Austin Seferian-Jenkins may be the Seahawks new tight end
Free agent tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins is in Seattle this week. He could be staying for a few years if the Seahawks get their way.
The former New York Jets tight end has been near the top of the free agent wish list for the Seahawks for quite a while, now. Seferian-Jenkins has the size ( 6′ 6″, 260) and speed (4.5 – 4.6 range) to be a top target for Russell Wilson. I’ll grant you his stats for the Jets were nothing special. 357 yards on 50 catches just isn’t very good. But the Jets didn’t exactly have a world-beating offense, either.
Look at ASJ’s production with Tampa Bay in 2015. He had 338 yards on 21 catches. Toss in four touchdowns into the mix, and you have a guy who truly contributed to the offense. And that was in just seven games. I’m not saying he’d double those numbers for the Seahawks over a full season. But that stat line is at least as reasonable an indicator of his ability as last season in New York.
He turned down two years and $8 million to stay with the Jets. So the Seahawks won’t be able to sign him at the low end of the pay scale, like a few of these guys. Seattle isn’t the only team taking a serious look at Seferian-Jenkins, either. The Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars and Atlanta Falcons are reported as very interested in ASJ as well.
Tight End, Austin Seferian Jenkins would be a solid value piece for the Falcons as they are hunting for a D-Line. Tall, red-zone threat that we need. pic.twitter.com/SPpxWV8da3
— Hotlanta Highlights (@HotlantaHlights) March 13, 2018
Could there be a bit of a hometown discount for the Seahawks? I doubt it. However, one promising sign is his choice of agent, Doug Hendrickson. Hendrickson represented Marshawn Lynch and Michael Bennett, and knows John Schneider quite well. I take that as a positive sign for the Seahawks chances to land him.
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An even better sign? An anonymous league source reported that Seferian-Jenkins said he wants to “win big and win big at home.” We just have to assume he is not referring to Gig Harbor High.