Seahawks 2018 draft: Best options for Seattle at receiver
By Lee Vowell
The Seahawks need help at receiver. Paul Richardson may not be re-signed. Neither might Jimmy Graham. And Doug Baldwin isn’t getting younger. Russell Wilson needs new people to throw to.
The Seahawks had a decent receiving group in 2017. But it could have been better. Seattle still lacks a true big receiver who can fight for contested throws. The fact that they didn’t and still don’t hurt them against the Jacksonville Jaguars, for instance. And Tanner McEvoy doesn’t count.
But Richardson had his best season and he might move on as an unrestricted free agent. Jimmy Graham was second in the NFL in touchdown catches and might do the same as Richardson. Tyler Lockett will enter his last season under contract with Seattle in 2018. Doug Baldwin has been very good but he is also not getting younger.
Graham was second in the NFL in touchdown receptions with 10 but averaged less than 10 yards a catch. Possibly new offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer finds better ways to use Graham than Darrell Bevell did if Seattle chooses to re-sign the tight end.
If Schottenheimer doesn’t, he could try to get Nick Vannett to be a bigger part of the offense. Or maybe Seattle re-signs Luke Willson and tries to get him to be closer to Graham than he has been.
Baldwin will catch nearly everything thrown to him, but he isn’t physical on deep throws. Jalen Ramsey will tell you that.
Lockett is versatile as he can return kicks and beat cornerbacks on deep throws. But he is small.
Seattle still needs a big and productive receiver. Here are four wide receivers the Seahawks could take with their first pick in the 2018 NFL draft.
Plus, here are four tight ends Seattle might choose early as well.