What are the Seahawks getting in latest wide receiver addition?

The Seattle Seahawks have once again looked to the UFL to add to their roster in free agency.

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On Tuesday, ESPN Seahawks reporter Brady Henderson confirmed a report by James Larsen of Pro Football Newsroom that the Seahawks plan to sign wide receiver Marcus Simms, pending a physical.

Simms, 26, finished 10th in the UFL this spring with 426 receiving yards in eight games for the Michigan Panthers, and his average of 18.5 yards per catch was tops in the league among players with at least five receptions. His 53.3 yards per game was also fifth among players with at least four games played, his long of 76 yards on a single catch was fourth, and he had three touchdown receptions.

MARCUS SIMMS TO THE HOUSE!@chasinbandzz extends the @USFLPanthers lead with that 66-yard touchdown! pic.twitter.com/hdiENSJs2w

— United Football League (@TheUFL) April 14, 2024

There’s more to his game than that, however, as the 6-foot, 194-pound West Virginia product can be a weapon in the return game as well.

Henderson had identified Simms as a potential Seahawks target when he guest hosted Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk with FOX football analyst Brock Huard last month.

“The overall production wasn’t overwhelming … but that yards-per-catch average is pretty good,” Henderson said. “He also has some kickoff return ability, which as we know with the new kickoff rules in the NFL you don’t just have one guy back there. You’re gonna have two guys back there, which means you have to have a whole lot more options going into it. You gotta try out a whole lot more of those guys in training camp.”

Brock’s take

Following Tuesday’s news of Simms entering the fold in Seattle, Huard shared his insight on what it means for the Seahawks.

“The back end of this receiving, you want talk about competition? Your top three are set,” Huard said, referring to top Seahawks receivers DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett and Jaxon Smith-Njigba. “The back end at four, five and six is going to be a ferocious, competitive battle. And they just added another guy to the table that wants to eat.”

Huard related to it to another UFL pickup the Seahawks made this offseason, signing running back Ricky Person Jr. to their backfield mix.

“Kind of like they did with the running back, Person. Like, hey, (Kenny) McIntosh, you better be very careful as that third back, man. This guy is going to come for your job,” he said.

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In this case, some of Seattle’s recent draft picks and undrafted signings at receiver have been put on notice.

“Marcus Simms, the stats didn’t pop. He didn’t have a great quarterback in Michigan the last couple of years in the UFL, but when he got the ball in his hands, big plays followed,” said Huard, who has covered the UFL for FOX. “And this to me is special teams. This to me is kickoff returner. This to me is the fifth or sixth receiver. That hey, if you’re Dareke Young or Dee Eskridge or Jake Bobo, you’re one of these guys, you better bring it each and every day at camp, ’cause that position and the addition of this guy to that group is going to make it very, very ferocious.”

Hear Huard’s full thoughts on Marcus Simms during Blue 88 from Wednesday’s Brock and Salk, which is the last segment in the podcast at this link or in the audio player in this post. Blue 88 is a daily segment at 7:45 a.m. where Huard answers three football questions on Brock and Salk, which airs from 6-10 a.m. weekdays on Seattle Sports.

More on the Seattle Seahawks

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• NFL Training Camps: Top storylines and more as rookies report
• The WR mold Seahawks’ JSN fits from Grubb’s UW offense
• The best thing about the Seahawks’ rookie class
• Does Seattle Seahawks WR DK Metcalf have another gear?

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