Seahawks Upgrade For Geno Smith? Broncos WR K.J. Hamler Named as 'Best Fit'
The Seattle Seahawks surprised a lot of people last season. After trading away Russell Wilson, the Geno Smith era was ushered in.
What followed was a stellar campaign from the quarterback that ended with a Pro Bowl nod ... and a shiny new contract. Now, looking to build on last season's efforts, are coach Pete Carroll and his staff looking at upgrading the receiver position? And is that best option a teammate of Wilson's in Denver?
In a list compiled by Pro Football Focus, Denver Broncos receiver K.J. Hamler has been named as the "best fit" for the Seahawks' offense if these upgrades were to take place.
"Hamler is a prototypical vertical slot receiver — a player who can threaten deep at any time with a free release off the line," PFF wrote. "He may not be the most well-rounded receiver, but there are several teams in the league crying out for either the injection of speed, the threat deep downfield, or a slot option. His average depth of target was 24.9 yards downfield last season, and he had a career-low in yards per route run (1.06), as he was aligned out wide more often."
The Seahawks receiving room was largely dominated by D.K. Metcalf (1,048 receiving yards) and Tyler Lockett (1,033 receiving yards). But after the star duo, the next best was tight end Noah Fant with 486 receiving yards.
After that? Speedy receiver Marquise Goodwin, who had 27 catches for 337 yards in 13 games, but tied a single-season career-best mark of four receiving touchdowns.
Is Hamler the receiver Seattle needs?
While PFF details his speed and option as a deep threat, Hamler has played just 10 games over the last two seasons. Additionally, he hasn't surpassed 381 receiving yards in any of his three NFL seasons. But he is entering the final year on his rookie contract, so he could be available on the cheap for the Seahawks.
Perhaps a change in scenery could be the injection that Hamler needs to kick-start his career, and with Smith coming off a Pro Bowl year, Hamler might find himself in a good situation to grow in Seattle.
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