Wyman and Bob: Why No. 3 WR shouldn’t be a priority for the Seahawks

The Seahawks may boast one of the best wide receiver duos in the NFL, but their overall depth at the position leaves a lot to be desired.

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Both DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett had over 1,000 yards last season and each caught 10 touchdown passes, but Seattle lost David Moore to the Carolina Panthers in free agency, leaving 2020 sixth-round pick Freddie Swain as the de facto No. 3 receiver on the depth chart.

Former NFL receiver Michael Bumpus said on Friday that the Seahawks could target Rams receiver Josh Reynolds in free agency or Western Michigan receiver D’Wayne Eskridge in the draft to be Seattle’s next No. 3 receiver. But Dave Wyman and Bob Stelton of 710 ESPN Seattle’s Wyman and Bob see things a little differently.

“With the limitations they have financially and in terms of draft picks, this is the least of their needs,” Stelton said Friday afternoon, referencing that Seattle has just three 2021 draft picks. “… I don’t know if that’s money well spent especially when they have no pass rushers right now outside of Alton Robinson.”

Robinson, a fifth-round pick last year, had four sacks in limited action and appears to be someone who can make a difference on the defensive line in terms of impacting opposing quarterbacks, but after him, there are serious questions as 2020 second-round pick Darrell Taylor missed all of last season with a leg injury and veteran pass rushers Carlos Dunlap, Benson Mayowa and Bruce Irvin are all unrestricted free agents who remain unsigned.

“That’s much more pressing,” Stelton said.

Wyman agrees, and he thinks the Seahawks can have a No. 3 receiver in the form of another position on offense.

“I think the two tight ends could be third and fourth on that list, which I would love,” Wyman said. “… It’s a very important position and I think it’s going to become more important in this new offense.”

Those two tight ends Wyman alluded to are fourth-year Seahawks tight end Will Dissly and then Gerald Everett, who is entering his fifth NFL season and who reportedly signed with Seattle on a one-year deal.

In 2020, Dissly had 24 catches for 251 yards and two touchdowns while Everett had 41 catches for 417 yards and one score.

New Seahawks offensive coordinator Shane Waldron comes from the Rams, where Everett played the last four years. Waldron was the Rams’ passing game coordinator the last three seasons and in Everett’s season in 2017, Waldron was Los Angeles’ tight ends coach. The Rams utilize a lot of two-tight end sets, so Dissly and Everett may have large roles in the Seahawks’ new offense under Waldron.

“I’m making the assumption like you that tight ends are going to be a much bigger part of this offense,” Stelton said. “They were almost anonymous last year. They were a very small part of this offense when you look at the numbers that were produced.”

Stelton noted that the Seahawks have seemingly wanted tight ends to be a large part of the offense in recent years given the amount of money and draft picks they’ve spent on the position. Dissly and 2020 rookie Colby Parkinson are both former fourth-round picks, and in recent offseasons, the Seahawks spent good money on Greg Olsen and Ed Dickson.

Now, Everett is the new tight end coming in from the outside who the Seahawks are giving good money to at a reported $7 million deal with $6 million guaranteed.

“I think Gerald Everett is a lot more athletic than Dissly,” Wyman said. “I don’t think Dissly is a bad athlete at all, I think he’s a great athlete. But I think Gerald Everett has a different sort of dynamic where when he gets the ball he turns into a running back, he’s made fantastic catches. He’s a really big, athletic guy and hasn’t missed a lot of games. So it could be him or it could be Will Dissly as far as the No. 3 receiver.”

Listen to the conversation at this link or in the player below.

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