All wide receivers lumped into a big wide receiver pile - surprisingly easy to do. Seattle needs three that can receive a starter's equivalent of snaps. It has T.J. Houshmandzadeh. Makes you wonder, if Nate Burleson was not worth a franchise tag in a vacuum, and he certainly was not, was it worth overspending to avoid another giant sinkhole?
Wide Receiver
Starter: T.J. Houshmandzadeh
Age: Turns 33 September 26.
Health: Excellent.
Contract: Four years remaining.
Performance: Solid.
Starter: Deion Branch
Age: Turns 31 July 18.
Health: Um.
Contract: More onerous by the season (two seasons remaining).
Performance: Good when healthy.
Starter:
Backup: Deon Butler
Age: Turned 24 January 4.
Health: Incomplete.
Contract: Three years remaining.
Performance: Incomplete.
Depth: Ben Obomanu
Age: Turns 27 October 30.
Health: Missed 2008 season, but mostly good.
Contract: RFA.
Performance: Gunner.
Depth: Ruvell Martin
Age: Turns 28 August 10.
Health: Incomplete.
Contract: One year remaining.
Performance: Incomplete.
Position need: Scroll through the Seahawks roster and a few other names appear: Gunner Sean Morrey, Patrick Carter, Michael Jones, and somehow Mike Hass is still around. Carter, Jones and Martin are big bodied receivers, and that does not bode well for Butler or Branch. Superficially, this seems like a GIANT GLARING NEED with SEASON CRIPPLING ramifications, but that's why superficial is like superficial. Seattle's single wing offense has no need for wide receivers. But whoever will play wingback?
Or, another way to put that is: Butler and Branch are likely misfit in this offense. Housh is a well paid possession receiver with airs and age. Martin is a step above a camp body, and a step below intriguing. Pretty huge need here.