One stick at a time, the Seahawks are attempting to improve their beaver dam, Tuesday signing former Patriots WR Phillip Dorsett to a one-year free agent deal. Another former first-round pick with a disappointing NFL career, Dorsett’s speed (4.33-second 40 time at the 2015 combine, same as DK Metcalf in 2019) makes him a strong candidate for Seattle’s third receiver spot behind Tyler Lockett and Metcalf.
In three seasons in New England, Dorsett, 27, didn’t make a big impact with QB Tom Brady, totaling 73 passes for 881 yards and eight TDs in 45 regular-season games, including eight starts. In 14 games and four starts in 2019, he had 29 catches on 54 targets for 397 yards and five touchdowns.
At least part of the production problem last season was the increasing inaccuracy of Brady, whom you may have read was dumped by majordomo Bill Belichick. Dorsett (5-10, 192) had a better time in his first two NFL seasons in Indianapolis, where the Ft. Lauderdale native was taken 29th in the first round from Miami. He was traded to the Pats in 2017 for backup QB Jacoby Brissett.
In his second season with QB Andrew Luck, Dorsett had 33 catches on 59 targets for 528 yards and two TDs. That kind of production would be large in Seattle, where none last eason among David Moore, Jaron Brown, Malik Turner and Josh Gordon owned the third spot. Only Moore, who had 17 catches for 301 yards, and Turner likely will be back, along with second-year man John Ursua.
Since the 2020 draft is loaded at the position, Seattle still might add another target for QB Russell Wilson, who also has TE Greg Olsen, right now the most noteworthy newcomer for the Seahawks, who also have spent on offense for four linemen and the return of TE Luke Willson.
6 Comments
Seems to me the Hawks are taking the new-look Rams approach of going all in for one season and gambling it will pay off with a Super Bowl run based on the signings they’ve done. As much as speed is essential for a WR so is catching the ball which had been a staple under Pete Carroll and was a source of frustration during the first half of the Mike Holmgren era. Dorsett caught a strong 76% of the passes thrown to him in 2018 but dropped to 53% last season. By comparison Tyler Lockett was 81 and 74%. Gary Jennings where art thou?
These signings aren’t Rams-reckless. Olsen is the only big commitment — $7M for one year, and done when exams could be had. Teams primarily screw up when they give long-term deals to under-producers. There’s no big risks here.
He’s good but I wish they had found a taller WR. We saw what Metcalf at 6’4″ has brought – a MUCH easier target for RW. After Chris Matthews (6’5″) was ALMOST the MVP of our ALMOST SB win, in the game that cannot be watched, one would think Schneider and PC would have learned a lesson. oh well, at least we’ll get Dissly (6’4″) back.
Brady has had a lot of shorter receivers, but that’s an advantage that he has at 6’4″ that RW doesn’t have.
Wishing doesn’t get it done. Every team wants tall receivers. Good ones are few. The Seahawks finally have one. Don’t be greedy.
haha – I like greedy!
What is the back story on Chris Matthews? During the SB the announcers were touting him as the MVP, until the play that can never be seen happened. He had a stellar game on footballs biggest stage, so what happened with the guy? He has been on 7 teams, including 4 in the CFL, in 9 years. Was he a jerk in the locker room? Undependable practice player?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Matthews_(gridiron_football)
Yeah after being pressed into duty from Richardson’s injury the Patriots just didn’t think to game plan for him. His success was a classic case of exploiting mismatches. Three of his 4 catches (two 45 yard nabs and an 11 yard touchdown) came from Russ targeting his 6-6 length over the short DBs they sent to cover him (Arrington, and McCourty both 5-10 and more suited to cover the slot. Butler is 5-11) They finally wisened up and put Browner on him and outside of one more 9 yard grab in the 3rd, he couldn’t get open. That seemed to be his problem the following year too, he just wasn’t good at getting open when properly covered by someone his size.