Seahawks reportedly add 2015 first-round receiver Phillip Dorsett
Mar 24, 2020, 12:38 PM | Updated: 12:58 pm
The Seahawks made another move on offense, adding Phillip Dorsett on a one-year deal. (Getty)
(Getty)
The Seahawks have reportedly gotten star quarterback Russell Wilson a new weapon, as the team has apparently inked receiver Phillip Dorsett to a one-year deal.
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ESPN’s Josina Anderson was first with the report, and her source was none other than Dorsett himself.
P. Dorsett to me on the phone: "Seattle felt like the best opportunity to be the player I know I can be as a WR. I spoke to Russell Wilson on face time while he was working out. Shows you his work ethic. That got me extra excited. I think overall it's just the right fit for me." https://t.co/18YA9G3B7b
— ig: josinaanderson (@JosinaAnderson) March 24, 2020
Dorsett, 27, was a first-round pick by the Indianapolis Colts in 2015 (29th overall) our of the University of Miami. In his senior year with the Hurricanes, Dorsett caught 36 passes for 871 yards and 10 touchdowns.
After two seasons with the Colts, Dorsett was traded to the New England Patriots, where he played the last three seasons, earning a Super Bowl ring in 2018.
Dorsett has largely failed to live up to his billing as a first-round pick. His career high in yards is 528, which he achieved in 2016. He caught five touchdowns last season, which was the best total of his career, but he has yet to eclipse 400 yards since 2016. In 2019, he had 29 passes for 397 yards.
He has been fairly durable, as he’s played in at least 14 games every season but his rookie year, when he played in 11.
Dorsett is also very quick. He ran a 4.33 40-yard dash (second-best time of all receivers) and 6.40 three-cone drill (fourth-best time of all receivers) at the NFL Scouting Combine ahead of the 2015 NFL Draft.
The Seahawks have one of the best wide receiver duos in the NFL in Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf, but the team struggled to find a reliable third receiver for Wilson.
Tight end Will Dissly filled that role well until he suffered a season-ending Achilles tear in Week 6, and tight end Jacob Hollister became the top target behind Metcalf and Lockett from that point on. Dissly is expected to be ready by Week 1, Hollister signed a second-round tender, presumably keeping him in Seattle next year and the Seahawks signed former Pro Bowl tight end Greg Olsen to a one-year deal earlier this offseason.
As far as receivers, however, David Moore didn’t develop like many thought he would after flashing in 2018, Malik Turner was inconsistent, Jaron Brown rarely saw the field, rookie John Ursua was a healthy scratch nearly the whole season and fourth-round pick Gary Jennings was cut midway through 2019 in favor of Josh Gordon. Moore led the group mentioned above with 301 yards.
The Seahawks expected Gordon to become the No. 3 receiver, and he played well in limited action, but he failed a drug test late in the year and is now a free agent waiting for reinstatement.
Dorsett could fill in as that third receiver, and he actually is built very similarly to Lockett. Both are 5’10 and weigh under 200 pounds – Dorsett is 192 and Lockett is 182.
Lockett can play both in the slot and outside, and lined up in the slot for over 60% of his snaps in the slot per PlayerProfiler.com. Dorsett, meanwhile, lined up in the slot just over 20% of the time, so the move could signal Lockett continuing to thrive in the slot in 2020 while Metcalf and Dorsett man the outside.
Dorsett’s signing makes him the fifth free agent addition for the Seahawks on offsense, joining four offensive linemen. See all the Seattle’s moves at 710Sports.com’s Seahawks offseason tracker.
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