'Silent Assassin' Dareke Young Impressing Mike Macdonald, Seattle Seahawks

Coming off an injury-marred season, Dareke Young has bounced back in his third NFL training camp with the Seahawks, positioning himself to maintain a roster spot.

Jul 27, 2024; Renton, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Dareke Young (83) carries the ball after making a catch during training camp at Virginia Mason Athletic Center. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports / Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

Injuries can wreak havoc on players in the NFL, and in the case of Dareke Young, the former Lenoir Rhyne standout saw how quickly momentum can come to a screeching halt when injuries struck in his second season with the Seattle Seahawks.

Bursting onto the scene in the second half of his rookie campaign, Young emerged as one of Seattle's most reliable special teams contributors and saw an uptick in offensive snaps, playing everywhere from fullback to slot receiver. Helping the team capture a wild card spot, he recorded his first two career receptions in a 19-16 overtime win over the Los Angeles Rams in the season finale, and he also caught a pass for 11 yards in a playoff loss to San Francisco, hinting at a bigger role in the future for the seventh-round pick.

However, Young suffered a sports hernia injury early in his second training camp, and even after taking a few weeks off in an attempt to calm the issue, he ultimately underwent surgery and landed on injured reserve to open the regular season. He returned to action for the Seahawks in Week 10, only to suffer another injury that prevented him from suiting up the next three games, and he wound up playing in just six games without registering a single catch or tackle.

Coming off a lost season where he wasn't able to make the impact he hoped to on offense or special teams, Young faced significant pressure heading into training camp last month as he had to not only win over a new coaching staff, but also prove he could stay healthy and produce in a highly competitive receiving corps to stick on Seattle's roster.

So far, however, Young has been able to check off both of those boxes, drawing praise from Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald after Monday's practice and earning himself a fun nickname in the process.

"He's like the silent assassin. He does the right thing all the time. He's tough as nails," Macdonald told reporters. "I see you guys all writing that down. Not to be catch phrases and buzz words, but just a lot of respect for how he goes about his business is probably the best way to put it."

Back healthy after enduring a difficult 2023, Young has quietly turned in a stellar training camp, receiving run with both the first and second-team offensive units while also continuing to be a key cog on special teams. Those results translated into game action in Saturday's preseason opening win over the Chargers, as he led the Seahawks with three receptions for 44 yards and added a special teams tackle in kick coverage.

Turning in the longest play from scrimmage for Seattle in the contest, Young reeled in a 26-yard catch from backup quarterback Sam Howell early in the third quarter after the quarterback properly read blitz and stepped up into the pocket to deliver a strike to the receiver. After struggling with drops in his first preseason two years ago, he caught all three of his targets, continuing to demonstrate improved hands and reliability in the passing game.

But while Macdonald loved what he saw from Young as a receiver generating an explosive play and catching all of his targets, he admitted that his blocking prowess on the outside had caught his attention even more, as he made several key blocks to spring teammates on run plays in Saturday's victory. Among his most notable blocks, he worked alongside fellow wideout Jake Bobo to create a crease for Laviska Shenault on a 44-yard kick return, effectively washing a coverage defender out of the play.

"[Offensive coordinator] Ryan Grubb mentioned this week, I know I always talk about the offensive line driving our offense, but it's also a wide receiver driven scheme for years," Macdonald explained. "If you have guys that can block at the point of attack, run the entire route tree, play the different positions, be able to handle the ball, block on the perimeter, it really opens up all your options. Pleased with how Dareke [Young] blocked and he made some great plays down the field as well. I was more fired up about the blocking at the point of attack frankly."

Competing in one of the deepest receiving units in the NFL, Young will have to continue making plays and taking advantage of all of his opportunities to ensure his spot on the Seahawks roster, especially with Shenault shining in his debut and offering some of the same traits as an offensive player. He also will have to fend off former second-round pick Dee Eskridge, whose kick and punt return abilities have kept him in the mix despite struggles as a receiver, as well as capable veterans Cody White and Easop Winston.

But as things stand heading into this week's pair of joint practices against the Titans, a healthy, determined Young looks to be on the right side of the bubble at the moment. His versatility as an offensive chess piece who can line up in multiple positions, plus-athletic traits, hard-nosed mentality as a blocker, and well-rounded special teams game give him a significant edge over others vying for one of the final spots at receiver.

As long as Young keeps doing everything the right way, including starring in the third phase of the game and handling the dirty work on the outside, and avoids the injury bug that bit him hard last season, the silent assassin should be suiting up for the Seahawks and ready to do some damage against the Broncos on September 8.