The name is Bobo. Jake Bobo. And he likes his defenders shaken, not stirred. He'll have ample opportunity to do just that for the Seattle Seahawks this season, as he's now WR3 on the roster.
As an undrafted rookie wide receiver on a team starring Tyler Lockett, DK Metcalf, and first-round selection Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Jake Bobo wasn't expected to make much of a splash in 2023. The Seahawks also had three capable tight ends on the roster, led by Noah Fant, who had hauled in 50 catches the year before. Running back Kenneth Walker III had 27 catches himself.
With those long odds stacked against him, it wasn't remotely a sure thing for Bobo even to make the roster. Besides the three big names, he had to battle returning players Dee Eskridge, Cody Thompson, Dareke Young, and Easop Winston. It's fair to say that when he arrived at VMAC, Bobo was eighth on the depth chart. That didn't last long.
Seahawks Jake Bobo likely stepping up from UDFA to number 2 receiver
Despite all that, Jake Bobo proved to be a sensation in his first training camp. He went on to catch 19 of his 25 targets for 196 yards, nine first downs, and two scores. His passer rating when targeted, 108.1, easily beat the number two mark among wideouts, Metcalf's 95.7. He may have only caught 19 passes, but it was a very loud 19.
His production took a step back last season, despite early calls for more Bobo. This was in no small part due to the emergence of Smith-Njigba as a legitimate number 1 receiver. His targets climbed from 93 to 137. Still, the big three of JSN, DK, and Lockett saw their targets drop from 334 in 2023 to 314 last year.
The tight ends' targets increased from 99 to 114, so they didn't gobble up all the missing opportunities. Overall, the Seahawks' pass attempts rose from 575 to 593.
Yet we got less Bobo last season, not more. His targets dropped from 25 to 17, but his efficiency basically stayed the same. While he only scored once, he still picked up 8 first downs on 13 catches, and his passer rating as a target even increased from 108.1 to 111.6.
With Geno Smith having a miserable season attacking the red zone, I can only blame former Seahawks OC Ryan Grubb for letting Bobo's talents go to waste. Shane Waldron may have been, um... less than optimal, but at least he got Bobo involved in the offense.
Involved in the offense is exactly what Jake Bobo will have to be in 2025. The Seahawks are projected to have about $68 million in cap space now, per overthecap.com. They can afford to bring in a top-flight wide receiver among the free agents available, even after signing Marquez Valdes-Scantling. JSN will still be the number 1 receiver.
But Seattle has another problem. After signing Sam Darnold - which was a terrible mistake - the Seahawks lost a considerable chunk of the team's newfound cap space.
Even if they add someone like Keenan Allen or Stefon Diggs with the remaining cap space, Bobo would need to step into the number 3 role. There's every reason to believe he's ready.
Before you start screaming, yes, 12s, I know Doug Baldwin was a completely different kind of player. I know he led the Seahawks in receiving as a rookie. I also know that his competition wasn't anywhere near the level Bobo faced. You can't possibly think that as great as he was, Angry Doug would get more targets than Lockett, DK, and JSN.
Likewise, if the rookie Jake Bobo was competing against Ben Obomanu and Golden Tate in his sophomore season (2011), he'd have been on the field a lot more often. Tate came into his own in his third year (2012), and Sidney Rice came back from missing seven games. Baldwin's targets dropped, but the Hawks knew what they had.
Bobo is in a similar position now. Well, a much more challenging situation. Imagine how many times the Hawks would have targeted Baldwin in 2013, his third season, if they had traded away Rice and never signed Jermaine Kearse. Between them, they accounted for 73 targets, 17 percent of Seattle's pass attempts. Lockett and Metcalf accounted for 31 percent of Seattle's attempts last year, so there are even more opportunities available in 2025.
Considering what Jake Bobo has been able to produce in his limited chances so far, I have no doubt he's ready to step up for the Seahawks. With new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak looking to maximize every weapon at his disposal, there's more reason than ever to believe that 2025 will finally be the year of More Bobo.
Editor's note: This article has been updated to reflect Sam Darnold signing with the Seahawks.
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