Malik Turner Capitalizing on Chances with Seahawks

Only a few weeks ago, the Seahawks further strengthened their receiving corps when they were awarded Josh Gordon off waivers, putting the former All-Pro alongside Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf to a form a dangerous set of triplets at quarterback Russell Wilson’s disposal.

But even after acquiring Gordon, who converted two catches into key first downs in his debut against San Francisco, Seattle still intends to mix in its other receivers over the final six regular season games. Among those who will benefit, coach Pete Carroll anticipates Malik Turner to continue earning more playing time moving forward.

“We have really learned to appreciate Malik, you know,” Carroll said. “He’s such a good worker, he’s such an intense guy and everything he does, he does full speed.”

Originally signing with the Seahawks as an undrafted free agent out of Illinois in 2018, Turner fits the prototype as the style of player who finds success in Carroll’s system. He plays with maximum effort, offers excellent versatility, and after going undrafted, carries a chip on his shoulder that has allowed him to carve out a niche in the NFL.

As a rookie, Turner didn’t make Seattle’s initial roster despite a strong preseason showing. But the team saw enough promise to sign him to the practice squad and he eventually earned a promotion, appearing in six games and catching two passes for 20 yards.

Though he missed most of the team’s offseason program recovering from an injury, Turner returned for training camp and received reps with the first-team offense during preseason games, an indicator the coaching staff held him in high regard.

Making the team out of camp this time around, Turner has turned in quality production while suiting up for all 10 of Seattle’s games thus far. Despite playing only 148 offensive snaps, he’s caught nine of 11 targets from Wilson for 153 yards and averaged 17 yards per reception.

Most impressively, Turner has proven himself capable of picking up big chunks of yardage once he has the football in his hands. He’s averaging 7.7 yards per reception after the catch, which would rank in the top-15 in the NFL if he had enough receptions to qualify.

“He’s a terrific route runner. He’s got a great energy about him,” Carroll remarked. “It’s not often that you’d talk about a guy having a motor as a receiver, but he’s got a really good motor and it shows up.”

Turner hasn’t had his number called very often this year, but in Seattle’s biggest game of the season against San Francisco, the second-year receiver came through in the clutch in overtime.

Facing 3 and 16 from their own 40-yard line, Wilson escaped immediate pressure in the pocket and bailed to his right to extend the play. Improvising his route while matched up against linebacker Fred Warner, Turner pivoted back outside, Wilson hit him in stride near the first down marker, and he spun out of two tackles to pick up an additional 12 yards after the catch.

MALIK TURNER LOST HIM 🌪️🌪️ @leekleek217 pic.twitter.com/oi7D3cYetv
— The Checkdown (@thecheckdown) November 12, 2019

Carroll felt the pivotal reception showed off Turner’s complete skill set, as he exhibited route running savvy out of the slot and athleticism to make defenders miss along the sideline.

“I thought he made a spectacular play in the game at a crucial time catching and turning it into a big play, changing field position and all that. Adapting off the route too. He’s doing really well and he knows everybody’s position, so he’s really versatile. A very valuable guy on our team.”

With Gordon expected to play a larger role starting Sunday in Philadelphia, Turner will have to continue making the most of limited reps. But after playing a season-high 48 percent of Seattle’s snaps in Santa Clara, the young receiver looks to be trending in the right direction and given his reliability to this point, expect Wilson to continue throwing his direction when he’s on the field.