Five years ago, the Seattle Seahawks hoped that Dee Eskridge could bring some speed and twitchiness to the offense and special teams. After a long tenure at Western Michigan, they used a late-second-round pick to get him to Lumen Field.
Fast forward to today, and he's considered one of the worst picks of the John Schneider era. That's why watching the San Francisco 49ers bring him in for a workout may have provided major comedic relief to some fans.
Ultimately, the Seahawks didn't sign him; instead, they brought back Deebo Samuel after a one-year breakup. However, the mere fact that they even consider signing him speaks volumes about their desperation.
The San Francisco 49ers shouldn't be a threat to the Seattle Seahawks
Eskridge might get another opportunity at some point. He struggled with injuries from the second he arrived in the league, suffering a concussion in his debut. Then, a six-game suspension for violating the league's personal conduct policy only hurt his chances even more.
Eventually, the Seahawks gave up on him and waived him before the final year of his rookie deal. He left with 17 grabs for 122 yards and one touchdown. Ironically, his only score came against Kyle Shanahan's 49ers.
Once again, the NFC West rivals are dealing with a myriad of injuries to key players. Ricky Pearsall is dealing with yet more knee issues, Christian Kirk has a calf injury, and Mike Evans is, well... 32 years old.
Watching them be desperate enough to bring back Samuel, the same player they turned their backs on after an injury-riddled season in which he admitted to being overweight, shows just how desperate they might be. Otherwise, why not bring him back earlier? Why wait until training camp?
The 49ers used an early second-round pick to get De'Zhaun Stribling, one of the most polarizing selections of the draft. There has been little to no buzz around him, and he may not be as far along in his development if they're still looking for help at the position.
They continue to chase the name on the back of the jersey, and banking on Samuel to be healthy might be a big gamble. They couldn't get anything going on offense against Mike Macdonald's defense last season, and this shouldn't do much to help their case.
Of course, the Seahawks shouldn't overlook anyone, more so a divisional rival with a bright offensive mind calling the shots for them. That said, the 49ers seem to be tipping their hand with these last-minute desperate moves, and one can't help but think they're a bit desperate for help.
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