The Seattle Seahawks wide receiver room was clearly going to look different in 2019 following the 2018 season and Doug Baldwin‘s retirement. What fans probably didn’t anticipate was how good of competition the Seahawks have at the position. Following preseason week two, the Seahawks wide receiver room still draws a big question with 11 receivers on the roster.
Seattle Seahawks Wide Receiver Room Still a Big Question Following Preseason Week Two
The Seahawks will likely keep five receivers on the team following final cuts, but anything more would be a unique instance. If the Seahawks were to keep more than five wide receivers on the roster, this would be the year to do that. Those on the roster include Jaron Brown, Amara Darboh, Jazz Ferguson, Gary Jennings, Tyler Lockett, D.K. Metcalf, David Moore, Keenan Reynolds, Malik Turner, John Ursua, and Terry Wright.
Predictions
Starters
Lockett, Brown, Moore, and Metcalf are most likely all guaranteed the starting spots on the Seahawks’ offense, while Ursua and Ferguson are likely next in consideration.
Lockett, the new number one receiver in Seattle, has become a major deep threat for opposing defenses while also staying a big contributor from the slot. Last season, he led all receivers in with a 77.8% catch rate and had a Pro Football Focus grade of 97.8 on deep passes.
Metcalf will also be one to watch on deep passes from Russell Wilson. During his collegiate career at Ole Miss, Metcalf performed extremely well on vertical routes and he typically racks up a good chunk of yards per reception.
As for Brown and Moore, 2019 their second and third seasons in Seattle, respectively. Last year, they both played in all 16 games—Brown starting two and Moore starting seven—and caught five touchdowns each.
The Case for a Fifth Spot
Ferguson is another big-bodied receiver, like Metcalf, who is highly instinctive and physical. So far, he has stood out among all of Seattle’s wide receivers during the preseason, with six catches, 78 yards, and one touchdown. He did have one drop and one fumble in week two against the Minnesota Vikings.
Ursua’s preseason performance has drawn similarities to Baldwin, Lockett, and even Jermaine Kearse. He’s been quick out of the slot and has shown his ability to pick up yards after the catch. He has caught two balls for an average of 24 yards in the first two weeks and hopefully will see more action in the final two games of the preseason.
Vying for a Chance
Jennings—who was a fourth-round draft choice in 2019—has only recently begun to make an impression and is probably looking at a spot on the practice squad.
Reynolds has been a curious case among the Seahawks. Since they first signed him in early 2018, he has been cut and re-signed multiple times and Wright was lucky enough to be invited to minicamp on a tryout basis. They both are looking at a chance to make the team only as return specialists, and that is even a long shot.
Finally, Darboh and Turner sit at the bottom of the chain and it would take a major leap to put them in consideration to make the roster. They could also use some time on the practice squad.
A Look Ahead
The final two weeks of the preseason are going to be two very important games for all wide receivers on the roster. It will be two weeks of tough competition in practice to earn snaps against the Los Angeles Chargers and Oakland Raiders. But no matter, fans should not be concerned as this wide receiver room could be one of the best we have seen in a while in Seattle.
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