Anthony McCoy reportedly to re-sign with Seahawks

The Seahawks will reportedly re-sign free agent tight end Anthony McCoy. McCoy tore his achilles tendon in training last May and missed the entire 2013 season, but with the recovery rates for that injury improving (see Terrell Suggs and Michael Crabtree) it's an intriguing move that may fly under the radar today but pay dividends down the road.

The roster status of Zach Miller remains a big question mark this offseason, and it's been reported/speculated that Miller will be asked to take a pay cut. That remains to be seen, but if the Seahawks do decide to go that route and Miller refuses (and thusly is cut), McCoy gives Seattle some much needed insurance and experience there. He's also been in the Pete Carroll program for the past six or seven years (going back to USC), so he's certainly up to speed on the terminology and methodology of the Carroll/Cable ZBS.

McCoy could, in the scenario which sees Miller released, compete with 2nd year TE Luke Willson for the starting job. Now, I believe that the Seahawks are very high on Luke Willson and believe he has the potential to be an every-down type of Y-Tight end, but Pete Carroll loves competition at every spot so this will definitely push things there whether Miller stays or leaves.

McCoy had 18 catches for 291 yards and 3 touchdowns in 2012, and his 16.2 yards per catch is impressive, but not surprising, considering it felt like the majority of the times he was targeted, he was wide open downfield with room to run. This is by design and because of the Seahawks' heavy use of play action, where McCoy becomes a weapon in two tight end 'run' sets, where he's a nice, versatile, run blocker that can also get downfield in a hurry to catch passes.

Like Miller and Willson, McCoy is a prototypical Y-type of tight end - Pete Carroll has lauded him for his run blocking in the past and he's certainly big enough (6'5, 275ish) to hold the edge against defensive ends - but he also has the potential to become a more dangerous weapon in the passing game. McCoy had a drop-littered 2011 season but mostly cleaned that up in 2012, and he was one of my breakout candidates for the 2013 season before he got hurt. Of course, with McCoy, physical potential has never been the issue, it's been a matter of putting it all together on the field.

Regardless, at this point, McCoy would take outgoing free agent Kellen Davis' spot on the roster, and provides the Seahawks with some options at the tight end position.