Seahawks 90-Man Countdown: P Michael Dickson - Beacon of Consistency

There's no such thing as a sure thing in the NFL, but if a player has been close to achieving this status, Michael Dickson has been as consistently outstanding as any player in football pinning opponents deep as the punter for the Seattle Seahawks.

Corbin K. Smith | Jul 3, 2023

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Seattle Seahawks

With the calendar flipping to June and offseason activities wrapping up league-wide, the Seattle Seahawks will open training camp at the VMAC in less than two months, officially ushering in the 2023 season.

To celebrate the new incoming season, we'll be detailing every member of the Seahawks 90-man roster over the next several weeks, exploring best and worst case scenarios and what to expect from each player entering the 2023 campaign.

Michael Dickson, Punter

Height/Weight: 6-2, 208 pounds

2022 Stats: 66 punts, 48.5 yards per punt, 22 punts inside 20-yard line

When the Seahawks traded up with the Broncos to pick Dickson in the fifth round of the 2018 NFL Draft, their trade partners could be seen mocking the selection. But five years later, nobody is laughing now except the Aussie punter, who has been one of the NFL's best ever since breaking into the NFL. After being named a First-Team All-Pro as a rookie, the former Texas standout hasn't quite reached those same heights, but he has remained a weapon on special teams, including finishing second in net yardage per punt last season.

Dating back to his rookie season, Dickson has finished in the top seven in punts down inside the opposing 20-yard line three times, finished in the top six in net yardage per punt three times, and only finished outside of the top 12 in yards per punt once, exhibiting consistence excellence few players at his position can match. He's also excelled as a holder for kicker Jason Myers, playing an important role in his teammate's success booting footballs between the uprights.

Best-Case Scenario: Continuing to dazzle with his magical right foot, Dickson once again finishes in the top three in net yardage and pins more than 50 percent of his punts inside the opposing 20-yard line, frequently giving Seattle's defense excellent starting field position to work with.

Worst-Case Scenario: Struggling to build chemistry with rookie long snapper Chris Stoll, Dickson muffs a couple of punt attempts that lead to poor starting field position and endures his worst statistical season for net yardage and percentage of punts inside the opposing 20.

What to Expect in 2023: Trying to predict who specialists perform year-to-year can be tricky, but that hasn't been the case for Dickson, who has been as rock solid as any punter in the NFL for half a decade. Even with a new member joining Seattle's special teams trifecta at the long snapper position, that switch shouldn't impact his performance much, if at all.

An artist punting the football, Dickson should be expected to continue his sensational play and based on his lengthy track record, it would be a surprise if he's not among league leaders in most categories, including net punt yardage, punts downed inside the 20-yard line, and fewest touchbacks. His presence as the invaluable holder on field goals and extra points should also allow Myers to stay dialed in as one of the NFL's best place kickers.

Previous Seahawks 90-Man Profiles

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Published Jul 3, 2023

CORBIN K. SMITH

Graduating from Manchester College in 2012, Smith began his professional career as a high school Economics teacher in Indianapolis and launched his own NFL website covering the Seahawks as a hobby. After teaching and coaching high school football for five years, he transitioned to a full-time sports reporter in 2017, writing for USA Today's Seahawks Wire while continuing to produce the Legion of 12 podcast. He joined the Arena Group in August 2018 and also currently hosts the daily Locked On Seahawks podcast with Rob Rang and Nick Lee. Away from his coverage of the Seahawks and the NFL, Smith dabbles in standup comedy, is a heavy metal enthusiast and previously performed as lead vocalist for a metal band, and enjoys distance running and weight lifting. A habitual commuter, he resides with his wife Natalia in Colorado and spends extensive time reporting from his second residence in the Pacific Northwest.