DANNY ONEIL

Seahawks WR competition: Is Jermaine Kearse’s spot secured?

Aug 18, 2017, 12:48 PM | Updated: 1:35 pm

Jermaine Kearse is scheduled to count just over $4 million against Seattle's 2017 salary cap. (AP)...

Jermaine Kearse is scheduled to count just over $4 million against Seattle's 2017 salary cap. (AP)

(AP)

Receiver Paul Richardson finally caught a break.

More specifically, nothing was broken in last week’s preseason opener when he caught two passes in the first four plays but left the game with a shoulder injury.

He was back at practice two days later, which is great news. He probably won’t play in tonight’s preseason game against Minnesota, but his absence will equate to more opportunities for other receivers in what is one of the most compelling competitions in Seattle’s training camp.

While the Seahawks may be known for their desire to run the ball, the decisions the team will have to make on how many receivers to keep, let alone which ones, will be among the most difficult with rookie draft picks Amarah Darboh and David Moore added to a position that returns all of the receivers from last season.

The lead-pipe cinches: Doug Baldwin, Tyler Lockett

Neither played in last week’s preseason opener. Neither needs to play in this week’s game, either. They are the top two receivers on Seattle’s depth chart. Baldwin has led Seattle in receptions in four of his six seasons in the league and he’s coming off a year in which he had a career-high 94 catches. Lockett is coming back from a year in which he was slowed by a knee injury and then suffered an ugly leg injury on a touchdown catch.

Certain barring injury: Paul Richardson, Amarah Darboh

Richardson caught seven passes in the Seahawks’ two playoff games last year. He’s in the final year of his rookie contract and is one of the fastest players on the roster. He has been star-crossed, however. First, it was a serious knee injury in the playoffs during his rookie season. That not only derailed the momentum of his first season in Seattle as he had caught 15 passes in December, but he wasn’t back on the field until the second half of the next season. No sooner had he gotten back than he hurt himself again, suffering a hamstring injury on his one – and only – catch that year. That’s what made it so significant that Richardson was back practicing on Tuesday, and while he isn’t likely to play tonight, it would be a shock if he’s not part of this roster when the regular season begins.

Richardson’s absence should give more opportunities to Darboh, who is a third-round pick. But it’s not draft pedigree that puts him on solid footing. He’s strong enough to be an absolute star at wide receiver, but no one is talking about him yet because he missed last week’s game with a sternum injury.

The battle royal: Jermaine Kearse, Tanner McEvoy, Kasen Williams, David Moore, Kenny Lawler*

Kearse’s place on this team isn’t necessarily in jeopardy, but it’s not completely secure, either. There is no financial advantage to the Seahawks for cutting him. However, he’s going to have to be the markedly better receiving option out of this group because in the NFL, the tie goes not to the runner, but to the younger player.

Williams had the breakout game last week, catching four passes for 119 yards. He can go up and make plays on the sideline. McEvoy is a converted quarterback who made the team as an undrafted rookie last season while Moore is a strong, smooth receiver whom the coaches have found to be pretty darn polished coming out of East Central University in Oklahoma. Lawler was a seventh-round pick last year who is bigger this year, stronger and had a touchdown catch in the first preseason game.

*Lawler was not included when this story was first published, which was an oversight on the part of the author, Danny O’Neil, who will run wind sprints as punishment.

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