Getty Phillip Dorsett turned down the Seahawks in 2019.
New Seahawks wide receiver Phillip Dorsett set out to avoid making the same mistake twice when free agency began. Dorsett admitted he turned down the Seahawks prior to the 2019 season and referred to re-signing with the Patriots as a “mistake.”
“I could have come [to Seattle] last year, and I chose the stay in New England, but I didn’t want to make that mistake again,” Dorsett noted in his media press conference, per Seahawks.com.
Dorsett’s start with the Seahawks has been a bit unconventional given the virtual offseason, but the receiver is staying in contact with his new quarterback. Dorsett explained that he is in “regular communication” with Russell Wilson.
“It’s just regular communication,” Dorsett said. “We’ve got each other’s phone numbers, we Zoom as much as we can. We can FaceTime, we can text. It’s unfortunate right now we can’t meet up and actually go through drills on the field, but that’s when everything just has to be mental. This game is a big part mental too, so right now, honestly, the physical part you have to deal with on your own, but the mental part is something that you have to own it a lot. It’s tough, but at the end of the day, you’ve got to take accountability and you’ve got to do it.”
Dorsett Is Looking Forward to Utilizing His Speed on Deep Passes
Dorsett is one of the fastest receivers in the league running a 4.33 40-yard dash at the 2015 NFL Combine. One of Wilson’s many strengths is his ability to throw the deep ball, something Dorsett is looking forward to taking advantage of this season.
“Absolutely, it [Wilson’s deep pass] was definitely something I’m aware of,” Dorsett noted. “I’m a student of the game, so I’m always watching football. Whether I’m studying it or if I’m on NFL Network or ESPN, I’m always watching. So you see it, you see it on display every weekend. It’s the perfect deep ball. He has the arm strength and the touch to get it anywhere, so I would say definitely it was one of those things that attracted me to Seattle.”
ESPN’s Brady Henderson explained that the statistics back up Dorsett’s idea that he could thrive in Seattle’s offense with Wilson under center.
“Some statistical context on that comment from Dorsett about Wilson and the deep ball: per ESPN charting, Wilson led the NFL last year with 22 completions that traveled at least 25 yards beyond the line of scrimmage and has the most (139) of any QB since his rookie season in 2012,” Henderson tweeted.
Dorsett Has Only Topped 500 Receiving Yards in 1 of His 5 NFL Seasons
Despite being a first-round pick, Dorsett has largely underperformed the lofty expectations that followed him when he entered the league in 2015. Dorsett has only notched more than 500 receiving yards once in his five NFL seasons. Dorsett’s best season came with the Colts in 2016 with 33 receptions for 528 yards and two touchdowns.
Dorsett has played with Andrew Luck and Tom Brady but has been unable to make a major impact so far in his career. The receiver is coming off a career-high five touchdowns last season in New England. The Seahawks are hoping to utilize Dorsett as another deep threat in the offense, while the receiver aims to prove his best is yet to come.