Getty LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - OCTOBER 10: Marquise Goodwin #84 of the Chicago Bears warms up before a game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium on October 10, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Getty Images)
The Seattle Seahawks already have a pair of star wide receivers in DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. General manager John Schneider wasn’t satisfied, however, signing yet another explosive playmaker at the position.
According to Michael-Shawn Dugar from The Athletic, the Seahawks are using their open roster spot to sign 31-year-old wide receiver Marquise Goodwin. Multiple other beat writers confirmed via Twitter, including Gregg Bell from the Tacoma News Tribune.
The Seahawks will fill their open roster spot with WR Marquise Goodwin, I’m told. Goodwin, 31, would add speed to the room. Vertical threat at a time when Pete wants to launch it deep with whoever plays QB. Goodwin had 20 catches for 313 yards and 1 TD with the Bears last season.
The Seahawks had an open spot on their 90-man roster after releasing undrafted quarterback Levi Lewis. Goodwin isn’t expected to be a go-to receiver playing behind Lockett and Metcalf, but he’ll be fighting for some kind of role once training camp begins.
Marquise Goodwin Can Contribute to Seattle’s Offense
Goodwin isn’t the biggest receiver at 5’9″ and 180 pounds, but he’s found a way to stay around the league and will be playing in his ninth NFL season if he makes the final 53-man roster for the Seahawks.
Coming out of Texas, Goodwin was taken in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills. He played four years in Buffalo, catching 49 passes for 780 yards and six touchdowns. The Bills decided not to bring Goodwin back after his rookie deal expired, but the San Francisco 49ers brought him in prior to the 2017 season.
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Goodwin’s first season with the 49ers was easily the most productive of his career. He was targeted 105 times, catching 56 passes for 962 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Those were career-high numbers in targets, receptions, and receiving yards for Goodwin, who played three years in the Bay Area.
After opting out of the 2020 season, Goodwin played for the Chicago Bears in 2021. He appeared in 14 games for the Bears, catching 20 passes for 313 yards and one touchdown. Although it wasn’t his strongest season, the numbers were respectable for a depth receiver playing in an offense that struggled to keep rookie quarterback Justin Fields upright.
It will be a different situation for Goodwin playing in Seattle. Although the Seahawks have plenty of questions at quarterback, the rest of the offense is in good shape with a pair of star receivers, two impressive rookie offensive tackles, and a backfield that now includes both Rashaad Penny and Kenneth Walker III.
Who Will Goodwin Be Competing Against?
While Lockett and Metcalf are expected to be the biggest contributors in the Seahawks passing game, Goodwin will have to compete with some of the other receivers on the depth chart to make the 53-man roster.
Freddy Swain is the favorite to secure the starting slot receiver role entering his third season in the league. He’s already caught six touchdown passes over two seasons, and is more acclimated to the offense that some of the other players on the depth chart.
Dee Eskridge was the team’s second-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, and Seahawks fans are hoping that he can take a big step forward in 2022. He only caught 10 passes as a rookie for 64 yards and a touchdown.
Rookie Bo Melton was a seventh-round pick, but at 23 years old he’s hoping that he’s developed enough to make the team once the season begins. Other receivers competing for a spot on the depth chart include Aaron Fuller, Cody Thompson, Penny Hart, Dareke Young, and a few others.
There are a ton of players at wide receiver on the 90-man roster, so Goodwin will have his work cut out for him if he wants to play for the Seahawks in 2022.