If you're looking for reasons to be optimistic about Seattle's offense in 2015 that don't include the obvious (Russell Wilson, Marshawn Lynch, Jimmy Graham), consider Super Bowl XLIX. While most Seahawks fans would understandably prefer to erase that game from their memories, it's worth remembering that Chris Matthews, a player who had yet to catch an NFL pass before that game, was Seattle's leading receiver. That's not to say Matthews will catch four passes for 109 yards in every game this season, but it is a good reminder of how much deeper the Seahawks should be at receiver this season.
The growth of Matthews, the addition of third-round pick Tyler Lockett and the addition of some promising-looking young players means a group that returns the likes of Doug Baldwin, Jermaine Kearse, Paul Richardson, Ricardo Lockette and Kevin Norwood should be the deepest it has been perhaps in Pete Carroll and John Schneider's tenure in Seattle.
| Returning starters: | Doug Baldwin and Jermaine Kearse |
| Additions: | Tyler Lockett (third-round pick), Kasen Williams (UDFA), Kevin Smith (free agent), Deshon Foxx (UDFA), B.J. Daniels (converted from QB) |
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Key losses: |
Bryan Walters (free agency) |
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Last year: |
Initial 53-man roster included five receivers: Baldwin, Kearse, Percy Harvin, Paul Richardson, Ricardo Lockette, Kevin Norwood, Phil Bates |
What's At Stake In Training Camp:
Because he's the new guy, and a player for whom the Seahawks moved up significantly to pick early in the third round, Lockett will have a lot of eyes on him when camp opens. Carroll said Lockett is likely the team's punt returner and perhaps kick returner as well, but at a position where rookies have in the past struggled to produce in the passing game, Lockett has plenty of work to do in camp to carve out a role in the offense.
Beyond last year's starters, there should be a very good battle for backup jobs and roster spots. While the Seahawks kept seven receivers to open the season, they carried six for much of the year, which is a more normal number for a Carroll-coached team. And if we assume for a moment that six will make the team, that means a couple of very good players could be on the outside looking in come September. One player who could benefit from a strong training camp is second-year receiver Kevin Norwood, a fourth-round pick last season out of Alabama. Norwood looked good in offseason workouts as a rookie, and Seattle's coaches spoke very highly of him, but foot surgery cost him most of training camp and by the time he was healthy, he had fallen far enough behind that he struggled to find a role in the offense. It's too early to make any judgments on Norwood's career, but he would certainly benefit from a healthy and productive camp.
A player-by-player look at Seattle's wide receivers ahead of the Seahawks' 2015 training camp.
