Seahawks 2022 Offseason Position Preview: Tight End

With their two best options at the position set to hit free agency later this month, the Seahawks have some work to do at tight end. Ty Dane Gonzalez breaks down what we know, what we don't and what to expect before the offseason kicks into high gear.

Defying expectations, the Seahawks ran slightly fewer 12 and 13 personnel looks under offensive coordinator Shane Waldron (307) than with Brian Schottenheimer (318) the year prior. That means 70 percent of the team's offensive snaps in 2021 featured only one or no tight ends. While that slim gap makes the difference more or less a wash, the fact that Waldron's unit not only failed to exceed Schottenheimer's by a considerable margin, but didn't even clear the threshold, came as a bit of a surprise. 

Waldron's arrival led to assumptions that Seattle would significantly increase its usage of tight ends this past season. However, its tight end snaps went down by 8.4 percent and targets by 10.2 percent, resulting in a 26th-place finish in the latter category. Some of this was circumstantial, though it ultimately became clear that the team's slew of personnel changes last spring failed to move the needle. Now, it's faced with a similar situation. 

For the second consecutive offseason, the Seahawks are tasked with retooling their group of tight ends. Once again, their two primary contributors at the position are no longer under contract, heading into a notably deep free agent class. That kind of saturation may limit cost of acquisition at the end of the day. But given their limited usage numbers last year, it will be curious to see how far they go to supplement those openings and fill out their ranks. 

Let's go over what we know, what we don't and what to expect before free agency kicks off in a little under two weeks. 

What We Know

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Gerald Everett will re-enter free agency after signing to a one-year contract with the Seahawks last offseason. In his lone campaign with the team, the South Alabama alum appeared in 15 games and posted career-highs across the board, most notably in receptions (48), receiving yards (478) and touchdowns (4). He flashed skills of a highly productive pass catcher at times, but struggled to sustain that level of play for any consistent stretch. That said, he showed enough to warrant consideration for a reunion, though the ball may be more so in Seattle's court than Everett's on that front. 

Will Dissly is the other Seahawks tight end joining Everett on the open market this spring. After suffering a pair of significant lower leg injuries in each of his first two seasons in the NFL, the former Washington standout played in all but two games during the second half of his rookie contract. But he was nowhere near as productive in those 31 appearances, exceeding the receiving totals of his first 10 games by a mere 14 receptions and 76 yards while falling three touchdowns shy. Still, he's been the team's best blocker at the position and is well-liked around the franchise, thus keeping the door open for a possible return.

The absence of Everett and Dissly leaves Seattle with tight ends Colby Parkinson and Tyler Mabry on its roster. Parkinson started the year on injured reserve after suffering a broken foot in training camp and was rarely involved in the offense upon his return. But if he can stay healthy, the Seahawks are expected to have bigger plans for the 6-foot-7, sure-handed Stanford product in 2022. 

Therefore, Parkinson may very well be the team's solution for filling one of the holes vacated by Dissly and Everett's impending free agencies. But even then, Seattle will still have to go outside the organization in some form or fashion to complete its tight ends room. If it's via the free agent market, here's a look at the abundance of options at its disposal and why keeping things status quo is far from a certainty

What We Don't Know

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Will Seattle's tight end usage remain more or less in line with where it was in 2021? If so, then it doesn't make a ton of sense to invest heavily in the position. But it's also worth questioning whether or not those numbers are simply dependent on the talent at hand, and if there's a player—or two—the team could realistically add this offseason that would alter its approach.

That's really where the conversation revolving around the position begins and ends for the Seahawks. The answer to those questions will more or less determine whether or not they'll look to either retain Dissly and Everett, upgrade over them, opt for the more affordable route of expanding Parkinson's role or some combination of the three. 

What to Expect

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Given how many ways they can go about it, it's hard to gauge how the Seahawks will attack the tight end position. That said, it's unlikely the team is going to dive into the upper tier of the free agent market and target the likes of Mike Gesicki, Dalton Schultz, Tyler Conklin and others. Perhaps the most recognizable name that may land on their radar is Zach Ertz, who they reportedly showed some level of interest in acquiring last offseason. But even Ertz may come at too expensive of a price tag to justify. 

The preferred route here—at least at the top of the depth chart—may be to land Everett at a similar dollar figure to the one Seattle signed him to last spring, if possible. Maintaining continuity is an important aspect in this situation, giving quarterback Russell Wilson someone he can proceed building a rapport with rather than starting from scratch again. The same could be said in regards to Dissly—to a lesser extent, of course. 

But it's hard not to be enthralled by the upcoming pool of free agents; and this year's draft class is littered with intriguing options at tight end as well. The Seahawks are certain to explore each market and exhaust all possibilities, with the alternative of running it back with Everett and Dissly in their back pocket. 

More Offseason Position Previews

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Ty Dane Gonzalez
TY DANE GONZALEZ

Reporter and editor covering the Seattle Seahawks for All Seahawks. Host of Locked On Mariners.