Seahawks Receivers Could Soar to New Heights in 2016
By Andy Larkin
The Seahawks receivers look poised to take another step forward this season due to talent and a set of receiver friendly circumstances.
Anyone that has watched more than a quarter or two of Seahawks football in the Pete Carroll era knows his formula for success has been a stout defense and a productive running game. The passing game has always seemed to be a pleasant footnote. Not to diminish what the receivers have accomplished during this historic run, but everything begins and ends with the defense and an aggressive ground attack.
That formula is changing. Chances are that coach Carroll would scoff at the idea of a new blueprint for success. Let me reiterate, I’m not saying they will get away from their principles, but I do believe these receivers are going to put up numbers that dwarf anything we have seen during the Carroll tenure.
Enter 2016: A receiving corps that returns major contributors such as Doug Baldwin, Jermaine Kearse, Tyler Lockett. Let’s throw in Jimmy Graham, because let’s not kid ourselves, he’s a giant receiver.
I know there are other noteworthy names (Luke Willson, Paul Richardson, and others who may emerge ) that could have large contributions catching footballs this season. For now I’m just going to stick with the statistitcal top four from last season. These valuable playmakers accounted for a combined 226 receptions for 3,023 yards and 27 touchdowns in 2015.
As a barometer, in 2014 the teams top four receivers posted a combined 163 receptions for 2,091 yards and 11 touchdowns. Needless to say that’s a significant jump. It’s worth noting that Marshawn Lynch was the third leading receiver that year.
How about 2013 when the Hawks brought home the Lombardi Trophy? The numbers for Russell Wilson’s four favorite targets were 169 receptions for 2,409 yards and 19 touchdowns. Bigger numbers than 2014, but still significantly quieter than what we saw last season.
There are several contributing factors as to why we saw such a drastic spike in the receiving stats, and why we might see more of the same this season. These factors are why the arrow is only pointing up for this group.
Obviously Marshawn Lynch spent a majority of last season battling injuries, as he played in just seven games. This naturally led the team to rely more heavily on their other playmakers, most of which resided in the receiving corps. And the Seahawks will have to continue to look elsewhere for offensive production going forward as Lynch notified the social media world during Super Bowl 50 he was no longer “about that action boss” and promptly retired.
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Then there was Russell Wilson, who as a result of Marshawn’s ailments was given more opportunities to let it fly. Number three made the most of his increased passing volume and absolutely caught fire during the stretch run of 2015. In turn that led to more opportunities for the likes of Baldwin, Kearse, Lockette and Graham (before his injury). As the stats show, like Wilson, they made the most of their opportunities. When they were called upon, they answered the bell emphatically.
Needless to say these receiver friendly circumstances aren’t going anywhere in 2016. With the departure of Marshawn Lynch, a group of young running backs occupying the backfield and an elite quarterback who’s just hitting his prime; these four pass catchers will once again be heavily relied upon. And let’s not short change these playmakers. Their success is also do to the fact that they are just plain good.
Doug is the classic Stanford guy cliché. A real student of the game. However Doug can also run routes like few others in the league and rarely let’s the ball hit the turf. He can line up both inside and outside and creates a problem for virtually every defense he faces. Doug also has underrated speed. So yes, he is essentially good at everything and that’s why he is the best receiver on this roster.
Jermaine has the knack for the big play. Wether it was hauling in the door slamming touchdown in Super Bowl XLVIII that made him look like a human pinball, or his walk off catch in overtime against Green Bay in 2014 to complete the miracle and help the team punch its ticket to Arizona.
Or how about that catch down in Arizona during that one important game against the Patriots?Had a certain sequence of events that followed never happened, that could be remembered as the greatest catch in Super Bowl history. ( only competition would be David Tyree). Aside from big play ability Jermaine also has the size and strength to create separation.
Tyler Lockett. What a find he was in the third round: All that quickness! Lockett is quite possibly the quickest guy in pads I’ve seen in a while. On top of that his receiving skills seem to only get better every game. This guy has the potential to be one of the most feared playmakers in the game.
Jimmy Graham is a mismatch every time he lines up. Yes the injury leaves a question mark, but if he’s healthy look out. Jimmy is such a rare combination of size, speed, strength and athleticism. Quite simply, he’s a football snagging freak. A big target for Russell means infinite big play potential.
When all four of these guys are out on the field it really becomes a game of defenses deciding their inevitable fate. The receiving corps should no doubt be cause for excitement and immense optimism for Seahawks fans heading in to the 2016 season. In the past this group has shown they can be efficient when given opportunities, but last season they showed they can be flat out dominant.
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With another offseason under their belts to tirelessly work at their craft, and the possibility of increased opportunities over a full season, this group of Seahawks seems ready to soar to new heights in 2016.