Seattle Seahawks 90-Man Roundup: Can UFL Standout WR Marcus Simms Carve Out Role?

After spending the last two seasons with the Michigan Panthers of the UFL, wide receiver and kick returner Marcus Simms will get a chance with the Seahawks. Where does he fit?

Sep 22, 2018; Morgantown, WV, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers wide receiver Marcus Simms (8) catches a pass and runs for extra yards during the fourth quarter against the Kansas State Wildcats at Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium. / Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports

The Seattle Seahawks will report to training camp at the VMAC on Tuesday, officially ushering in the first season under new coach Mike Macdonald.

In preparation for the new incoming season, we’ll be detailing every member of the Seahawks 90-man roster over the next several weeks, diving into scheme fits, exploring best and worst case scenarios and predicting what to expect from each player entering the 2024 campaign.

A prospective late add to the Seahawks’ training camp roster, will former UFL standout wide receiver and special teams contributor Marcus Simms have a shot to stick around in Seattle?

Background

Simms was rated a three-star prospect by 247Sports in the 2016 recruiting class, and he committed to West Virginia over seven other schools that offered him. He immediately saw playing time as a true freshman, appearing in 10 games and recording six catches for 95 yards and a touchdown. Over the next two seasons, Simms recorded 81 receptions for 1,362 yards and seven touchdowns with the Mountaineers. He entered the 2019 Supplemental Draft but was not selected, later signing with Jacksonville during the offseason. Simms suffered a concussion in the preseason, was placed on injured reserve and eventually released. After spending two seasons with the Michigan Panthers of the UFL (previously USFL), James Larsen of Pro Football Network reported on July 16 that Seattle planned to sign Simms to a contract, pending a physical. The team is yet to announce Simms’ signing ahead of training camp.

Scheme Fit

Offensively, Simms was a vertical threat during his stint in the UFL, leading the league this past season with 18.5 yards per reception and recording two touchdowns of more than 60 yards. Listed at 6-0, 194 pounds on Michigan’s roster last season, Simms would likely translate to the slot or Z-receiver in the NFL. He was also a return specialist in the UFL, averaging 28.7 yards per kick return on seven attempts last season.

Best Case Scenario

Bringing experience from the UFL’s kickoff rules, which have now been adopted by the NFL in a similar format, Simms stands out in the preseason as a return specialist. He’s viewed as a big enough weapon in that phase to warrant keeping him on the roster over other prospective special teams contributors Laviska Shenault and Dee Eskridge. Simms spends the regular season as Seattle’s kick and punt returner but is buried deep on the offensive depth chart.

Worst Case Scenario

Simms’ training camp and preseason tryout doesn’t pan out, and he is a victim to the swath of cuts after the Seahawks’ final preseason game. Without much potential to contribute on offense, Simms’ knowledge and previous effectiveness in the new kickoff rules also aren’t enough to warrant him being stashed on the practice squad.

What to Expect in 2024

Seattle doesn’t need Simms on offense. His 426 receiving yards on 23 catches in an eight-game UFL season is impressive, but that’s not nearly a large enough sample size to expect him to crack the offensive depth chart in training camp. Simms’ best bet to battle for a roster spot is as a returner with his experience in the adjusted format — an outcome that is certainly possible if he explodes on multiple returns in the preseason while kick coverage teams are still adjusting to the new rules.

Even with that advantage, he will be competing against players who have more upside on the offensive side of the ball, and that will hurt his chances. Shenault, for example, has experience both rushing and receiving the ball and is listed at 6-1, 224 pounds. Larger, more physical returners may be more successful under the revamped kickoff rules at the NFL level, and it’s a bigger bonus if they can contribute on offense. Simms has the cards stacked against him and is a long shot to even make the practice squad, let alone the active roster.

Previous 90-Man Roundups

Buddha Jones | Devin Richardson | Rason Williams II | Nathan Pickering | Dee Williams | Devere Levelston | Kobe Lewis | Sunny Anderson | Mike Novitsky | Max Pircher | Easton Gibbs | Hayden Hatten | Garret Greenfield | Carlton Johnson | Matt Gotel |George Holani | Cody White | Ty Okada | Drake Thomas | McClendon Curtis | Easop Winston Jr. |Nelson Ceaser | Jonathan Sutherland | Lance Boykin | Joshua Onujiogu | Patrick O'Connell |Jack Westover | Raiqwon O'Neal | Tyler Mabry | Dareke Young | Tremayne Anchrum | DJ James | Artie Burns | Kenny McIntosh | Myles Adams | Dee Eskridge | Stone Forsythe | Tyrice Knight |Jerrick Reed II | Mike Morris | Coby Bryant | Jake Bobo | Jon Rhattigan | Nick Harris | Johnathan Hankins | Derick Hall | Laviska Shenault | PJ Walker | K'Von Wallace | Sam Howell |Sataoa Laumea | Pharaoh Brown | Michael Dickson | Tre Brown | A.J. Barner | Darrell Taylor | Mike Jackson | Zach Charbonnet | Rayshawn Jenkins | Anthony Bradford | Jerome Baker | Laken Tomlinson | Jarran Reed | Ricky Person Jr. | Jason Myers | Olu Oluwatimi | Christian Haynes | Abraham Lucas | Dre'Mont Jones | Tyrel Dodson | Jaxon Smith-Njigba | Boye Mafe | Noah Fant | Julian Love | Ken Walker III | Byron Murphy II | Charles Cross | Riq Woolen | Tyler Lockett | Devon Witherspoon | Leonard Williams | Uchenna Nwosu | DK Metcalf