Ed Dickson is a Seahawk and the world has changed!
By Lee Vowell
Ed Dickson has signed as a free agent with the Seattle Seahawks. Don’t worry, 12s. You aren’t dreaming. This is totally true. But what does Dickson bring to Seattle for 2018?
Ed Dickson, the Man and the Legend, is now a member of the Seattle Seahawks. Jimmy Graham is now in Green Bay? Who cares! Luke Willson might sign elsewhere? Let him. We got Ed Dickson, y’all!
And seriously, Dickson can block. Graham couldn’t and Willson isn’t that good either. If Seattle wants to get back to a run heavier offense, Dickson is your guy. And last year he showed he can catch a little. But probably not enough to satiate the Seahawks real needs for pass catching options. Seattle needs another tight end signing besides just Dickson.
That isn’t to say Dickson is without merit. It’s just he really truly only does one thing decently: Pass block. And the Seahawks really need someone who can pass and run blocker. And then maybe catch a few passes. Or several passes. And possibly just happens to scare a defense in some way that he might score. Because Dickson is 30 years old and has scored 12 touchdowns in his career. Or two more than Graham did in 2017.
Contract details
Dickson signed a three-year deal and could earn up to $14 million. The first year of the deal is fully guaranteed.
National reaction is amazing (not really; I joke)
FWIW, Ed Dickson ranked first in Pro Football Focus' pass blocking rankings last year but 56th run blocking --- Jimmy Graham was 34th in PFF's run blocking ratings, ASJ 35, Luke Willson 26th.
— Bob Condotta (@bcondotta) March 16, 2018
(Oh crap! Forget what I wrote earlier about Dickson being a better blocker than Graham?)
Again, Carolina used free agent Ed Dickson often primarily as a blocker at TE and occasionally as a fullback. #Seahawks closing in on a deal with him today, per @josephperson, fits Pete Carroll's vow to fix Seattle's run game
— Gregg Bell (@gbellseattle) March 16, 2018
(Thanks, Gregg. I feel a bit better now.)
It's a three-year deal worth a max of $14M for Ed Dickson with Seattle, per league source. The former Panthers TE gets a $2.6M signing bonus.
— Joe Person (@josephperson) March 16, 2018
(Because it’s really all about the money money money, of course.)
Grade: D
So, here’s the thing. Dickson would be a really good signing if the Seahawks still had Jimmy Graham. Or any other tight end that has proven to be able to score. And based on what Pete Carroll seemingly wants to do on offense, Dickson is not a bad fit.
But the Seahawks, with all they have given up this offseason, need more. And Dickson is not an answer to really anything.
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And that is not to say Dickson is a bad player; He’s not. Seattle is just becoming a not very good team.