Free Agent of Interest: TJ Houshmandzadeh

by John Morgan on Jan 27, 2009 5:36 PM PST

Name: TJ Houshmandzadeh

Birthdate: September 26, 1977

Position: WR

Height/Weight: 6'1"/199

College: Oregon State, 1 year starter

Notable Stats: 42 catches, 656 yards, 6 touchdowns

Pros: Bengals, 74 starts in eight years.

Notable Stats: Five consecutive 900+ yard seasons

Pre-draft measurables: Was not invited to the NFL combine.

20 Word Scouting Report: Quick, powerful, excellent route runner, great body control, carves zones, shields defender, hard to press, good run after the catch

My Interest: It's possible that Houshmandzadeh has never shaken the stigma of dropping out of high school. He attended Cerritos Community College before joining Oregon State. He wasn't invited to the combine and wasn't drafted until the seventh round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He spent the next two seasons battling for and losing starts to Peter Warrick. Houshmandzadeh missed most of 2003 with a severe hamstring injury. He was still slotted behind Warrick in 2004, but a fortuitous shin injury cost Warrick most of the season. It was fortuitous for the Bengals who finally stripped themselves of Warrick and fortuitous for Houshmandzadeh who emerged as a top tier receiver. Houshmandzadeh hard scrabbled his way into a career and on the eve of his free agency is still treated like a minor star. He's not. And don't be fooled, he's not slow either. Even Ryan Fitzpatrick, a hobbled Chad Ocho Cinco and a punishing schedule couldn't stop Houshmandzadeh. His counting stats and analytical stats stayed in the top 25. He has all the abilities but top speed and should be a superstar, but it seems most can't see past his ignoble roots. If that means Seattle can sign him at a discount, then may the market be petty and prejudiced. A wonderful complement to Deion Branch, a little thuggish but never an outlaw, Housh would bring stability and ability to a wide receiver corps heavy on potential and depth, but light on stability and production.

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Comments

I could care less about speed if his YAC is solid.

I know its early still, but what kind of contract (yrs and money) is realistic for him to command on the market?

by SeaTownBlueDevil on Jan 27, 2009 6:05 PM PST reply actions

"Bring stability and ability"

“light on stability”

O_o;

"Part, fools!
Put up your swords. You know not what you do."

by Fearless Frog on Jan 27, 2009 7:15 PM PST reply actions

As for Housh, I like him and think we pursue him

but in the end any of the teams with a more desperate need at WR overpay for him.

"Part, fools!
Put up your swords. You know not what you do."

by Fearless Frog on Jan 27, 2009 7:17 PM PST up reply actions

I agree.

I think TR may make him an offer, but it won’t be as much as some teams will be willing to shell out.

"It's just one big guy against another big guy, both teams know what's at stake. The one of them comes out on top and it feels good."
-Chris Collinsworth, Madden 09

by Wayward Llama on Jan 27, 2009 8:40 PM PST up reply actions

this is why I hope there's a "hometown" discount of some kind.

Another factor, though: taking Housh would take us out of the running for Crabtree, further tipping our hand to pretty much OT or QB only.

Not that I’m against either of those picks.

by djafrot on Jan 27, 2009 9:03 PM PST up reply actions

There won't be.

He was born and raised in Cali, went to college there before OSU took him in. That’s about as close as it gets to Northwest roots for him. And yes, signing Housh just about guarantees no Crabtree.

"Part, fools!
Put up your swords. You know not what you do."

by Fearless Frog on Jan 27, 2009 9:20 PM PST up reply actions

i don't think Housh = no Crabtree

Housh would just add another #2 receiver, of which we have four of already. If Crabtree ends up looking more like a true star #1, I think they go for it Housh or no Housh. The thing that I think that would keep Ruskell from drafting him is he only has 2 years of college experience. Would Crabtree really be able to come in and play right away? He usually likes players that can in the early rounds.

by B.B.Finnegan on Jan 28, 2009 1:39 PM PST up reply actions

Housh, Branch, Crabtree, Burleson

seems kind of like overkill to me. Do we really want Branch as a #3?

by LantermanC on Jan 28, 2009 2:04 PM PST up reply actions

Yeah, that's gonna be a lot of $ tied up in WR's.

Not going to happen.

by djafrot on Jan 28, 2009 2:06 PM PST up reply actions

WR have notoriously slow starts to their careers

Bringing him into a veteran group and not having to depend on him could be a good call. It would be a bunch of cap space tied up in that spot though.

by Nate Dogg on Jan 28, 2009 4:45 PM PST up reply actions

True, but if Crabtree is as good as everyone says he is...

Take a look at Moss, Boldin, and Fitzgerald’s first seasons.

by LantermanC on Jan 28, 2009 8:24 PM PST up reply actions

Re-read it. Housh would bring stability and ability to a team that is light on stability and production.

It makes sense.

Yesterday's Pants
A blog-thingy about the Mariners and stuff.

by BrettJMiller on Jan 28, 2009 4:12 PM PST up reply actions

Yes, yes it does.

My mistake.

"Part, fools!
Put up your swords. You know not what you do."

by Fearless Frog on Jan 29, 2009 11:03 AM PST up reply actions

Sando links to you and the guys on Seahawk Addicts

on a regular basis now.

I’m warming up the idea of signing Housh.

by redwolf75 on Jan 27, 2009 9:11 PM PST reply actions

You know, I'd really love it if someone wrote something about our cap situation...

…someone…

by djafrot on Jan 29, 2009 1:03 AM PST reply actions

Then write about the Hawk's cap situation.

I DRINK YOUR MILKSHAKE!!! I DRINK IT UP!!

by abender20 on Jan 29, 2009 12:30 PM PST up reply actions

yeah, funny.

by djafrot on Jan 30, 2009 9:08 PM PST up reply actions

Didn't know where else to throw this...

…but I was on Sportsline, there was an article about Crabtree and on the side a little poll as to where he’d be drafted. Eight options.

Seattle led with 75… with no other team even getting higher than 7 or 8.

Yipes. Popular opinion has it that our WR’s are stinky.

by djafrot on Jan 30, 2009 9:10 PM PST reply actions

Housh

1. Sign Housh, match him with Burleson on the outside, move Branch into Engram’s slot position.

2. Let Bobby and Koren go, use Obamanu and Kent/Taylor/Bumpus/McMullen for depth.

3. Draft Sanchez at 4.

4. Sign Canty, let Rocky go. Let Weaver – he of the 356 career yards – go, too.

5. Draft a corner or safety at 36.

6. Use the rest of the draft picks for line depth on both sides.

7. Pray that Matt can stay healthy enough to go deep into the playoffs.

8. Trade Seneca, bring in an aging vet who could take over the team if/when Matt goes down before Sanchez is ready.

Seneca is not going to take this team to the Super Bowl. Not this year or any other. This may be Matt’s last shot and I would hope that the ’Hawks are never in this drafting position again so this is the time to get your QB of the future. Sanchez is a perfect fit.

by AnchorageHawkFan on Feb 27, 2009 11:55 AM PST reply actions