Seattle Seahawks 2020 free agent profile: Wide receiver Jaron Brown

Will the Seattle Seahawks bring back veteran WR Jaron Brown, or will they look for younger options to pair with Tyler Locket and DK Metcalf?

*The Seattle Seahawks are heading into the 2020 offseason with 19 players set to become unrestricted free agents, which should make for another busy spring and summer for Pete Carroll and John Schneider as they look to shore up the roster and contend for the number one seed in the NFC again next year.*

Our free agent series continues with a look at wide receiver Jaron Brown.

Jaron Brown was a quiet signing just before the 2018 season, and while he only had 19 targets that year he did haul in 14 of them for five touchdowns, an absurdly efficient year that had many of the Seattle brass fired up for him heading into 2019.

Brown took a big step backward, however, only hauling in 16 receptions on 28 targets (a 16 percent drop in catch rate) along with just two touchdowns this season.

Brown completely disappeared down the stretch, often going weeks without getting a single target while the team relied on Josh Gordon, Malik Turner and David Moore instead.

All those factors, plus his age and the emergence of John Ursua, likely mean Brown won’t be back with the Seahawks in 2020.

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A look at the 5 Seattle Seahawks who are restricted free agents

The Seattle Seahawks have five restricted free agents they’ll need to make decisions on in the coming weeks.

The Seattle Seahawks are turning their attention toward what should be another busy offseason.

With 19 unrestricted free agents to make decisions on, including Jadeveon Clowney and Jarran Reed, Seattle will need to budget accordingly if they want to keep some key pieces around.

In addition to the 19 unrestricted guys, the Seahawks also have five restricted free agents to take care of.

A restricted free agent operates similar to a normal free agent, in the sense that they can pursue opportunities with other teams. However, if a different team signs them, Seattle will have five days to match the offer and retain the player.

For the Seahawks, four of their five restricted free agents were either starters or relatively important reserves last season, although most of them project to be depth next year.

It’s likely the Seahawks will want most of these guys back. Still, other teams could certainly make an offer that prices them out.

If that ends up being the case, Seattle should recoup a draft pick for the lost player.

Here is a look at each of the Seahawks restricted free agents, their performance last year, and their potential role in 2020.

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John Ursua will see some action on Sunday against 49ers

Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll indicated that rookie receiver John Ursua will see some action on Sunday against the 49ers.

The Seattle Seahawks are heading into the final regular season game of the year with a relatively clean bill of health. Only two players, left tackle Duane Brown and receiver Malik Turner, have officially been ruled out against San Francisco.

Turner sustained a concussion in Week 16 against the Cardinals and was unable to participate in practice at all this week.

Rookie receiver John Ursua is expected to fill Turner’s spot on the active roster, and should get some time on the field after spending most of the year on the inactive list.

“Johnny [Ursua] is looking great,” coach Pete Carroll said on Friday. “He’s been battling. He’s ready. He jumped in a couple weeks ago and dressed with us. He’s ready to go. It’s been good for him to know all throughout the week that he was going to get the call. So, he’s fit in. We love the stuff that he does. He’ll be in the game.”

Fans have been clamoring for a bigger role for Ursua, a seventh round pick who lead the NCAA in touchdowns his senior year at Hawaii, but so far he has been unable to crack the rotation for Seattle.

However, Turner only averages about 17 offensive snaps a game, instead doing most of his work on the special teams. Plus, Jaron Brown and David Moore are both healthy and active, making it tough to see a big role for Ursua in the passing game.

The likely scenario has Ursua playing special teams in place of Turner, and possibly handling a small percentage of snaps on offense for the Seahawks, who are looking to sweep the 49ers and win the NFC West in what should be one of the most exciting games of the season on Sunday night.

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3 things to watch: Arizona Cardinals at Seattle Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks take on the Arizona Cardinals at home in the second-to-last regular season game of the 2019 season.

The Seattle Seahawks may have already clinched a playoff spot in the NFC, and their Week 17 battle with the San Francisco 49ers will determine who wins the NFC West, but that doesn’t mean the team will look over Sunday’s bout with the Arizona Cardinals.

A loss against the Cardinals could impact Seattle’s seeding in the NFC if they also lose next week, so no doubt this team will hope to take care of business on Sunday to give them added insurance in case things go south in Week 17.

However, Seattle is also doing their best to keep some of their key performers rested so they are ready for the finale, which could mean the team could face Arizona without as many as five key defensive players and one, Duane Brown, on offense.

That should make for some intense battles between Arizona’s vets and Seattle’s young players who are hungry to prove themselves.

Here are three matchups and questions for fans to keep an eye on during this division battle.

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Seahawks feel set at wide receiver even after loss of Josh Gordon

The Seattle Seahawks are comfortable with the six receivers they have, even after losing Josh Gordon to another suspension for drug abuse.

The Seattle Seahawks receiving corps took a big hit earlier this week when it was announced that Josh Gordon would be suspended, yet again, for violation of the league’s substance abuse policy.

However, despite losing their No. 3 receiver, who had a spectacular 59-yard catch against the Panthers in his final game, coach Pete Carroll isn’t too worried about the depth at that position going forward – although he stuck with his mantra about the team always looking for ways to get better.

“We’re always looking, but I like our guys,” Carroll said on Wednesday. “We had seven guys active last week, so we’re still in good shape at this point. We’re always looking.”

The loss of Gordon will shift David Moore back into the No. 3 receiver role, and increases the role of both Jaron Brown and Malik Turner.

Rookie John Ursua was active last week as well, and could continue to be a part of the 46-man active roster this season.

Considering the team’s confidence in Moore and Turner, it does seem unlikely they will pursue any additions to their receiving group – although intriguing names like Dez Bryant and Antonio Brown will certainly at least merit a phone call.

For now, the Seahawks will go into Week 16 against the Cardinals with the six receivers they have, looking to pad their lead in the crowded NFC playoff picture.

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Jadeveon Clowney (illness) downgraded to out for Week 15

Seattle Seahawks defensive end Jadeveon Clowney is sick with the flu and will not play in Sunday’s game against the Carolina Panthers.

Seattle Seahawks defensive end Jadeveon Clowney has been downgraded to out for Sunday’s game against the Carolina Panthers, but his recent core muscle injury is not the culprit.

Instead, a bout with the flu bug that was going around Seattle’s locker room last week seems to have finally caught up with Clowney, who missed practice on Wednesday and Thursday with flu like symptoms.

Clowney was able to practice on Friday, but apparently his illness (and possibly his core injury) were too much for the Seahawks to feel comfortable suiting him up this week.

“He’s still getting back,” Carroll said on Friday. “He was out here with us today and all. He’s recovering still. He’s been pretty sick.”

David Moore, Tre Flowers and Tyler Lockett were among those afflicted with the flu last week, although all three managed to make it back in time to play against the Rams in Los Angeles.

Carroll had hoped Clowney would follow the same path, but he admitted, “it hasn’t been a good week for him at all.”

The Seahawks will be without Clowney’s ability as a run-stuffer and a pass-rusher this week against a Panthers offense that, even without Cam Newton, still has plenty of weapons to play spoiler against Seattle in a crucial Week 15 matchup.

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3 things to watch: Seattle Seahawks at Los Angeles Rams

The Seattle Seahawks could clinch a spot in the playoffs with a win over the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday Night Football.

The Seattle Seahawks have an opportunity to clinch a playoff spot with a win over the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday Night Football.

With an extremely tight race in the crowded NFC, every game will be crucial for Seattle to win if they want to secure a top-two seed and avoid having to play in the wildcard game on the road for the second year in a row.

That alone makes this game must-watch TV for Seahawks, and football, fans. everywhere.

In addition to those factors, and the recent rivalry between Seattle and Los Angeles, there are plenty of key things for fans to watch for in this game.

Here are three things, one on offense, one on defense, and one on the special teams, for Seahawks fans to be watching for on Sunday night.

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Instant analysis of Seattle’s 37-30 win over Minnesota

The Seattle Seahawks won yet another thriller on Monday Night Football, this time beating the Minnesota Vikings, 37-30, to move to 10-2.

A back-and-forth affair on Monday Night Football resulted in a narrow Seattle Seahawks victory, 37-30, over the Minnesota Vikings.

The win brings the Seahawks to 10-2 on the season, and gives them sole possession of first place in the NFC West over the 49ers – who have an identical record but who Seattle holds a tiebreaker over.

The Seahawks and Vikings kept things close in the first half, with Minnesota heading into the locker room with a 17-10 lead after drilling a field goal as time expired.

The score would have been tied had it not been for a bizarre interception thrown by Russell Wilson. Wilson threw a pass that was batted away at the line by defensive tackle Armon Watts. Wilson attempted to knock the ball through the air to a receiver but it was instead picked off by defensive back Anthony Harris who ran it in for a touchdown.

Seattle rebounded with a strong third quarter however, as the team rattled off 24 unanswered points, 17 in the third, thanks to a one-yard touchdown run from Rashaad Penny, a Jason Myers field goal and a 60-yard bomb from Wilson to David Moore with five seconds remaining in the quarter. It was the first passing touchdown of the game for either side.

Seattle carried that momentum into the fourth, with a Tre Flowers interception leading to the second passing touchdown of the game, this time a 13-yard reception by Rashaad Penny – his second score in another remarkable performance for the second-year pro.

However, Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins got in on the fun shortly after, finding Laquon Treadwell on a 58-yard touchdown to bring the score within 10.

Seattle looked to have the game in hand midway through the fourth, but a costly DK Metcalf fumble allowed Cousins to march back down the field, and he found veteran Kyle Rudolph for a touchdown to bring the game within four, thanks to a missed PAT by Dan Bailey.

Seattle managed to hang on however, and while it wasn’t pretty, and Wilson certainly didn’t do anything to help his MVP candidacy, (240 yards, two touchdowns, one interception, 98.9 passer rating) the Seahawks are now in possession of first place in the NFC West, and dramatically improved their odds of securing a playoff spot and potentially a first round bye.

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3 things to watch: Seattle Seahawks vs. Minnesota Vikings

The Seattle Seahawks will take over sole possession of first place in the NFC West with a win over the Minnesota Vikings on Monday night.

The Seattle Seahawks have an absolutely critical game lined up against the Minnesota Vikings on Monday Night Football.

If Seattle wins, they will not only move to 10-2 on the season – but they will hold possession of first place in the NFC West and a potential bye week in the playoffs.

Should they lose, they would fall all the way to sixth place in the NFC, barely clinging to a playoff spot with just four games remaining.

So you don’t need me to tell you how important this game is for the rest of Seattle’s – and Minnesota’s – season.

However, outside of the actual implications of a win/loss, there are a handful of other key storylines for fans – and fantasy football owners – to pay attention to on Monday night.

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Seahawks list several players on Week 13 injury report with illness

A number of Seattle Seahawks players were added to the injury report Week 13 with an illness that has been going around the team.

The Seattle Seahawks had a fairly lengthy injury report to finish out the practice week before the Monday night matchup against the Minnesota Vikings.

While a number of players were battling injuries, quite a few popped up on the report with an “illness” that coach Pete Carroll said was “going around” the team.

“It’s been an interesting week for us, the practices have been really good,” Carroll told reporters Saturday after the walkthrough. “We’ve had some guys that have had the illness that’s going around. So, we’ve kept some guys out. Everybody we think of those guys are going to play. There’s no reason that they won’t other than they feel lousy. It’s been a very good week and very pointed.”

Carroll said he allowed a few players to stay home in an attempt to quarantine those who were sick.

Players listed on the report with an “illness” included linebacker Shaquem Griffin, defensive tackle Poona Ford, cornerback Tre Flowers, guard Jordan Roos and wide receivers Tyler Lockett and David Moore.

Carroll did confirm there were no new cases of the illness as of Saturday and he expects all the impacted players will be available against the Vikings Monday night.

Seattle and Minnesota kick-off at 5:15 p.m. from CenturyLink Field.

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