The Seattle Seahawks loved what Rashid Shaheed gave them in half a season, even though it wasn't much. They brought him back on a three-year, $51 million deal that looked like an overpay when compared to his contributions.
Shaheed finished his first season with the Seahawks with 18 receptions for 266 yards and zero offensive touchdowns. He did provide a spark on special teams, though, including a 95-yard kickoff return touchdown in the playoffs.
However, the Seahawks didn't give him that deal because of what he did last season, but because of what he can do for them now. According to head coach Mike Macdonald, he'll be the key to unlocking the running game in the post-Kenneth Walker III era.
The Seattle Seahawks need Rahsid Shaheed for the running game
“If there’s a guy that you need to put two people on because he’s going to make you pay if you don’t, then it’s one less guy in the box,” Macdonald said of the speedy wide receiver.
Shaheed's speed makes him a perennial big-play threat; he averaged 14.7 yards per reception last season. Having him on the field on 11 personnel will force opposing defenses to keep an extra guy on him, leaving a lighter box for Jadarian Price to wreak havoc out of the backfield.
The Seahawks must take advantage of their versatile skill players to disguise their plans on offense. Staying on 11 personnel will help them keep the defense guessing. Will they risk leaving Shaheed one-on-one for a big chunk? Will they have to double Jaxon Smith-Njigba? Will they leave one fewer guy on the box, even with Jadarian Price there?
Of course, that will also require a team effort. For Shaheed to be successfully used as a decoy, everyone else will have to step up, block, and create running lanes. Otherwise, it won't be long before defenses catch up with the gimmick and identify the Seahawks' tells when a run play is coming.
Aside from the aging Cooper Kupp, the Seahawks should be able to outrun their opposition more often than not. Shaheed, Price, and even Smith-Njigba can be explosive when given an inch of space, and Sam Darnold isn't afraid to sling the pigskin down the field.
Shaheed has drawn positive reviews since spring workouts, and having him more involved in the flow of the game will be paramount for new offensive coordinator Brian Fleury. He eclipsed 700 yards and five scores for the New Orleans Saints in 2023, using his twitchiness on short routes for big gains as well as going off to the races in deep post routes.
He can be much more than just a big-play specialist, and scheming short and intermediate-route plays for him will only open up more opportunities to make the most of his unique skill set. He can be the team's X-Factor, but using him solely as a vertical threat will all but eliminate the element of surprise.
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