Seahawks WRs Training Camp Preview: Bold Predictions, Projected Depth Chart
RENTON, Wash. - Winning Comeback Player of the Year and guiding the Seattle Seahawks to the playoffs, it has been quite a calendar year for Geno Smith, who landed a new three-year contract in March.
But Smith has more than just enhanced job security to be all smiles about as Seattle gears up for the start of training camp later this month. With up to $105 million under the terms of his new deal baked heavily with incentives, the organization has given him as talented of an arsenal of weapons around him as any signal caller in the league, which should bode well for his chances of replicating or exceeding his career numbers from a year ago.
Throwing for a franchise record 4,282 yards and finishing fourth in the NFL with 30 touchdown passes last season, Smith hooked up frequently with receivers Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf, who each eclipsed 1,000 yards in the same season for the second time in four years. Along with both of those star wideouts returning for the 2023 season, the franchise further enriched the quarterback's stockpile of weaponry by selecting Ohio State standout Jaxon Smith-Njigba in the first round of April's draft.
Though Smith has yet to throw to his new toy in game action, it didn't take long for him to start building a rapport with Smith-Njigba, a crafty route runner from the slot with immense after the catch capabilities and a knack for moving the chains, during Seattle's offseason program this spring.
"He's so impressive," Smith said of the rookie wideout. "Very smooth route runner. Natural hands. Also the game is not too big for him. You can see he's got that self-confidence that you look for. He's learning. He's picking up his assignments, learning the offense, like all the other rookies and new guys. So really, Jaxon has been tremendous so far and I'm just looking forward to see him grow and grow as the weeks come about."
Understandably, Smith couldn't be more thrilled about the Seahawks investing in a big-time talent of Smith-Njigba's caliber and contrasting skill set to provide a picture perfect complement for Metcalf and Lockett, two of the NFL's premier vertical threats.
Though a hamstring injury derailed his final season in Columbus and limited him to five catches in three games, Smith-Njigba torched secondaries in the Big Ten during a sensational sophomore season. The latest star to blossom under the tutelage of receiver coach Brian Hartline at Ohio State, he produced 100 or more receiving yards in each of the team's final five games, including setting a Rose Bowl record with 347 yards and three touchdowns against Utah.
In addition, per Pro Football Focus, Smith-Njigba finished second in the country with 790 yards after the catch and fourth overall averaging 8.3 yards after the catch per reception, shining in an area where the Seahawks have consistently struggled in recent years manufacturing yardage with the ball in his hands.
Though he isn't a burner necessarily with 4.52 40-yard dash speed, Smith-Njigba demonstrated elite quickness running a blazing 6.57-second 3-cone drill and a 3.93-second short shuttle. Those change of direction skills coupled with superb toughness at the catch point and underrated acceleration with the ball in his hands should make him an ideal tertiary target for Smith to throw to with opponents focusing heavily on trying to slow down Metcalf and Lockett on the outside.
"Obviously you want guys that are very fast and very quick, but if they can't get in and out of cuts, it really doesn't matter," Smith remarked. "He's got great body control. He's actually a very physical guy. He's not the biggest in stature or widest but you can see when he runs he has that route strength and guys don't really knock him off his course really too often."
Aside from Smith-Njigba's arrival, Smith has other intriguing targets at his disposal in a deep receiving corps, including 2021 second-round pick Dee Eskridge. The former Western Michigan standout has gotten off to a slow start in his NFL career in large part due to injuries, missing 14 games with a concussion and fractured hand in the past two seasons and catching only 17 passes for 122 yards and a single touchdown when healthy.
But this spring, unlike his first two offseasons with the franchise where he dealt with toe and hamstring issues that set him back before the start of the regular season, Eskridge avoided missing time with nicks and bruises. Far sharper with his understanding of the offense and showcasing the athletic tools that warranted his selection two years ago, he caught the attention of Smith, who said he looks "ready to take that next step," as well as Metcalf and Lockett.
“From last year to now, I think he's a totally different player," Metcalf said of Eskridge during mandatory minicamp. "He's been explosive off the line of scrimmage, catching everything, knows where to line up. He's teaching me stuff - since I haven't been here for a couple of weeks - so he's teaching me stuff about the offense, little details about the routes I didn't know before. He's locked in more than ever.”
"When Dee is running routes, he looks explosive," Lockett added. "He's one of the most explosive receivers out there, whether it's the start or the finish. He's coming back to the ball. He's getting himself open. Dee's very explosive. He can do whatever it is coach wants him to do.”
Given Eskridge's durability concerns and the fact Smith-Njigba battled his own injury issues in college, Seattle will have to wait and see how much of an impact the two players make this season. Even if they stay healthy, the presence of a talented running back and tight end group could potentially cut into their opportunities with only one football to go around and Metcalf and Lockett still among the best in the business, limiting their overall contributions.
But if Eskridge can finally find a rhythm with a fire lit underneath him by the addition of Smith-Njigba and the return of physical second-year wideout Dareke Young, the Seahawks could have the most potent passing attack in the NFL with too many viable weapons for defenses to account for. After boasting a top-10 scoring offense a year ago, the sky may be limit for Smith and company as they pursue an NFC West title and a deep postseason journey.
Projected Depth Chart
Competition to Watch
Smith-Njigba vs. Eskridge: Being a first-round pick with an ideal skill set to thrive out of the slot in the NFL, Smith-Njigba will receive every opportunity to secure the third receiver spot behind Metcalf and Lockett. If he can build off of the positive first impression he made during OTAs and minicamp, albeit with restrictions working back from a hamstring injury, he will be well on his way to an extensive role out of the gate as a rookie catching passes from Smith.
But as evidenced by Eskridge's own career, there's no guarantee a rookie will come in at receiver and immediately make a splash, and history confirms the Seahawks won't hand Smith-Njigba a starting job based on draft status alone. Now halfway through his contract with much to prove after a disappointing start in the NFL, Eskridge will be highly motivated to right the ship and show that he can still be an asset in the passing game with elite speed and playmaking ability, making this a competition that is far from a foregone conclusion coming into camp.
Wild Card
Young: Statistically, Young had a quiet rookie campaign with just a pair of receptions, but the ex-Lenoir Rhyne standout handled the difficult transition from Division II competition to the NFL smoothly. Though it took time for him to receive more playing time on offense, he emerged as a key special teams player making tackles and pinning punts deep in opponent territory, earning the trust of coaches and teammates. By the second half, the 224-pound wideout was seeing a handful of snaps as a hybrid fullback in the backfield and subbing in more offensively for his aggressive run blocking on the outside.
As a former seventh-round pick, Young's roster spot is far from a certain one, especially after the team drafted Smith-Njigba. He will have to show marked improvement as a route runner and can't afford to drop passes as he did during the preseason a year ago. But if he cleans up those areas of his game, he's a superb athlete with plus size who could force his way into the conversation for reps behind Metcalf and Lockett.
Bold Predictions
1. Three Seahawk receivers will finish with 700 or more receiving yards for the first time in franchise history.
Dating back to Doug Baldwin's retirement after the 2018 season, the Seahawks have struggled to find a consistent third receiving option to pair with Metcalf and Lockett, utilizing everyone from former seventh-round pick David Moore to veteran Marquise Goodwin in the role with hit-and-miss success over the past four seasons. During that span, no other wideout has finished with more than 417 yards, so projecting a third receiver to go well beyond 500 yards may seem unrealistic.
But Seattle hasn't had a polished receiver of Smith-Njigba's talents in the mix and considering his skill set as a chain mover who excels working in the middle of the field, Smith likely will be looking for him often as a security blanket with opponents scheming to take away Metcalf and Lockett downfield. While the two veterans may see a slight dip in their own numbers compared to a year ago, the trio has a chance to be special right away with all three making history on the outside.
2. As a unit, Seattle receivers will score 30 touchdowns for the first time in franchise history with DK Metcalf leading the way with 13 scoring receptions.
Speaking of history, Metcalf and Lockett have each surpassed 10 touchdowns in a season at least once in their respective careers and they both accomplished the feat in 2020, helping establish a new franchise record with 28 touchdowns scored by receivers that year. This number was bolstered by Moore's six touchdowns, the most he produced in four seasons with the Seahawks.
No offense to Moore, but the former East Oklahoma product didn't have the route running prowess or upside of Smith-Njigba, who scored nine touchdowns in his best season at Ohio State. While Metcalf and Lockett should have no shortage of opportunities in the red zone and remain threats to hit home runs on deep balls for six points, the rookie has a great chance to develop into an instant factor winning contested catch situations in the middle of the field to put points on the scoreboard, making 30 combined touchdowns a realistic target goal.
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