Heaps: If healthy, Will Dissly is perfect TE for Seahawks’ scheme

Jul 11, 2019, 1:30 PM | Updated: 1:41 pm

Rookie TE Will Dissly was one of the bright spots in the Seahawks' 2018 opener. (AP)

(AP)

Seattle Sports

The Seahawks kick off training camp on July 25, and until then, Brock and Salk will count down the top 25 most intriguing Seahawks every weekday at 8:30 a.m. Their list continues with guest hosts Stacy Rost and Jake Heaps taking a look at No. 10: TE Will Dissly.

Listen to the segment here, or check out the highlights below:

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Quick look

• A fourth-round pick by the Seahawks out of Washington in 2018.
• Recorded 156 yards and two touchdowns on 8 catches over the first four weeks.
• Suffered a season-ending ruptured patellar tendon in Week 4 versus Arizona; expected to make a delayed return in training camp.

What Jake Heaps is saying

“Former fourth-round pick last year, came in on the scene at 6-feet-4, 265-pounds as a guy who was going to fit into this scheme to be a run-blocker and to add a more solid presence in the run-blocking scheme after experiencing a run with Jimmy Graham, who was not able to perform that duty that the Seahawks were desperately wanting. And so they added Will Dissly, they added Ed Dickson. Dissly was considered the best blocking tight end. When he got to Seattle, though, everybody was amazed by his ability to actually run routes — his ability to not just be a one-dimensional player, but a guy that could make a big impact. You kept hearing it; I talked to Russell Wilson last offseason and he said, ‘This guy might be special, this guy’s got it.’ And it was interesting to hear that from him because Will Dissly didn’t have much of a role at the University of Washington in terms of being a pass-catcher. But boy, in his game one in Seattle, he made a lot of plays like this. He became an instant contributor and fit, very clearly, what this offense needed: a guy who could be a run-blocker and a guy that fit perfectly with their play-action scheme.

“This Seahawks offense is better with Will Dissly on the field, and to get him back and ready to go in training camp is going to be a massive win for this group because of his versatility, because of the style this group wants to play. It just all meshes together very well and it’s very reminiscent of their time with Zach Miller… the thing that was unfortunate was the time was cut short to develop that chemistry between (Dissly) and Russell Wilson, and that is going to be a big priority as soon as Will Dissly is back and cleared.”

What the Seahawks are saying

“I will say I do miss Will Dissly,” then-Seahawks wide receiver Doug Baldwin said after Dissly’s season-ending injury. “I think Will Dissly is going to be a phenomenal player in this league for a very long time once he recovers from his injury. There’s some question marks there obviously at tight end, what we were going to do, and Will answered the question. Obviously Ed Dickson and Nick Vannett have done a fantastic job as well, but I’m really excited to get Will Dissly back in the future.”

“We’ll get to camp and figure out what (his timeline) is in camp,” Pete Carroll said this offseason. “He’s running, catching balls and doing workouts and all that, so he’s making good progress. We think there’s no reason for him not to be on schedule when we get back to camp, which would mean… we’ll take just a few weeks into camp before we even think of cutting him loose.”