TE Group Diverse Upside for 2022

[tarlhawk]

Our TE Group is often forgotten ...usually because our Offense seldom viewed the TE group other than a 3rd receiver option. In many other offenses the TE is often the "safety" valve when your RB is used for pass pro...to go vertical with a seam route or "drift" out into a flat/curl route. I feel that our TE group will actually be competing for targets with our WR group based on our current QB selection and further implementation of Shane Waldron's more developed playbook.

Until our very young O-Line begins to jell under their baptism under fire..."check downs" may be a norm until our running game gets the respect needed to open up the Play Action opportunities. Timing and getting into a rhythm will make the middle of the field more accessible with more attempts to get the pass quickly to our WR/TE groups "in space" ...and less deep ball (than when we were gifted with RW's ability to extend the plays using Lockett and DK on deep crossing patterns/sideline Go-Balls)

I usually think of TE as being foremost an inline blocking role for a balanced running attack. Strong route runners aided by speed are highly sought after as a current priority for most teams. An additional role is as a Red Zone target. Our TE group is an excellent blend of all three roles.


Noah Fant 6'4" 249 lbs 24 yrs old 4th yr vet UFA in 2024 (2.2 million cap hit 2022/6.9 M 2023)
Will Dissly 6'4" 267 lbs 26 yrs old 5th yr vet UFA in 2025 (4.6 million cap hit 2022/9.25 M 2023)
Colby Parkinson 6'7" 251 lbs 23 yrs old 3rd yr vet UFA in 2024 (1.1 M cap hit 2022/1.2 M 2023)


Quick fan bite with a POS/NEG trait from their scouting reports...

Noah Fant is your modern defensive matchup nightmare...(POS) Great catch radius with the athleticism and flexibility to make grabs away from his 6'4", 249-pound frame; will go up high to challenge on 50-50 balls with a great vertical jump but also goes low to get balls off the turf. (NEG) Lacks play strength and could stand to bulk up and add power to his game.

Will Dissly isn't a deep threat...(POS)Blocks like a bench press, with heavy hands to latch on and stack defenders easily. (NEG) Not a legitimate receiver beyond intermediate level of the field due to lack of speed to separate.

Colby Parkinson can be an elusive Red Zone target...(POS) Sells out to make plays in traffic; extends the strike zone for quarterbacks and allows them to make throws that don't require pinpoint accuracy. (NEG) Used mostly in the slot at Stanford; will need to learn how to comfortably play in-line.

[RiverDog]

Nice write up. I promise not to get offended by the "fan bites".

The tight end group has been a strong point for the past few years, and this season should be no different. The player that I'm most encouraged about is Dissly. He's a great blocker yet he's shown that he has very good hands and has made some acrobatic catches. I was very encouraged when we signed him to a multi year contract as it was an indication that we felt good about his recovery from his injury. With the prospect of having two rookie bookends, he could prove to be invaluable. He's the most complete tight end we've had since Zach Miller.

Fant is a mystery to me. I need to see him in action before I can venture an opinion.

This is Parkinson's third year. He's done next to nothing in his first two seasons. Time to put up or shut up.

[NorthHawk]

Fant is the wildcard in this group. He comes from the Hawkeyes Offense which is very much a pro style Offense yet his
blocking isn’t considered a strong point. Other high drafted TEs from that program have for the most part been good
at both so I don’t know if it’s a disinterest on his part or if he just hasn’t been asked to do it much. What gives.him
an advantage is speed and wingspan. So will Pete demand he become a complete TE or will he let Waldron use him
to his best advantage? We’ll know the answer in a couple of months.

[Aseahawkfan]

Noah Fant is an extremely productive TE, especially given the QBs that have been throwing to him. I didn't know who this guy was at first, but after I read up on him he's the most exciting trade of the bunch.

Biggest problem with Noah Fant is he's a 1st round pick TE that is highly productive on the last two years of his contract. So he's going to be expensive to sign to a second contract. But he's a very productive receiving threat that will be very productive the better the QB is and the more he is used. That was a great pickup by John.

[Hawktawk]

Let’s win with him now . Fant is the most exciting part of the package . Although Lock has thrown him 74 passes already which is interesting should he wind up starting .

Dissley is a better receiver than this analysis says and he’s a road grading blocker. Hes had injury issues .


Parkinson is snake bit a lot like Penny. He’s been unlucky with foot and toe injuries and just hasn’t had a healthy TC one time . I know Pete loved him . Overall it’s an above average group just like wideouts and backs other then quarter’s. So let’s see what happens. Read a pretty optimistic Field Gulls article pointing out reasons Seattle might outperform expectations . Our offensive skill people are listed as one reason . It’s a huge part of my wager .

[RiverDog]

Let’s win with him now . Fant is the most exciting part of the package . Although Lock has thrown him 74 passes already which is interesting should he wind up starting .

Dissley is a better receiver than this analysis says and he’s a road grading blocker. Hes had injury issues .


Parkinson is snake bit a lot like Penny. He’s been unlucky with foot and toe injuries and just hasn’t had a healthy TC one time . I know Pete loved him . Overall it’s an above average group just like wideouts and backs other then quarter’s. So let’s see what happens. Read a pretty optimistic Field Gulls article pointing out reasons Seattle might outperform expectations . Our offensive skill people are listed as one reason . It’s a huge part of my wager .

The most exciting part of the package is the draft picks, potentially 4 players with Pro Bowl ability if we play our cards right. It could remake our team like the Cowboys did following the Herschel Walker trade.

I agree with you about Dissly. He has above average hands and has made some acrobatic catches. He's the best all around tight end we've had since Zach Miller.

Parkinson hasn't done much even when he's been healthy. He needs to step it up a notch or two.

Hopefully, Fant can block. Given the status of our offensive line, all of our tight ends are going to have to be superior blockers.

[NorthHawk]

I think we bring in a veteran T sometime this year. Browns ship seems to have sailed but Eric Fisher and Reilly Reiff are still available.
There’s just so much youth and inexperience at the Tackle positions that it almost seems a no brainer.
Curhan has only played in 15 games (5 starts) and Stone Forsythe 10 (0 starts). So we’re really inexperienced on the edges.

[RiverDog]

I think we bring in a veteran T sometime this year. Browns ship seems to have sailed but Eric Fisher and Reilly Reiff are still available.
There’s just so much youth and inexperience at the Tackle positions that it almost seems a no brainer.
Curhan has only played in 15 games (5 starts) and Stone Forsythe 10 (0 starts). So we’re really inexperienced on the edges.

That's another indication that Pete may be in a rebuild mode without actually saying it. In past years, that's exactly the type of move that we would make. But we haven't this season.

[NorthHawk]

But it’s not like a full rebuild mode. When they first got here we were turning over every stone looking for players that could improve the team to the point that we had roster churn of over 100 players evaluated. This year we’ve stuck with who we have on the roster for
the most part while other teams are bringing in players for evaluations and signing some of them. To me it looks suspiciously like
Pete thinks we only need a few players to get back to challenging for a championship, and not doing a proper rebuild. So we can expect middling results at best for the rest of his tenure if true.

Regarding an experienced Tackle, someone who has played in the league would really increase the development of the rookies. As
they have no idea of what they are getting into and how to properly prepare for the long season. It’s not just about athleticism but
also about proper rest, nutrition, practice habits, film study, and more. So they either learn the hard way through trial and error, or they can be mentored by someone who has done it all.

[Hawktawk]

I agree with Pete . We’re a few players away depending on the Qb position from being right there . And once again Duane Brown remains unsigned along with a number of FAs we declined to offer deals to . It’s a better team overall than the one that beat AZ 38-30. And that was with all world turning it over for 14 points . We will shock the world baby !

[NorthHawk]

We need the following to become a contender:
QB, Interior OL, Experienced OTs, Pass Rush, and DBs.

The IOL didn’t play well very last year. Jackson was a disappointment, Lewis regressed after being put in an unfamiliar position, and our Center was sub par. It remains to be seen if they will improve this year. This year we are going from Brown who was a 2nd team Pro Bowler and Shell, who was steady if unspectacular at the Tackle positions. This year we are going with starters who total 15 starts amongst the 4 of them. It’s a definite downgrade for at least a year.

On the Defensive side, we still haven’t created a pass rush that’s consistent and dependable some 4 years after Pete said it was a priority.
It’s just hope that we will get one this year, and maybe improbable. The DBs got some good draft choices but they are pretty green and like
the rookie OTs, will have to take time developing. We lost one of last year’s starting DBs in FA and both Safeties are coming off injuries.

So in all, we have a big hill to climb this year. If they let the rookies play and develop then it should be a different story next year and the
years after. But Pete has a history of pulling younger players when they make mistakes in the hope of winning today.
I hope he’s changed for the long term benefit.

[RiverDog]

I agree with Pete . We’re a few players away depending on the Qb position from being right there . And once again Duane Brown remains unsigned along with a number of FAs we declined to offer deals to . It’s a better team overall than the one that beat AZ 38-30. And that was with all world turning it over for 14 points . We will shock the world baby !

We need the following to become a contender:
QB, Interior OL, Experienced OTs, Pass Rush, and DBs.

The IOL didn’t play well very last year. Jackson was a disappointment, Lewis regressed after being put in an unfamiliar position, and our Center was sub par. It remains to be seen if they will improve this year. This year we are going from Brown who was a 2nd team Pro Bowler and Shell, who was steady if unspectacular at the Tackle positions. This year we are going with starters who total 15 starts amongst the 4 of them. It’s a definite downgrade for at least a year.

On the Defensive side, we still haven’t created a pass rush that’s consistent and dependable some 4 years after Pete said it was a priority.
It’s just hope that we will get one this year, and maybe improbable. The DBs got some good draft choices but they are pretty green and like
the rookie OTs, will have to take time developing. We lost one of last year’s starting DBs in FA and both Safeties are coming off injuries.

So in all, we have a big hill to climb this year. If they let the rookies play and develop then it should be a different story next year and the
years after. But Pete has a history of pulling younger players when they make mistakes in the hope of winning today.
I hope he’s changed for the long term benefit.

Sadly, I have to agree with North Hawk. Both our lines are weak, especially on offense. It's hard to imagine us matching last year's win total with 4 offensive line starters with 15 total starts amongst 4 of them. It's no wonder that PFF ranked our OL as being the worst in the league coming into the season. I like that we recognized our weakness and dedicated some high draft picks to address it, but there's going to be a learning curve, the only question being how much of one.

The one thing that could save us some grief is if we get solid contributions from our tight ends. It was a real positive to see that Dissly is healthy enough to be awarded a multi year contract. Hopefully Fant doesn't look like a bull fighter out there.

[Aseahawkfan]

This Shelby Harris guy is better than I thought at least his numbers. He's gonna add some nice pass rush to the D-line if he maintains his performance.

[RiverDog]

This Shelby Harris guy is better than I thought at least his numbers. He's gonna add some nice pass rush to the D-line if he maintains his performance.

I agree. He's a good addition, even if he was just a toss in on the trade, probably like a 2nd or 3rd round pick. He'll be one player I'll be keeping a close eye on.

I have no problems with what we got from Denver for Russell.

[MackStrongIsMyHero]

We need the following to become a contender:
QB, Interior OL, Experienced OTs, Pass Rush, and DBs.

The IOL didn’t play well very last year. Jackson was a disappointment, Lewis regressed after being put in an unfamiliar position, and our Center was sub par. It remains to be seen if they will improve this year. This year we are going from Brown who was a 2nd team Pro Bowler and Shell, who was steady if unspectacular at the Tackle positions. This year we are going with starters who total 15 starts amongst the 4 of them. It’s a definite downgrade for at least a year.

On the Defensive side, we still haven’t created a pass rush that’s consistent and dependable some 4 years after Pete said it was a priority.
It’s just hope that we will get one this year, and maybe improbable. The DBs got some good draft choices but they are pretty green and like
the rookie OTs, will have to take time developing. We lost one of last year’s starting DBs in FA and both Safeties are coming off injuries.

So in all, we have a big hill to climb this year. If they let the rookies play and develop then it should be a different story next year and the
years after. But Pete has a history of pulling younger players when they make mistakes in the hope of winning today.
I hope he’s changed for the long term benefit.

Perhaps when he had the veteran players to do it, he would yank them. Back when the roster was torn down and rebuilt in his first few years here, the young guys got their opportunities. I think this season is going to look a lot like Pete's first season. Going to compete in most games and likely lose several close ones. Hoping to be surprised and see them get along quicker or get some breaks going their way.

[RiverDog]

Perhaps when he had the veteran players to do it, he would yank them. Back when the roster was torn down and rebuilt in his first few years here, the young guys got their opportunities. I think this season is going to look a lot like Pete's first season. Going to compete in most games and likely lose several close ones. Hoping to be surprised and see them get along quicker or get some breaks going their way.

We weren't competitive in most of our games in that first season. In the nine games we lost, the scores were 31-14, 20-3, 33-3, 41-7, 34-19, 42-24, 40-21, 34-18, and 38-15.

This could be a similar season, getting our arses handed to us by some teams, beating a few others.

[MackStrongIsMyHero]

Definitely misremembered that. Thinking we didn't get into the playoffs and beat the Saints with bad losses during the season. Now hoping it doesn't look too much like that season.

[RiverDog]

Definitely misremembered that. Thinking we didn't get into the playoffs and beat the Saints with bad losses during the season. Now hoping it doesn't look too much like that season.

Oh, I remember it as if it happened yesterday. I laughed my guts out at Pete Carroll. Our Hawks had lost by wide margins in 7 of our last 9 games, including the last 3 in a row, yet we found ourselves playing for the division title in in our season finale with the Rams. Pete, as excited as a 5 year old kid on a sugar high on Christmas morning, proclaimed that "It's championship time!" It was much like the "We're going to build around Tavaris!" moment.

I have never in my life seen an eternal optimist as I have with Pete Carroll. That's why it was so alarming last season when he walked out of a press conference.

[NorthHawk]

Maybe when he walked out ot that press conference, he did some soul searching and decided that a Defensive philosophy change was in order.
It's hard to believe that he would do that after about 40 years of program creation and pretty good success that he would suddenly change.
But supposedly here we are. We'll see how the Defense actually does change and how much of the 3-4 concepts are implemented as part of the base Defense.
We should have our answers in a little over a month.

[RiverDog]

Maybe when he walked out ot that press conference, he did some soul searching and decided that a Defensive philosophy change was in order.
It's hard to believe that he would do that after about 40 years of program creation and pretty good success that he would suddenly change.
But supposedly here we are. We'll see how the Defense actually does change and how much of the 3-4 concepts are implemented as part of the base Defense.
We should have our answers in a little over a month.

That's very possible. I keep saying that Pete has changed, that last season's failure to launch, the Russell Wilson debacle, the rumors of him getting fired, all had a cumulative effect on Pete and caused him to a long look at himself in the mirror and experienced a come to Jesus moment. It's just a theory and I by no means claiming that I'm right. It could be just his way of adjusting to his advancing age. But there is no doubt that Pete has changed.