Tag: Brian Schottenheimer

Darrell Bevell says he will likely hand play-calling duties off to Brian Schottenheimer vs. Jets

With Darrell Bevell moving into an interim head coach role, he says he’s likely to hand over play-calling duties to Brian Schottenheimer.

When the Jacksonville Jaguars take the field Sunday, they will have a new play-caller directing the offense. According to interim head coach Darrell Bevell, who has called the plays all season, those responsibilities will be given to passing-game coordinator Brian Schottenheimer as Bevell will have to move into the role of being an overall manager.

Bevell added that he’s confident in Schottenheimer, who isn’t foreign to calling plays and has done so before, like at his last stop with the Seattle Seahawks.

“Yeah, so what I’ve done, I’ve thought about it as I told you guys I would—I thought about it a lot, had some conversations with [Jaguars General Manager] Trent [Baalke] and everybody. I think what I’m going to do is I’m going to turn the play calling over to [Passing Game Coordinator] Brian Schottenheimer to really help on the offensive side of the ball. I think it helps us in a lot of ways. No. 1, it helps me take more on of the head coach role that I’m being asked to do, with that added responsibility.”

But also, we have another really accomplished play caller in our midst. We’ll be able to let Brian take an opportunity at it and put his own personality into the offense as well. We’ll be obviously in constant communication, we game plan together a lot anyways. So, I’m really confident and happy that I’m going to be able to turn that to him.”

With Schottenheimer set to take over calling the plays, he’ll be scheming against a New York Jets team that he once worked for and was the offensive coordinator for six seasons (2006-11). He split that time working under Eric Mangini and Rex Ryan, who brought in mixed results overall.

As an NFL play-caller for over 10 years, many felt it would be difficult for Bevell to relinquish something he’s done for so long, but he said his confidence in Schottenheimer helped, and having one less responsibility would make managing easier.

“I mean we’ll see,” he said when asked how hard it was to give up play-calling. “I know it’s going to be hard but one of the things I think that makes it easier for me is how much confidence I have in Schotty. He’s done a great job, he’s had a great career, so I have 100 percent confidence in him.”

Only time will tell if there is a drastic change in the Jags’ offensive performance as they’ve been anemic for the most part since the bye week. However, they were able to garner 16 points in their last game, which marked progress, and maybe there is something from Week 15’s game against Houston to build on for Schottenheimer.

Jaguars QB coach praises Trevor Lawrence’s ‘autonomy’ within the offense

Trevor Lawrence has been operating the Jags’ offense like a veteran, and passing game coordinator Brian Schottenheimer believes he’s thrived in the process.

Jacksonville Jaguars rookie quarterback Trevor Lawrence has made his fair share of jaw-dropping plays this season. But he’s also had his fair share of mistakes and passes that he would like to have back, and that is evidenced by his statline. His completion percentage is just 59.7%, and he has more interceptions (eight) than passing touchdowns (seven).

But one thing that the stats don’t measure is the level of freedom Lawrence has within the offense. While most rookie quarterbacks would be restricted and limited in their ability to call pre-snap audibles and protection checks at the line of scrimmage, that hasn’t been the case for Lawrence.

According to passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach Brian Schottenheimer, Lawrence has a lot more responsibility at the line of scrimmage than most rookies do. And he has apparently handled that responsibility very well.

“I would say it’s unique for sure,” Schottenheimer said, per WJXT’s Jamal St. Cyr. “A lot of young quarterbacks I’ve been around haven’t had that autonomy, if you will. But he’s earned it. He’s earned the right to do it. When you come in and you look at the game and you see when we put him in those situations, whether it’s an alert from a run to a pass, or vice versa, or solving a protection problem, he’s right 90% of the time.”

Quarterbacks don’t get much credit when those things go right, but it’s easy to place the blame on them when they go wrong. But according to Schottenheimer, the coaching staff has not had to limit Lawrence’s pre-snap autonomy much at all.

“It’s something that if you go the other way and you’re making a bunch of mistakes, it’s easy to pull it back,” he said. “But we haven’t had to do that and will not do that just because he’s shown the ability to handle it.”

That’s certainly an excellent sign when it comes to Lawrence’s development, and it’s not a factor that the stat sheet will make clear. The rookie looks more and more comfortable every single week, and he will likely only see more responsibilities on the field as the season progresses.

Report: Jags expected to sign veteran TE Jacob Hollister

Veteran TE help is on the way for the #Jaguars as they are in the process of getting ready for their regular season opener.

Many fans had been waiting for the Jacksonville Jaguars to add some veteran help at the tight end position, and they plan to do just that shortly. According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the team is expected to sign veteran tight end Jacob Hollister soon.

Hollister, 27, is a familiar face to Jags passing game coordinator Brian Schottenheimer, who was his offensive coordinator for two seasons with the Seattle Seahawks. As mentioned above, Hollister was a surprise cut by the Buffalo Bills after he signed with them this offseason, and with him becoming available, the Jags jumped on the opportunity to bolster their roster.

Hollister originally went undrafted to the New England Patriots in 2017 out of Wyoming. He spent two seasons with them, then two with the Seahawks. Throughout those two runs, he accumulated 74 catches for 652 receiving yards and six touchdowns.

The Jags likely feel his veteran presence will help rookie quarterback Trevor Lawrence and the Jags’ young offense. He’ll join a tight ends group that has two veterans on it currently between James O’Shaughnessy and Chris Manhertz. The Jags named rookie tight end Luke Farrell to the final roster, too.

The Jags placed receiver Tavon Austin on injured reserve Thursday, which means they don’t have to let a player go to sign Hollister.  The Jags are currently at 22 offensive players and 28 on defense, so Hollister won’t clearly be the team’s lone offensive addition in the coming days.

Brian Schottenheimer tight-lipped on Jags’ starting quarterback situation

Though Trevor Lawrence is expected to win the job, the Jags’ passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach said no decision has been made.

Ever since Jacksonville secured the first-overall pick back in December, it was assumed that Trevor Lawrence would be the starting quarterback this fall. Though the rookie is well on his way after some impressive moments at minicamp despite recovering from shoulder surgery, it appears he hasn’t done enough to lock up the job, at least at this point.

According to ESPN’s Mike DiRocco, passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach Brian Schottenheimer wouldn’t give a definitive answer when asked if there’s been a decision made.

“It’s still too early to say how this thing’s going to play out,” Schottenheimer said on Wednesday.

While there’s certainly some smoke and mirrors going on here, it’s far from a foregone conclusion that Lawrence will be ready to start Week 1. It’s not like the Jaguars necessarily need him to be, either.

He’s clearly the future, but the Jags still have a quarterback on the roster who’s thrown for 37 touchdowns and just 11 interceptions in two years in Gardner Minshew II. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Minshew wants to win the starting job in camp this fall. He’s a clear trade option for Jacksonville, but if no deal materializes and Lawrence isn’t ready for the opener against Houston, the cupboard is nowhere near bare.

Still, it would be at least a minor upset if Lawrence doesn’t start Week 1. Though he’s dealing with lingering issues from the surgery, it seems he’s getting closer and closer to 100% each day. He should be fully healthy by the fall, and it would likely take a herculean effort from Minshew to unseat him as the presumed starter, assuming he’s still on the roster at that point.

Trevor Lawrence ends minicamp on an impressive note

Lawrence ended his first NFL minicamp in impressive fashion and showcased his skills in the red zone during the Jags’ Tuesday practice.

After starting his first minicamp session as a limited participant due to a minor hamstring injury on Monday, rookie quarterback Trevor Lawrence seemingly used his “frustration” as fuel Tuesday to end the two-day period. In fact, the 2021 No. 1 overall pick appeared to be the star of Tuesday’s practice as the Jags slightly increased his reps, catching the eyes of many in attendance.

Per Mark Long of the Associated Press, Lawrence had his best day in the red-zone (where the offense struggled at times during OTAs). ESPN’s Michael DiRocco added that Lawrence’s ball placement and decision-making was solid on the day as the rookie’s hamstring appears to be getting better.

Jags fans couldn’t ask for a better ending to minicamp as Lawrence’s day is positive news for his stock report. Per Hays Carlyon of 1010XL and Jaguars reporter J.P. Shadrick, the two most notable passes everyone was raving about went to speedster Phillip Dorsett. One was in tight coverage and the other was a back-shoulder throw.

Lawrence’s day is a testament to what the coaches have been saying about his ability to bounce back and not get too high or low. It also speaks volumes about the coaching he’s receiving from coordinator Darrell Bevell and passing game assistant Brian Schottenheimer, both of whom he spoke on Monday.

“[The learning process with them] has been great. Obviously [they’re] two great offensive minds that have been able to work together and come up with a great scheme,” Lawrence said on Monday. “I think the best thing about the offense is it gives the quarterback a lot of answers. So, you have a lot of tools, you just have to know how to use them.

“That’s something for me, now that I pretty much know most of system, it’s figuring out how to put us in the best situation because Coach Bev[ell] and Coach Schotty give us answers. [It’s] just being able to use them, like I said, and that’s something that takes a little bit of practice and reps. It’s something that I’m not really that used to in college, so I think that we’re making great progress there.”

Now, it will be on Lawrence and his coaches to transfer their success to training camp when the pads go on. With that set to take place in late July, the young quarterback should be fully healed and ready to go for the phase of the offseason that will be the most important for him.

Trevor Lawrence ends minicamp on an impressive note

Lawrence ended his first NFL minicamp in impressive fashion and showcased his skills in the red zone during the Jags’ Tuesday practice.

After starting his first minicamp session as a limited participant due to a minor hamstring injury on Monday, rookie quarterback Trevor Lawrence seemingly used his “frustration” as fuel Tuesday to end the two-day period. In fact, the 2021 No. 1 overall pick appeared to be the star of Tuesday’s practice as the Jags slightly increased his reps, catching the eyes of many in attendance.

Per Mark Long of the Associated Press, Lawrence had his best day in the red-zone (where the offense struggled at times during OTAs). ESPN’s Michael DiRocco added that Lawrence’s ball placement and decision-making was solid on the day as the rookie’s hamstring appears to be getting better.

Jags fans couldn’t ask for a better ending to minicamp as Lawrence’s day is positive news for his stock report. Per Hays Carlyon of 1010XL and Jaguars reporter J.P. Shadrick, the two most notable passes everyone was raving about went to speedster Phillip Dorsett. One was in tight coverage and the other was a back-shoulder throw.

Lawrence’s day is a testament to what the coaches have been saying about his ability to bounce back and not get too high or low. It also speaks volumes about the coaching he’s receiving from coordinator Darrell Bevell and passing game assistant Brian Schottenheimer, both of whom he spoke on Monday.

“[The learning process with them] has been great. Obviously [they’re] two great offensive minds that have been able to work together and come up with a great scheme,” Lawrence said on Monday. “I think the best thing about the offense is it gives the quarterback a lot of answers. So, you have a lot of tools, you just have to know how to use them.

“That’s something for me, now that I pretty much know most of system, it’s figuring out how to put us in the best situation because Coach Bev[ell] and Coach Schotty give us answers. [It’s] just being able to use them, like I said, and that’s something that takes a little bit of practice and reps. It’s something that I’m not really that used to in college, so I think that we’re making great progress there.”

Now, it will be on Lawrence and his coaches to transfer their success to training camp when the pads go on. With that set to take place in late July, the young quarterback should be fully healed and ready to go for the phase of the offseason that will be the most important for him.

Jags’ Charlie Strong all but confirms Trevor Lawrence selection, talks about getting a QB

While he didn’t completely confirm what the team plans to do with the first pick, Strong offered some candor about the quarterback position.

Whenever a franchise selects first overall and don’t have a proven quarterback, it almost always chooses to address that position with the pick. This is the exact situation Jacksonville finds itself in, and it’s an open secret that the team plans to address the position with its first pick.

In an interview with reporter Anthony Amey, Jaguars assistant head coach and inside linebackers coach Charlie Strong said that the current coaching staff knows what it’s doing when it comes to developing a quarterback. Before working for the Lions, offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell held the same position in Seattle where he helped develop Russell Wilson and led the unit to two Super Bowl appearances (including a win in Super Bowl XLVIII).

Meanwhile, passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach Brian Schottenheimer succeeded Bevell in Seattle, where he worked for the last three years. Before that, he was the offensive coordinator for the St. Louis Rams and the New York Jets as well as a stint at the college level with the Georgia Bulldogs.

Strong said the duo, with the leadership of head coach Urban Meyer, whose track record as an offensive coach at Ohio State, Florida, and prior jobs speaks for itself, knows what it’s doing when it comes to developing a quarterback.

“With Bevell being the offensive coordinator and then (coach Schottenheimer) being the quarterback coach, they have a track record of getting the quarterback ready,” he said. “And Urban’s an offensive guy, he’s driven, that’s his deal is offensive. So I think when they make that selection, which it’s been a lot poured into it so the groundwork has already been laid, so when they make that selection, everyone will be prepared to go.”

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CN-TBGUB90N/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

In addition to basically stating that the team will take a quarterback with the first overall pick, Strong seemed to heavily imply who that quarterback will be. Though no one affiliated with the Jaguars has officially come out and said it, the predominant belief has been that they will take Clemson passer, Trevor Lawrence.

While Strong didn’t confirm this, he also seemed to concede that the team’s decision is already widely known.

“When you talk about the quarterback, whomever it may be — and everybody knows who it’s going to be, it’s no secret…”

The NFL draft is less than a week away, and soon the coaches won’t have to speak about Lawrence in such coded language. But for the time being, it seems Strong, who is very familiar with Meyer as the two worked together at Florida from 2005 until 2009, is confident in this coaching staff’s ability to prepare a quarterback.

Return to Jags feels like a homecoming for Carlos Hyde

The former Seattle running back had relationships with a number of people on staff, and he called signing with the Jags a “no-brainer.”

Running back Carlos Hyde, one of several free-agent additions for the Jacksonville Jaguars this offseason, played one season of his career with the team in 2018. But with the new regime, Jacksonville now feels more like home than ever.

Hyde has a prior relationship with several people within the Jags staff, but the most obvious connection is the head coach. Urban Meyer was Hyde’s college coach at Ohio State, where he guided him to a First Team All-Big Ten selection in 2013.

Hyde said that when his contract with Seattle expired, the move he needed to make was obvious.

“It was a no-brainer for me once I saw Coach [Urban] Meyer become the head coach here,” he said. “I had good years with Coach Meyer at Ohio State and honestly, I’ve been waiting for Coach Meyer to become a head coach in the NFL… I feel like eventually, he would have made his way to the NFL. I’m happy he decided to do that now, while I’m still playing. I’m excited that he’s here now.”

Meyer has no NFL coaching experience, even as an assistant coach. But Hyde said he’s not worried about Meyer’s ability to make the transition.

“Because one thing about Coach Meyer, it’s all about winning,” Hyde said. “So, he’s just going to figure it out, how to get the wins, how to consistently get wins, how to get a lot of wins, to build a winning program here, build the right culture, get the right guys in here… When he’s not around, you know you’ve got guys here in there that he can count on that are keeping the culture alive, keeping guys bought in into the program.”

Not only is Hyde extremely familiar with Meyer and his coaching style, but with the Jaguars in 2021, he will be able to maintain some systematic continuity. His offensive coordinator from last season with the Seahawks, Brian Schottenheimer, was hired to be the Jags’ passing game coordinator.

“…it’s a good thing for me, you know a familiar face,” Hyde said. “I’m sure the offense will be familiar, I’m sure [coach Schottenheimer will] [be] adding something familiar, what we did in Seattle. But you know, it’s good to see familiar faces. Schotty has been great, he’s definitely going to help me continue to be the player I am, come in and just handle my business.”

If that weren’t enough to convince Hyde to sign with the Jags, their new general manager, Trent Baalke, held the same role with the San Francisco 49ers for Hyde’s first three years with the team from 2014-16. He’s now back with the GM that drafted him in the second round back in 2014.

“Trent [and I] had a good relationship,” he said. “I haven’t seen him in a while. We always kept in contact through somebody, there was always a middleman telling me, ‘Trent said hello,’ and I’d tell the person back, ‘Well, you tell him—.’ It’s finally good to see him though, in-person and be back around him. I had a good time with Trent also when I was in San Fran.”

When asked which of those three connections was the main catalyst behind his decision to come to Jacksonville, Hyde didn’t hesitate to answer.

“It was Coach Meyer. Coach Meyer made it all happen,” he said. “Once I saw Coach Meyer become the head coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars, I already knew where I was going.”

The 30-year-old will hope familiarity leads to success as he joins last year’s starter James Robinson in a backfield that should be one of the league’s better units in 2021.

Former Seahawks Carlos Hyde and Phillip Dorsett to sign with Jaguars

Two former Seattle Seahawks – running back Carlos Hyde and wide receiver Phillip Dorsett – have agreed to terms with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The Seattle Seahawks are losing a couple of unrestricted free agents to the Jacksonville Jaguars – running back Carlos Hyde per ESPN’s Adam Schefter and wide receiver Phillip Dorset, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

Both players have agreed to terms and plan to sign with the Jaguars.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter is reporting Hyde’s deal in Jacksonville is for two years and worth $6 million.

Hyde played one season in Seattle and finished his 2020 campaign logging 81 carries for 356 yards and four touchdowns.

As for Dorsett, he too only spent one season in Seattle, although he never took the field. Dorsett injured his right foot in training camp and was placed on the injured reserve, where sat out the year.

In Jacksonville, both Hyde and Dorsett will reunite with Seahawks former offensive coordinator, Brian Schottenheimer.

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2021 NFL coaching changes: Seattle Seahawks

Seattle turns over the offense to a Sean McVay disciple with hopes of toppling its divisional foe.

The Seattle Seahawks jumped out to a torrid start in 2020, only to look lethargic on offense in a system that had become quite predictable. The stale nature and first-round exit from the playoffs as the third seed forced head coach Pete Carroll to effectively fire offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer.

It took some time, and the input from quarterback Russell Wilson, but Carroll found his replacement playcaller from the coaching staff of the team that bounced him from the playoffs. Los Angeles Rams passing game coordinator Shane Waldron was hired for the job after seven seasons as an NFL assistant without actually calling plays in the NFL’s regular season.

Waldron entered the league in 2002 as an operations intern under Bill Belichick’s New England Patriots. The stay lasted until the end of the 2004 season, and Waldron left with the title of special teams quality control coach. The next three years would find Waldron at Notre Dame as a graduate assistant under Charlie Weis before a 2008 return to the Patriots as an offensive quality control coach. The Pats would make him tight ends coach in 2009, and Benjamin Watson paced his positional mates with 29-404-5 — the third-most yards and second-most touchdowns by any New England pass catcher that year.

A one-year stay in 2010 as wide receivers coach of the Hartford Colonials of the United Football League would be followed by a single season as the offensive coordinator for the Cambridge, Mass.-based Buckingham Browne & Nichols High School. The 2012-13 seasons witnessed Waldron coach tight ends for UMass, and he would transition in 2014 to the offensive line coaching gig.

All of that culminated in a return to the NFL in 2016 as an offensive quality control coach for Washington, which put Waldron on the same coaching staff as Sean McVay. When McVay went to Los Angeles in 2017, Waldron followed and was named tight ends coach for that season. In 2018, LA tabbed him its passing game coordinator, which is a key role in this dynamic system. He added quarterbacks coach in 2019 but relinquished the title a year later

Coaching tendencies

“He’s a phenomenal coach,” McVay said of Waldron in 2018, according to The Detroit News via ESPN.com. “He’s a great communicator. He’s got a rare ability to authentically and genuinely connect with not only coaches but the players and be able to correct in a manner that doesn’t make guys’ guards come up. It’s all about problem-solving and doing it together. He’s obviously done a phenomenal job, really mainly as a leader for our offense, not exclusively to just being a pass game coordinator.”

The Rams featured a balanced offense in the last four years, ranking in the top 10 for passing and rushing three times apiece. The interesting aspect of this marriage with Carroll will be how much of Waldron’s own offense will he be allowed to install.

For example, when Schottenheimer took over the job in 2018, he was given only about 30 percent of the offense to make his own after the remainder was carried over from the Darrell Bevell’s system. That’s a rather unusual situation, but it stands to reason we could see it again. Seattle set team highs in points scored last year, and Carroll has gone on the record saying he wants the offense to be more committed to a successful ground game.

Having background of playing tight end in college and coaching the position, as well as guiding offensive lines, Waldron probably is given ability this offseason to implement a new rushing system but little more. This team needs a fresh coat of paint, not a complete rebuild from the ground up.

Los Angeles has consistently been among the best teams at utilizing play-action passing under McVay and Waldron. In order to establish a believable play fake, the defense must be worried about the run. This is one area where things could get dicey in the offseason.

Creativity will play a factor, too. McVay, like Andy Reid, has done a tremendous job of masking his intentions by designing multiple attacks from the same-look personnel groupings presnap, often incorporating motions to further get the defense guessing.

Expect more freedom for Wilson calling plays at the line of scrimmage if he sees something he doesn’t like from the defense. Seattle also should emphasize more zone blocking.

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Personnel changes

Starting with running backs, 2020’s top rushers, Chris Carson and Carlos Hyde, are set to become unrestricted free agents in March. Carson is the focus and will have a market, if he so chooses to explore it, after surpassing all expectations as a seventh-round pick in 2017. It’s unlikely the Seahawks will come close to his market value in a long-term deal, but there’s always the chance he could receive a tag.

Carson had a dozen 100-yard games in 2018 and 2019 combined but failed to top 80 yards in any of his 12 appearances in 2020. He still rushed for a career-high 4.8 yards per carry, and even though Carson scored only once in the final six games, including the postseason, he still totaled nine offensive scores for the third consecutive season — and on far fewer touches.

In 2018, Seattle spent a first-round pick on running back Rashaad Penny. He has battled injuries and ineffectiveness since coming into the league. There’s a decent chance he enters the offseason as Seattle’s top back, but DeeJay Dallas will want to make his mark, too.

The Seahawks currently sit almost $14.45 million under the cap, which is subject to change due to the coronavirus pandemic. This placement has Seattle ranked 17th in most cap space among its top 51 players.

Possible veteran replacements include free agents James Conner, Le’Veon Bell, Aaron Jones, Marlon Mack, Kenyan Drake, Todd Gurley, Mark Ingram, Mike Davis, Leonard Fournette, Malcolm Brown and Adrian Peterson, or the team may turn to the NFL draft yet again for a late-round addition.

There’s obvious connections to Waldron with Gurley and Brown, but neither back will be asked to shoulder the load in a just world. Seattle could opt for a committee approach with players on the team already, or we could see the likes of role players, such as Matt Breida, Brian Hill, Jerick McKinnon, Jamaal Williams and Tevin Coleman, getting a shot in a true committee.

Offensive line woes continue to plague Seattle, but according to Pro Football Focus, the 16th-ranked 2020 version of this fivesome is the highest grade earned since Wilson become the team’s quarterback nine years ago. Starting left guard Mike Iupati and center Ethan Pocic are unrestricted free agents in March.

Iupati is 34 years old for the 2021 season and doesn’t have many options. It looked like retirement should be in the conversation he has with himself this spring.

Pocic moved back to his natural position for 2020, starting 14 games and playing well enough that he warrants a look, if the money makes sense. Pocic, 26, struggled late in the year, which will be fresh in the old memory banks. Pocic is far better suited for a zone-blocking system, which is likely to come over to some degree with Waldron from LA in contrast to offensive line coach Mike Solari’s preference for power blocking. This area will require a deeper look over the summer.

Seattle also faces free agency at fullback (Nick Bellore) and from No. 3 receiver David Moore, who proved to be a clutch asset in 2020 with defenses focusing on the two big guns ahead of him.

Tight end should be addressed in a more meaningful way than Seattle attempted with Greg Olsen in the 2020 offseason. He has since retired, and Will Dissly has been a major injury liability when given more playing time.

Fantasy football takeaway

The weapons in the passing game are present for Wilson to cook all day and night, but the words out of Carroll’s mouth paint a picture of Russ tending a microwave and not a fiery grill.

The ideal balance is run more successfully than last year — a season in which Seattle rushed the 14th fewest times — and parlay that into play-action passing down the field. The vertical gains will make up for the lessened volume, suggesting Wilson remains among the elite fantasy options at the position.

The backfield is still in too much flux to make any strong predictions, but there’s plenty of reason to be optimistic for the lead ball carrier. Penny could emerge as a fantasy favorite in draft season, provided the offseason works in his favor. Stay tuned.

Expect markedly fewer receptions for Tyler Lockett than his career-high 100 from a season ago, while DK Metcalf actually stands to benefit from healthy play-action system. The latter has more upside simply because he’s a generational talent. Lockett is a better WR2 than a No. 1.

Should the offense decide to rely more on the run, there will be fewer targets to go around, particularly for running backs, the tertiary wideout, and the tight end position, indicating we’re looking at spot plays from any of these players.

We’ll revisit this situation once the backfield shakes out with more clarity.