Bumpus: What Will Dissly’s injury means for the Seahawks’ offense

The Seahawks were dealt a big blow on Tuesday with the news that tight end Will Dissly will miss the remainder of the regular season with a knee injury as the fifth-year veteran was placed on injured reserve.

Seahawks place TE Will Dissly on injured reserve with knee injury

Dissly, 26, has played his entire career with the Seahawks and has been a reliable pass catcher – 34 catches for 349 yards and three touchdowns – this year while continuing to be a factor as a blocker.

So what does Dissly’s absence mean for the Seahawks on offense? Former NFL receiver Michael Bumpus explained why “this one hurts a little bit” during Wednesday’s Bump and Stacy on Seattle Sports 710 AM.

So what was Bump’s first reaction to the news?

“I go, ‘Man, there goes 13 personnel. Gonna see a little bit more of 12 personnel,'” he said.

The Seahawks have used a lot of 13 personnel – one running back and three tight ends – this season with Dissly, Noah Fant and Colby Parkinson all getting a lot of playing time. With Dissly out, the Seahawks may indeed shift to 12 personnel as Bumpus said. That means one running back and two tight ends.

Dissly being out takes away a reliable contributor for this team, Bumpus said.

“The last four to five games, he’s been playing 59% of the snaps,” Bumpus said. “He’s the second-most targeted tight end on this team and he’s a tight end that doesn’t tip off what plays are going to happen because you know he can pass block, he can run block, he can go out there and receive the football. All the tight ends can do it, but Will Dissly is the more well-rounded tight end (on the Seahawks) when it comes to what you ask a tight end to do.”

Now, Fant is going to be the one who needs to step up, Bumpus said.

“I think he can do it. I don’t think he’s as good of a blocker as Uncle Will Dissly, but I think he’s a good blocker,” he said. “I think he’s more dynamic with the football in his hands. So I think we see a bit more 12 personnel, I think we see the tight end get more involved in the pass game. But not having Uncle Will there is gonna affect his team mentally as well. I mean, he’s a leader out there. He’s been there, he’s done that, you can count on him. His catching percentage is (89.5%). It’s going to change a little bit, but not too much. Just more 12 personnel.”

With Dissly out of action, can the Seahawks still make the most of using their remaining healthy tight ends? Bumpus thinks so, especially after he, co-host Stacy Rost and Dave Wyman all spoke to Parkinson last week during The Huddle.

“We spoke to Colby, and he said he loves a pancake block. He’ll take a pancake block over a reception right now, so his mentality is in the right place,” Bumpus said. “I think he has really owned the blocking tight end (spot) because when he came into this league, all we’re thinking is red zone targets, toss a football up and let him go get it. But now he put on that extra weight, he’s ready to block. I think he understands the position a bit more. I think that you’re still gonna be able to do a lot of the things that you want to do with these tight ends, it’s just we’re not going to see 13 (personnel) as much as we’re used to seeing.”

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