Seattle Seahawks Top Breakout Candidates
By Dan Viens
4: Chris Matthews, WR
Of course this is the player most Seahawks fans are looking to as a breakout candidate simply because of his performance in Super Bowl XLIX, but Matthews is the classic boom-or-bust guy who could finish anywhere from rotational starter, to not making the roster at all.
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At 6′ 5″, lean and a smooth athlete, and with big CFL numbers to his credit, he’s enticing as the kind of big target the Seahawks love and have been searching for. But there’s a reason he hardly played until the Super Bowl.
Reports are that he struggles with many of the aspects of the game that inexperienced receivers typically do; route running and blocking. Still, he showed us all what his value could be by simply jump-balling his way to potential MVP consideration in the big game before the Patriots finally put Brandon Browner on him.
Judging by all the reports of the Seahawks intensively scouting every “big” WR in this year’s draft class, and the acquisition of Jimmy Graham, you can see the team is prioritizing adding taller targets to Russell Wilson’s repertoire. Matthews will get his shot.
BEST-CASE SCENARIO: He improves his all-around game and special teams skills enough to warrant a spot on the roster, and becomes a significant part of the Seahawks red-zone offense as opposing teams focus on Graham and Lynch.
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