Getty Tyler Lockett celebrates a touchdown against the Panthers.
The Seattle Seahawks will enter the 2021 NFL season with a different offensive system. Shane Waldron is the new offensive coordinator, and he will set out to get the ball out of Russell Wilson‘s hands and to his playmakers. The result, as wide receiver Tyler Lockett explained, is a ‘two-minute drill” offense with 40-50 available plays.
The dynamic receiver made the comments to Jon Manley of “The News Tribune” following a practice session at training camp. He explained that Wilson will have the option of roughly four dozen plays that he can switch to at the line of scrimmage, which should make the offense less predictable on a weekly basis.
“It looks a lot like what we do in two-minute from the past six years we’ve been here, but now it’s more efficient,” Lockett said. “There’s a whole bunch of plays that Russ can choose from. It’s not just 15 plays like we used to have.”
The Offense Will Limit Hits on Russell Wilson
With the Seahawks adding Waldron to the fold, the goal will be to limit the number of hits that Wilson takes behind the offensive line. The quarterback turned heads during the offseason by explaining that opposing defenders have sacked him “almost 400 times” in the first nine years of his career as he took long drops and searched for receiving options.
According to former Seahawks receiver Michael Bumpus, the offense will no longer rely on 40-yard passes down the field. Instead, Wilson will take shorter drops and throw quick passes to DK Metcalf, Lockett, and his other receiving options in what will become a reception-heavy system.
While Wilson will have more plays at his disposal, he can only work with what is available to him. The receivers, running backs, and tight ends will have to be at the top of their game to keep the offense moving. Knowing the mass number of plays is critical, as is remembering the code words.
“You really have to be able to understand the offense and know every play and understand signals, understand the terminology and all that stuff,” Lockett added during his training camp availability. “You’ve gotta know the whole entire offense. Because he can call whatever play he wants to call from the line of scrimmage because we have the words and all that type of stuff that goes within it. It’s very fast but it’s only going to be as fast as we’re able to pick up on it.”
Fans Will Soon See the Offense in Action
An NFL receiver making bold comments about the offensive system is nothing new during training camp. Players do so all the time while hyping up the fanbase and preparing for the regular season.
Fortunately for the Seahawks supporters, they will soon have the opportunity to see the offense firsthand. The team will kick off the preseason on Aug. 14 with an exhibition game at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. The Seahawks will take on the Raiders and put Waldron’s system on full display for the first time.
The preseason schedule will continue with a home game against the Broncos on Aug. 21 and a home game against the Chargers on Aug. 28. The Seahawks will then officially kick off the season on Sept. 12 with a trip to Indianapolis to take on the Colts. This opener will provide Wilson with the opportunity to showcase the offense while fighting for the win.
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