Huard: Size speaking volumes with Seahawks’ recent signings
Mar 19, 2018, 1:10 PM
New Seahawks tight end Ed Dickson's blocking can help the team's run game. (AP)
(AP)
The Seahawks made four signings over the initial week of NFL free agency, and the names don’t exactly jump off the page.
Tight end Ed Dickson is the most established of Seattle’s additions, especially when it comes to his blocking ability, but he’s not a particularly well-known player. Neither are safety Maurice Alexander, wide receiver Jaron Brown and linebacker Barkevious Mingo, but 710 ESPN Seattle’s Brock Huard sees a thread between the quartet for the Seahawks.
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“All four of those guys, they’re all good-sized guys. These are not little guys,” Huard said. “They check a lot of the boxes when it comes to the size and the speed, not necessarily the résumé – especially for a Brown or an Alexander or even a Mingo – that gets you too thrilled or excited to project.”
Mingo is a 6-foot-4, 239-pound pass-rushing outside linebacker. Alexander, who has played both safety spots in his four years in the NFL, comes in at 6-1 and 222 pounds. And Brown checks in at 6-2 and 205 pounds, significantly bigger than free-agent departure Paul Richardson (6-feet, 183 pounds).
As for the 6-4, 255-pound Dickson, he is just 10 pounds lighter than previous Seahawks tight end Jimmy Graham despite being three inches shorter. The 30-year-old Dickson is a considerable upgrade as a blocker, too.
“That is some of the emphasis, that they feel comfortable that he can come in here – with his background in the league having been asked to block before – that he is more than willing to put his face in there to block people,” Huard said of Dickson.
You can hear the full conversation, plus thoughts on wide receiver Terrelle Pryor visiting the Seahawks and Seattle’s pre-NFL Draft visits, in the podcast of Monday’s Blue 42 segment from Brock and Salk.
