Getty David Moore is losing his grasp of the Seahawks third wide receiver role.
DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett are locked in as the Seattle Seahawks top two receivers. The big question is what player will take hold as the team’s third receiver. For the first time this season, rookie wideout Freddie Swain had more snaps than David Moore. Swain started the season with 26 percent of snaps a number that moved all the way up to 45 percent against the Cowboys, per Football Guys.
This topped Moore’s 41 percent as the receiver’s snaps have gradually gone down from his Week 1 number of 53 percent. Rusell Wilson has already displayed a lot of faith in Swain, praising him after his first NFL touchdown reception against the Patriots in Week 2.
“As soon as we drafted him, I mean, all the time that we spent on the Zoom calls,” Wilson said, per Seahawks.com. “I spent an hour before and an hour after. He was in every single one of them dialed in and taking notes. We were on group message with the rookies and he was helping lead that conversation with DeeJay Dallas and other guys. And I think that who he is, how he played in college, he’s transferred it to the game. Football is just football. He knows it. He understands it. He processes it. He does a great job. He takes it very serious on offense and defense — offense and special teams, I should say. And then I think more importantly too is that he’s got great guys in the room with him. You got guys like DK, Tyler, David Moore, and just great group of men in that room and I think that he’s molding unbelievably well. He’s made some special plays for us in the past two games.”
The Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta believes the shifting wide receiver snap count is significant.
“Interesting on the snap counts seeing Freddie Swain play 34, or 45 percent, and David Moore playing 31,” Condotta noted on Twitter. “Seattle obviously feeling like it has something in the sixth-round pick.”
The NFL Has Yet to Reinstate Josh Gordon
Swain has been able to take advantage of his opportunities largely created by Phillip Dorsett and Josh Gordon both being out of the lineup. Dorsett was recently placed on injured reserve meaning the soonest he can suit up again is Week 6. Gordon’s status is much less certain as the receiver is still waiting for the NFL’s decision on his reinstatement application. The receiver is not permitted to practice with the Seahawks until the NFL makes a decision.
What is clear is that Wilson continues to rely heavily on Lockett and Metcalf. Swain has only had three targets so far this season but has made the most of his limited opportunities by catching all three passes for 51 yards and a touchdown. We can expect Moore to continue to have some involvement in the offense but do not be surprised if Swain continues to overtake the veteran as the team’s third receiver.
Carroll on Swain: ‘He’s Really a Good Player in Our System’
Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll has consistently praised Swain both in training camp and during the season. The Seahawks selected Swain in the sixth round but the receiver has already managed to carve out a role on both special teams and in the offense.
“It’s amazing how much he’s learned and how fast he’s learned it,” Carroll noted, per ESPN 710 Seattle. “He really has just captured the coaches and they know they can trust him. The same opinion is held by the special teams coaches and that’s when you know you’ve got a guy that’s a really good competitor. He’s just been able to pick stuff up and he gets it, so the game comes really comfortably to him.”
READ NEXT: Jamal Adams ‘Threatens’ to Unfollow Seahawks Teammate on Instagram