Despite Rocky Relationship With Russell Wilson, WR Golden Tate Fits One of Seahawks' Biggest Needs

Possible bad blood between Tate and quarterback Russell Wilson could make this point all but moot, though the former Notre Dame star would fill a significant need the Seahawks have to address this offseason.

Russell Wilson’s unhappiness with the Seahawks’ organization is at the forefront of the football world’s collective minds right now. To many, Seattle should be doing everything it can to make its star quarterback happy by retooling the offense.

With David Moore, Phillip Dorsett, and Josh Gordon all hitting unrestricted free agency, giving Wilson a reliable slot receiver behind DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett could go a long way to mending this seemingly fractured relationship. The Seahawks, however, must be careful who they target so as to not pour more gasoline on the fire.

Reportedly released by the Giants last night, former Seahawks receiver Golden Tate makes a ton of sense in a potential return to the Pacific Northwest—on paper, at least. The 2010 second-round selection is still a capable pass-catcher out of the slot with a more refined toolset than the one he left Seattle with in 2014, but his muddied history with Wilson could make this a non-starter for general manager John Schneider and head coach Pete Carroll as they try to damage control.

Following Tate’s departure from Seattle, rumors began to swirl about a possible falling out between him and Wilson. Not to get too deep into the personal lives of either player, but for those unaware: these rumors accused Tate of having, frankly, an intimate relationship with Wilson’s now ex-wife, Ashton Meem. Though nothing has come to light to legitimize these claims, Tate has had to publicly address the situation on more than one occasion while Wilson’s remained completely silent.

“It’s sad that he’s letting it go on,” Tate told TMZ in 2015 while disregarding the rumors as nothing more than “a bunch of bulls--t.” In the same interview, Tate said he and Wilson still maintained somewhat of a relationship and remained in contact from time to time.

Whether the rumors are indeed true or Tate’s simply upset with the oft-reserved Wilson for not publicly dispelling them, their relationship - if there even is one - appears rocky at best. As displayed in the aforementioned TMZ interview, Tate was - and perhaps still is - bitter towards Wilson. He’s more recently made comments related to football that could be taken as slight jabs at Wilson, such as claiming former Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford to be the best passer he’s had the chance to play with in the NFL.

But time heals most wounds, and no matter what the truth is, Tate would be a near perfect fit - from a football perspective - for what the Seahawks currently need in their depleted receiving corps.

Now entering his age 33 season, Tate hasn’t put up huge numbers since exploding for three seasons of 1,000 yards or more in Detroit—but he hasn’t necessarily lost a step, either. Bouncing around from the Lions to the Eagles and eventually the Giants, he’s put up 1,859 yards and 12 touchdowns on a 63.4 percent catch rate since 2018. In that time, he did most of his damage working with Nick Foles, Daniel Jones, and Colt McCoy at quarterback.

Pro Football Focus is still very much a fan of his as well, giving him overall grades of 70.1, 74.0, and 66.0 over the past three seasons.

The Seahawks need someone who can create after the catch and Tate’s ability to make defenders miss remains, as well as his underrated knack for winning in contested situations. At this point in his career, he’s a sound route runner with a nose for the end zone who’s more than capable of fulfilling the role Seattle would need him to.

He’s also a perfect example of how the cap-strapped Seahawks can upgrade at the position without doling out a ton of financial resources this offseason. This free agency class is littered with quality pass-catchers such as Tate and is likely going to get deeper as more cuts come down the pipeline over the next two weeks. Many teams are already at a financial disadvantage, and when you pair the depth of this pool with a strong upcoming draft class, veterans like Tate are unlikely to command significant money on the open market this spring.

For a team in the position Seattle currently finds itself in, this could not be a better scenario. Carroll and Schneider seem locked in on making a splash at tight end with their reported interest in Zach Ertz, Jonnu Smith, and Gerald Everett, but depth at wideout is still going to be a pressing need if they acquire one of those players or not. If they want to make Wilson happy and end the ongoing drama for the time being, adding more weapons to his arsenal is a good step in the right direction.

After watching the offense’s struggles towards the end of the 2020 season, it’s clear Wilson needs more pieces he can lean on in the intermediate game. So if he and Tate are not at odds, or are able to make amends, the Seahawks could truly upgrade in the slot with a familiar face at an affordable cost.