Free company is almost right here, and the NFL Draft is quickly to comply with, so it’s time to ask the prescient query… what are the Seattle Seahawks going to do at tight finish?
Even when this isn’t the primary concern on most of our minds proper now, it actually shall be when the Seahawks are dealing with a game-changing third down and wish a giant goal to publish up on the marker; or when they should hit a security valve with run-after-the-catch upside a’la Noah Fant on a 2nd and lengthy. The truth is that the Seahawks are slated to have some probably huge vacancies that they might want to fill, and so they don’t have a ton of cap area to take action. In actual fact, tight finish could also be a place the place they will really get monetary savings. Michael-Shawn Dugar put it aptly in his latest piece for the Athletic:
Parkinson is ready to hit free company at 25 years previous. Fant, 26, can even be a free agent. Dissly turns 28 in July, and his 2024 cap hit of $10.1 million ranks twelfth amongst tight ends. The Seahawks would save $7 million in wage cap area by releasing or buying and selling Dissly. It feels unlikely that each one three tight ends return, and in Dissly’s case, he in all probability received’t be returning on that deal as at present constructed.
Whereas many issues stay shrouded in thriller, what is obvious is that the tight finish group in 2024 is all however assured to look considerably completely different than it did in 2023, on paper and on the sphere. There’s little query that not less than one — and sure extra — of those gamers listed above won’t be on the roster subsequent fall. The actual questions in my thoughts are (1) whether or not they may select to rebuild this group by Free company or the Draft, and (2) how crucial they view the emptiness on the place.
Beginning with the primary query, I consider it’s honest to say that the group of FA Tight ends is underwhelming. Not solely this, however the largest identify within the draft — the Georgia Bulldogs star Brock Bowers — is all however assuredly going to be off the board by the point the Seahawks are on the clock. Most lately, the Athletic had him touchdown exactly on 15, which is one spot forward of Seattle. Certain, there are some intriguing mid-round prospects like Johnny Wilson of the Florida Seminoles, who’s listed as a 6’7 “receiver” who weighs slightly shy of 250 and boasts plus velocity… however this doesn’t seem to be a practical answer to a sudden lack of veteran management on the place. However it does beg the query: how crucial will pass-catching tight ends be on this new offense? Nicely let’s check out some latest historical past.
Tight ends comprised 87 targets for the Washington Huskies in 2023, or 16.2% of the general goal share, in keeping with Professional Soccer Focus. This quantity was barely increased the earlier season, with 95 targets in 2022 making up 17.3% of the overall share. Within the two seasons previous to the arrival of Deboer and Grubb, the proportion was technically increased, however the complete variety of targets to go round was considerably decrease. In 2021, they collected 22.6% of the targets and 24.3% in 2020, however this was solely on 84 and 25 passes despatched their manner in these seasons, respectively. So quantity makes the supply of the discrepancy troublesome to discern. Along with this, the Huskies had a triumvirate of gifted receivers for Michael Penix Jr. to play with, so there was little must query the method. However then once more, this isn’t in contrast to the receiving corps that Grubb shall be working with in Seattle.
No matter worth the brand new teaching employees locations on tight finish stays to be seen. As talked about above, Grubb is coming from an offense that was in a position to succeed with out marquee expertise on the place. Conversely, Macdonald is coming from an offense that has utilized Mark Andrews in recent times, as he completed third on the workforce with 62 targets final season (having missed half the season to damage), in keeping with PFF. Whether or not or not Coach Mike expects this identical stage of manufacturing out of his tight ends in Seattle might be unlikely/unrealistic, however in any situation, they are going to be anticipated to run some routes and catch some passes. So… who shall be operating these routes and catching these passes, and the place will the workforce discover them?
