Seahawks sign LB/TE Jameson Konz, waive TE Victor Marshall

The Seahawks signed their former 2010 7th round draft pick Jameson Konz today and released TE Victor Marshall. Konz came in to the NFL originally as a tight end or H-back, but made the switch to the defensive side of the ball during training camp in 2011 after sitting out his first year on the IR. He played some LEO defensive end while showing an ability to rush the passer with some quickness in practices, but obviously, was very raw at that position. His main role for the 2011 season was to be a core special teamer but he tore his ACL during the first game in which he was active. Heath Farwell replaced him on the roster and cemented his role by leading the league in special teams tackles that year. Konz was cut following the preseason last year, I believe.

Konz mainly washed out with the Seahawks because he couldn't stay healthy. He's theoretically healthy now, and his main upside is that he's moderately big at 6'3, 245 or so, and very fast, and as a former linebacker during his first few years of college, knows how to hit and tackle. Either way, his speed and size combination could be helpful for the ST units.

What remains to be seen is whether the Hawks move him back to the tight end position though, now that they're experiencing some shortages in depth there (he's officially listed as a LB/TE). Considering a tight end was cut to clear a roster spot, I can see them trying him at TE again. Last I saw, Konz had been with Gus Bradley and the Jaguars, but apparently he was released at some point recently.

Like Antonio Gates, Josh Cribbs, and James Harrison, Konz played his college ball at Kent State. He played linebacker the first three years of his collegiate career but then was moved to tight end his senior year. He hurt his ankle that year though, redshirted, and returned for another year. His (2nd) senior year he played in-line Tight End about a third of the time, lined up at H-Back the rest, and caught 21 passes for 298 yards with a pair of TDs. His numbers most likely would have been significantly better had he not been injured his redshirted (first) senior year: he would have been catching passes from his then QB teammate/roommate and current New England Patriot Julian Edelman. The next year though, Edelman was drafted and Konz was catching passes from a true freshman.

After he was done at Kent State, Konz hooked up with Julian Edelman's agent, Don Yee; the two met through Kent State's head coach Doug Martin. After the success that Yee had with Edelman, he reached out to another versatile, athletic player in Konz: as Lee put it at the time, "Versatility is becoming more important on these [NFL] rosters. If a player has the appropriate body shape and ability, he's going to be serving more than one role. I think [Konz] is going to be the same Swiss Army knife-type of guy."

If Konz can stay healthy, he has a shot at the roster as a special teams guy with the potential as depth on both sides of the field. At this point, it's more likely he's a camp body and possibly filler at the TE position (as said, he's replacing Marshall, a UDFA TE), but it should be interesting to watch nonetheless.

If you're curious, Konz's Field Gulls Adjusted SPARQ number was 143.97 as of 2010 - 4.38 40, 46" vert, 27 reps on bench, 4.25 short shuttle at 234 pounds. I believe he's up about ten pounds since then but has obviously undergone ACL surgery so I don't know if the speed/explosiveness is still there. My guess is that it's back, but we'll see.

NOTES:

- The Rams claimed Justin Veltung. Goddamn Rams.

- DE Cliff Avril, CB Ron Parker, and T Michael Bowie all left/sat out practice today with hamstring issues.