Kansas City Signs Bobby Engram

by John Morgan on Mar 17, 2009 3:18 PM PDT Comment 26 comments

Seattle loses its second Seahawks icon as the Chiefs sign wide receiver Bobby Engram. Someday when slot receivers are fixtures in every base offense, Engram will be compared to as the prototype: Great hands, good quickness, some ability to block (and the heart of a fullback), but, above all, a sniper's precision executing zone coverage. Even in his career best season in Seattle, 2007, he produced few highlights. Instead, Engram maximized his drive-extending skill set, developing a timing and trust with Matt Hasselbeck that was eerie and often unstoppable.

Good luck in Kansas City, Bobby. You were an excellent Seahawk.

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Bummer

Well said, John. He certainly was a great Seahawk.

So does this make Burleson the last WR that Hasslebeck has a true rapport with? Kind of a scary thought.

by Nick Andron on Mar 17, 2009 3:23 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

It's interesting that Seattle made no effort to re-sign Engram.

Hasselbeck is not a quarterback that quickly develops trust with his receivers.

by John Morgan on Mar 17, 2009 3:28 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hmm.

So what are you SAYING, John?

by djafrot on Mar 17, 2009 3:41 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

He's saying that it's all part of the Government coverup of extraterrestrial life.

The truth is out there, Scully.

by BrianL on Mar 17, 2009 3:43 PM PDT up reply actions 2 recs

Rec'd

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

by Fearless Frog on Mar 17, 2009 5:31 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I love ribbing people about Hasselbeck

but this has nothing to do with him. Knapp runs a lot fewer three wide receiver sets. It was part of Holmgren’s base formation and he ran it on nearly two-thirds of all plays. Knapp uses three wide receivers on less than half of all plays and four wide receivers on one in about twenty plays. So Engram wasn’t a good fit and wasn’t going to get the opportunities he deserves. I think he will be good for KC.

by John Morgan on Mar 18, 2009 10:43 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Is there a difference...

… between making no effort to re-sign, and letting Engram test the waters, see that he’s not quite as valuable as he thinks he is and letting his cost depreciate? Because the latter is what I thought the Seahawks were doing.

I remember the the big fuss at the beginning of last season when he wanted a bit more money and didn’t show up to a few days of camp or something.

by Anticitizen_One on Mar 17, 2009 4:17 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

This makes me feel better we signed Housh.

If there was any WR that I’m confident Hass could develop a rapport with relatively quickly, it’d be TJ.

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

by Fearless Frog on Mar 17, 2009 5:52 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Housh said himself one of the reasons he came to Seattle was Hasselbeck

I too am excited if Housh develops even half the rapport he had with Engram I’d be happy.

So long Engram. You were the only receiver I could always believe would catch the ball and behave like a class act in the last decade.

by Ezzra on Mar 17, 2009 8:15 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

they didn't want to insult him.

they’d re-sign him if nobody else had made him an offer, but I’m sure they weren’t happy he felt slighted before, so why go through that again.

by shams on Mar 17, 2009 6:26 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Allow me to quote a great mind of our time on this one.

“Let me see you get low you scared you, scared you
Drop dat ass to the floor you scared you, scared you
Let me see you get low you scared you, scared you
Drop dat ass to the floor you scared you, scared you
Drop dat ass ya shake it fast ya” Lil’ Jon

Cogito Ergo Sum

by censor1979 on Mar 18, 2009 4:51 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

It always puzzled me

That a defense could drop into zone and consistently not account Engram. I suspect Holmgren designed brilliant plays that allowed Bobby flourish. What a great counterpunch to Alexander in 2005 – if he doesn’t break one, just throw to Bobby on 3rd down.

I’ll always remember that endzone drop against the Rams because it was so uncharacteristic of Bobby Clutch.

I thanked the Bears every game for letting him go.

Farewell to one of the greatest Seahawk WRs ever.

by Groundhog on Mar 17, 2009 3:42 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

He rounded his routes like TJ does....

common sense route running.

Cogito Ergo Sum

by censor1979 on Mar 18, 2009 4:57 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Weird

I thought of the Rams drop too for some reason while reading John’s writeup, but I’m marking it down to the difficulty my brain must be having in sorting out the hundreds of other times I cheered when he made a play.

by admiralzing on Mar 17, 2009 4:38 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I will miss Bobby but...

Hasselbeck had no problem developing a trust with Joe J in 2005. He just has trouble developing trust with crappy receivers that don’t get open and can’t catch the ball (C. Taylor comes to mind).

by lordtd on Mar 17, 2009 6:22 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I loved

Everyone knowing who #8 was going to throw to on third down and the ball seemingly always completed to Engram for the first. Sweet stuff. It was, as John also said, at times unstoppable, even when predictable.

I hope TJ provides similar results to offset Bobby’s loss. It is easy to accept Engram moving on, and this is no surprise. He gave us more than we bargained for when he was signed, for quite a bit longer than most could have anticipated. A quality acquisition and a quality career.

Thanks, Mr.Engram.

by Misfit74 on Mar 17, 2009 6:26 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

We couldn't keep Engram once Houshmanzadeh was signed

Housh operates in the same area of the field as Engram. We couldn’t pay that kind of money and have him fighting for space with Engram on the same area of the field.

Having said that, Engram may well be destined for the Seahawk ring of honor. He was the prototype slot guy in the same way that John-El was the prototype “Swiss Army Knife” fullback. Add to all his on field accomplishments his ongoing battle with Graves Disease.

"Those who fear disorder more than injustice inevitably produce more of both." -- Rev. William Coffin

by dcrockett17 on Mar 17, 2009 6:29 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Concur.

Engram was a class act all the way and had a great career with us, and I’m sure I speak for all of when I wish him all the best in KC.

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

by Fearless Frog on Mar 18, 2009 11:50 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

With Bobby leaving town and the P-I going under

This is turning out to be my worst St. Patrick’s Day ever….that doesn’t involve me throwing up.

by J.L. White on Mar 17, 2009 7:21 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

So long, and thanks from every Hawks fan who saw you hustle everytime you played. We’ll miss you Bobby. And to T.J., welcome aboard and kick some ass!

by AZ Hawk on Mar 17, 2009 7:58 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Damn.

I didn’t expect him to stay. But I’m still sad to see him gone nonetheless. Thanks for everything Bobby! We’re gonna miss you!

by Carl Shinyama on Mar 17, 2009 8:14 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

NOT sure if you have an editorial suggestion box....

….but in light of losing Bobby, I’d love to hear your thoughts on what QB-WR chemistry really is. Is it something tangible? I have never personally ever dedicated enough time to really formulate an opinion on the matter; however, I’d like to hear an educated perspective on what that proverbial “chemistry” really boils down, to and how it affects a games outcome.

by iverson2169 on Mar 17, 2009 9:13 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Just saying...

Deion Branch and Nate Burleson have both been on the Seahawks 3 years now. Most catches Branch has had in a single season? A whopping 53(compare to Engram’s disappointing 47 catches last year). Burleson grabbed 50 his second season after a laughable 18 catches in 16 games his first year on the team. Even D.J. Hackett had 32 catches (in 6 games) in 07, and 45 in 06.

Two years ago Bobby Engram grabbed 94 receptions. Like everyone else on the team he was hurt and had a down year last year, and I understand Houshmandzadeh should be an upgrade from Engram but I think it was a mistake to let him go when there are no other reliable receivers on the team.

by dundundun on Mar 18, 2009 12:58 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Housh and Engram both are primary slot recievers. They'd simply end up sharing time.

And the emergence of Carlson coupled with Houshmandzadeh means we don’t have to worry that Branch and Burleson aren’t spectacular. They’re more than solid enough to make a well rounded, if not star studded, receiving corps.

And welcome to Field Gulls. I feel like I’ve been saying that a lot lately, which has to be a good sign.

by Ezzra on Mar 18, 2009 3:03 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

On the subject of that good sign

As someone reasonably new to FG (last few months), just wanted to say there is a good reason why you might be welcoming in more new readers. I have found nowhere else covering the Hawks that remotely approaches the level debate and humour on FG. That not only goes for the likes of John et al, but for pretty much all the contributors.

I found this site through Sando on ESPN (who considering he covers the whole NFC West now, I feel still does a really nice job on Seattle) – he seems to be referencing John’s posts here pretty much every other day. Long may it continue.

Thanks, and keep up the good work – it’s appreciated.

by JamesMurphy on Mar 18, 2009 9:39 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs