Seahawks will have good passing game with few good receivers

The Seattle Seahawks may never shed their tired war against the media, and even their own fans, when it comes to their passing game.

Internal battles over cooking or not cooking, and fourth quarters versus other times when you may or may not be able to win a football game follow this team everywhere.

My contention is that the Seahawks only have two great receivers, only need two great receivers, and will still have an improved passing game over last year. I’m not even convinced they have three good receivers, and they don’t need that either.

2019 Wide Receivers

• Tyler Lockett
• DK Metcalf
• Jaron Brown
• David Moore
• Malik Turner
• Never-say-die John Ursua
• Eventually (and short-lived) Josh Gordon

This is a group I find especially fun, because we know so little about what the corps will look like. Brown and Turner have departed, and Gordon is as of yet not eligible. Phillip Dorsett is the presumed WR3, because he’s super fast and a former first-round pick and has achieved a 500 yard season, I guess. Freddie Swain has impressed in camp when not sidelined by a groin injury, but only tallied just one reception in either mock game.

However.

Let’s say for a moment that Will Dissly makes another two-game improvement in his quest to play a full season by the time he’s 30. That would give him half the year, and he was playing as the most efficient and effective tight end in the league for his first six games in 2019.

Also imagine that whether Dissly is full healthy or not, Russell Wilson is smart enough to remember that Greg Olsen is on the roster and a three-time Pro Bowl end himself. Wilson, of late, has been absolutely lights out with tight ends and it makes no sense to stop now.

The third receiver on this team will be the fourth receiving option, at best. Probably fifth, because I like Chris Carson in the passing game. Carson had more receptions than Brown or Moore last year, and is on the uptick in that regard.

Look at those hands.

Unless this team is able to rediscover the 2013 version of Josh Gordon, whoever’s chasing Phillip Dorsett for playtime will not make or break this team’s passing game.

It comes down to the play of Lockett and Metcalf, and how the Seahawks use their slot receiver. Whenever it’s not Lockett, that is.

Tyler Lockett - played through some nasty injuries last year, is clearly competent as a WR1, and had that whole perfect season thing in 2018. Confidence barring injury? Up.

DK Metcalf - Didn’t do much in Weeks 14 and 15, but steadily improved through the second half of the season and into the playoffs. Even against the defenses of the San Francisco 49ers, Minnesota Vikings, Los Angeles Rams and Philadelphia Eagles. His yards after catch exploded in the second half of the season, and he’s been working extra hard on his one serious weakness: random drops. Confidence in his second year? Way up.

Now for the slot, leading candidate is John Ursua. We may never know what happened last year to result in one target for the preseason star, Hawaii standout, rookie who’s not got time on his side, and guy who can do this:

Ursua needs to make a massive impression somewhere along the line to earn any share of the limited targets that are going to go to the rest of the receiving corps this year. Confidence? None, honestly, and through no fault of his own. I don’t trust the coaching staff to draw up a single play for him.

Predictions

Lockett will lead the team in yards, Metcalf in receiving touchdowns, Carson will surpass 300 rec yards, Dissly will be second in first downs, and Greg Olsen will play three games before designating himself assistant offensive coordinator. After that, it won’t really matter.