown has reportedly not been pleased with contract offers to stay with the Buccaneers in 2021. The two sides remain in talks, but it's safe to say the Seahawks are at least monitoring the situation closely, while the Ravens have also been rumored as a potential suitor looking for additional weapons for Lamar Jackson.
Considering Brown's checkered past on and off the field, Goodwin would be a far less controversial option for Seattle to consider, though he doesn't offer near the resume as an NFL receiver and wouldn't be classified as a "splashy" addition.
After by and large struggling in his first four NFL seasons with the Bills, Goodwin broke out with the 49ers in coach Kyle Shanahan's offense in 2017, catching a career-best 56 passes for 962 yards and two touchdowns. He also had four carries for 44 yards, proving to be highly-effective in his limited chances to run the ball.
However, injuries hindered Goodwin's production for San Francisco in 2018 and 2019, as he missed 10 combined games with various ailments. He also missed a pair of games during the 2018 season after he and his wife Morgan lost a pair of unborn twin boys. Still, he caught 35 passes for 581 yards when healthy, averaging 16.6 yards per reception and scoring five touchdowns. Four of those scores went for at least 30 yards.
Now 30 years old, Goodwin opted out of the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic and didn't play a down last year for the Eagles, who acquired him in exchange for a sixth-round pick. He's more than two years removed from his last season with over 200 receiving yards and has only eclipsed 400 yards twice in seven prior seasons.
But on the field, Goodwin - who previously won the USA Track and Field long jump title back in 2011 - still possesses world class speed. Given his prior success in Shanahan's system, he could be an interesting fit in new Seahawks offensive coordinator Shane Waldron's scheme due to his ability to test defenses vertically as a downfield receiving threat as well as horizontally running jet sweeps.
Since Carroll and general manager John Schneider arrived back in 2010, the Seahawks have never shied away from adding elite athletes at the receiver position, even if their production is overwhelming. Last offseason, the team signed former Colts first-round pick Phillip Dorsett to a one-year deal, but a foot injury unfortunately cost him the entire 2020 season and he recently departed for the Jaguars.
Assuming Goodwin's contract will be near a veteran minimum and could include a few incentives as part of the deal, he would be a bargain alternative to Brown who should be able to get up to speed both literally and figuratively in Waldron's offense.
Currently, the Seahawks have eight receivers on their roster. But only three of them - Metcalf, Lockett, and Freddie Swain - have caught more than 13 career receptions. Aside from Penny Hart, who dressed for 13 games as a reserve in 2020, the rest of the group has played in a combined three regular season games.
Due to this lack of experience and depth, expect the Seahawks to remain active pursuing veteran receiver options in coming weeks, with Brown and Goodwin as potential top targets moving forward.
