Tag: Deejay Dallas

Six points with David Dorey

David Dorey’s take on six items heading into the weekend

Week 8 is here, and playing the Falcons is  no longer as much fun. The Steelers are the last man standing with an unbeaten record but they are heading into Baltimore for their toughest matchup of the year. We’re still losing a couple of fantasy starters every week and some guys like Raheem Mostert and Michael Thomas are into their second injury of the season.

It’s been an odd year with plenty of injuries. But it is certainly memorable.

Six items thinking about for the weekend:

  1. WR Michael Pittman –  The Colts 2.02 pick was on injured reserve with a calf injury, but he’s been designated to come off. That gives the Colts a 21-day window starting last Wednesday to get him back onto the active roster. The 6-4 wideout from USC runs a 4.5/40 and caught 101 passes as a senior. The Colts passing offense has been a disappointment this year other than Week 6 against the Bengals.T.Y. Hilton hasn’t clicked with anyone since Andrew Luck left and at 30 years old, he could be on the permanent downturn.Parris Campbell was brought on as a deep threat but Pittman was hoped to become an every-down starter and big presence in the middle of the field. Marcus Johnson is just a fourth-year, undrafted wideout with never more than 277 yards in a season and he just posted 108 yards on five catches last week. Johnson’s is not the long-term solution that Pittman was drafted to become. He could still figure in later in the season.
  2. RB DeeJay Dallas – The utility back never gained more than 850 yards in Miami but he was the Seahawks fourth-round pick. Dallas moved up to No. 3 on the depth chart behind Chris Carson and Carlos Hyde. Travis Homer is also used but Carson, Hyde and Homer have not practiced this week. There is some hope that Hyde or Homer might get well enough to play against the visiting 49ers this week.The Seahawks move the offense based largely on what the backfield and two starting wide receivers. It’s always good to watch a back get a starting opportunity and Dallas may end up on the field this weekend. Practice on Friday will give more clarity but he’s the only 100% healthy back they currently have.
  3. WR Rashard Higgins  – The Browns lost Odell Beckham to a torn ACL so the rest of 2020 will have a new split end. Rashard Higgins was working from the slot and Donovan Peoples-Jones was the backup for Beckham. While Peoples-Jones ended with 56 yards and a touchdown on thre catches last week, Higgins will move into the starting role and already posted six catches for 110 yards last week.The Browns face the Raiders this week and then go into their bye. Returning in Week 10, they face the Texans, Eagles, Jaguars, and Titans next. Jarvis Landry has been banged up all year and has scored. He may see an uptick with Beckham out, but Higgins stands to benefit the most with Beckham out. The Browns prefer to run the ball, but Higgins already showed what can happen when they put him in a starting role.
  4. QB Ben DiNucci – The seventh-round pick from James Madison is in line to start for the Cowboys this week, and depending on how well he does and what happens with Andy Dalton, he may end up with more starts than just this week at the Eagles. This may not be pretty, given that DiNucci only threw three passes and yet was sacked three times and lost two fumbles to Washington last week in limited play.While there is a difference between playing the Eagles vs. Weber State or William and Mary, DiNucci threw for 3,441 yards and 29 touchdowns last year and he ran for 569 yards and seven scores. Considering the state of the Cowboy’s offensive line, DiNucci will still be running in the NFL. Whatever happens on Sunday will paint a picture for the rest of the season. Chances are it won’t be pretty, but it will be worth watching. And sure, start the Eagles defense this week.
  5. Trade rumors – The deadline is Tuesday at 4 PM EST. Some names that have been recently rumored to be CB Stephon Gilmore, WR Adam Thielen, WR Jamison Crowder,  WR Alshon Jeffery, WR Golden Tate, WR Keelan Cole, WR John Ross, RB David Johnson, WR Will Fuller, TE David Njoku, A.J. Green, and WR Michael Gallup.What is usually telling is when  player’s typical workload changes dramatically this week – either getting much more use than normal to show them off or holding players back to prevent them from getting hurt.
  6. Tight Ends 2020  – There’s been plenty of grumbling about how tight ends are not performing well this season. Let’s take a look at the Top-10 tight ends as of Week 7 in this year versus last:
    Oddly, there have been more touchdowns scored this year by the position but the catches and yards are down significantly. Notice too that the top tight ends were all doing well in 2019 but not only is it very jumbled after the first three, but that the fantasy points do not match up from the same rank. Kittle is a paragon of consistency with the same fantasy points at this point in each of the last two years. But the fantasy points have otherwise fallen.

    That’s going to make Travis Kelce, Darren Waller and George Kittle even more expensive in 2021. And the rest are going to wait even later in drafts.

Rookie running back DeeJay Dallas ‘ahead of where expected’ in air game

Seattle Seahawks rookie running back DeeJay Dallas is also excelling in the receiving game and on special teams this summer.

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The Seahawks drafted another running back this spring and DeeJay Dallas is already starting to fit in nicely on Seattle’s roster. After getting some extra reps this camp with Chris Carson and Rashaad Penny out, Dallas got the chance to showcase what he’s learned during the team’s mock game over the weekend.

“He’s done a really nice job,” coach Pete Carroll said after the scrimmage. “He’s a real natural athlete. He’s played quarterback in his background, he’s been a receiver. At the running back spot, he brings some talent and background running routes and getting out of the backfield and feeling really comfortable in situations getting down the field and catching and all. So he’s done a nice job for us to kind of establish that we can count on him already, he has those talents. He’s right in it. He’s getting involved in special teams, that’s going to be a big factor for him.”

But it isn’t so much his ball-carrying skills that are getting him noticed as much as his ability to excel in the receiving game.

“But I’m surprised that it’s been so clear that he fits in in the throwing game,” Carroll acknowledged. “Not that he hasn’t run the ball well, he’s done fine there too, but he’s probably ahead of where we would have expected him in the throwing game.”

Any extra talents will go a long way for Dallas and the other rookies hoping to make the final roster this season.

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Seahawks running back Chris Carson returns to training camp practice

Seattle Seahawks running back Chris Carson returned to training camp practice Sunday after missing time due to the death of a family member.

The Seattle Seahawks now have their starting running back back on the field at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center. Chris Carson had been absent over the last few weeks as he attended to matters in Georgia following the death of a family member.

“Chris has got some family stuff going on that he’s had to take care of,” coach Pete Carroll told reporters last Wednesday. “Our hearts go out to Chris. He’s going through some really big stuff with family members that he is looking after and taking care of. He’s fine, and all that. It has nothing to do with Chris personally, physically or anything. But he has to do this, at this time, right now.”

With Carson out for a number of days and backup Rashaad Penny on the Physically Unable to Perform list, Travis Homer, Carlos Hyde and DeeJay Dallas got some much-needed reps with the rest of the offense.

Carson is back just in time for Monday’s session when he can join the rest of his teammates for the first fully-padded practice of the summer.

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Seahawks making do without Chris Carson or Rashaad Penny in camp

The Seattle Seahawks are turning to the other running backs on the roster without Chris Carson or Rashaad Penny in training camp for now.

The Seattle Seahawks had to bring in Marshawn Lynch and Robert Turbin last season when running backs Chris Carson, Rashaad Penny and C.J. Prosise succumbed to injuries late in the year.

This training camp is shaping up to be no different, and it’s the next-man-up mentality in the running back room that is spurring on the competition for backups like Travis Homer.

“He had an incredible offseason, he’s just as jacked as he’s ever been,” coach Pete Carroll told reporters on Wednesday. “And he’s the kind of kid that he’s so tough and his mentality is so strong, that he’s going to help us at the running back spot. He’s got great perimeter speed, he’s catching the ball really well, he really hits the line of scrimmage, so he’s there.”

With Carson in Georgia for the near future dealing with a death in the family and Rashaad Penny on the Physically Unable to Perform list, players are stepping up in their absence – and Homer isn’t the only one getting noticed.

“To add Carlos Hyde to this group is really something for us,” Carroll continued. “You’ve been around us enough, you know the style that we run with, and we’ve loved the way Chris Carson has run, well they’re very similar in what they bring. So it’s a downhill one-two punch and those guys, the speed that we get from Rashaad, all of the variety of plays that Rashaad runs, and then with Homer, it’s a nice mix.”

Finally, a rookie draft pick is getting his shot at the action as well.

“Interestingly to add to that is that DeeJay Dallas has made a really good first impression,” Carroll noted. “He’s very versatile, he catches the ball well, he runs well, runs routes real well – has a background of running routes as a receiver, has a quarterback background going back to high school. He’s got a real versatility to him, so I’m anxious to see what he can do.”

So despite Carson and Penny being out for now, Seattle is making the most of the other running backs on the roster, who will be busy competing for time on game days.

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How the Seahawks could construct the roster to keep Luke Willson

The Seattle Seahawks have too many tight ends on the roster, but they could keep Luke Willson around by converting him into a fullback.

It’s no secret the Seattle Seahawks hoarded tight ends this offseason, creating a logjam and likely necessitating some tough decisions when roster cuts come around in September.

Will Dissly and Greg Olsen are the presumed starters, assuming they are both healthy, which leaves veteran Luke Willson and a gaggle of young guys – Jacob Hollister, Colby Parkinson, Stephen Sullivan, Tyler Mabry and Dominick Wood-Anderson – competing for what will likely only be two spots on the active roster.

It sure seems like the Seahawks love what they have in their two draft picks, Parkinson and Sullivan, and on paper that definitely doesn’t bode well for Willson, a fan favorite thanks to his personality and the ever-popular Techno Thursday he reintroduced to the Seahawks locker room.

However, Willson has a skillset that is primarily absent from the team’s tight end group: run-blocking. While Dissly has proven himself capable, the two draft picks, as well as Hollister and Olsen, are all unwilling or unable to run-block very well in the NFL – and in Pete Carroll’s run-heavy offensive attack, that could be an issue.

The simple solution is to find a way to keep Willson on the roster in a capacity where he can serve as an extra blocker in running situations, while also getting used sporadically as a receiver and of course as a key contributor on the special teams.

While that skillset could certainly work as a fourth, or even a fifth tight end, it could also function as a fullback in Carroll’s offense.

Nick Bellore is the team’s current fullback, but if the Seahawks want to get creative they could cut Bellore, saving over a million in cap space, and allow Willson to work in that capacity.

Bellore saw just 29 snaps on offense last year, about three percent of the team’s total offensive possessions, but he appeared on nearly 60% of Seattle’s total snaps on the special teams, recording seven combined tackles and recovering a fumble while also hauling in two receptions for 23 yards and a touchdown.

It’s not hard to imagine Willson having a bigger offensive role than Bellore, or the role Tre Madden had in 2017 and 2018. While he may not be able to match Bellore’s experience on the special teams, Willson has racked up 868 career snaps as a special teamer, so he is by no means a newcomer to the role.

Plus, the offensive versatility Willson would bring to that role would give the Seahawks more options in fullback formations, and would force the defense to defend a little differently, knowing his abilities as a pass catcher.

Cutting Bellore seems like a real possibility, and although the team could attempt to use 2020 draft pick DeeJay Dallas at fullback, teaching Willson how to run routes and block out of that spot would open up space for him on the roster, while giving the team added offense and losing very little, if anything, on the special teams.

Plus, it’s one more year of Techno Thursday.

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Will fullback Nick Bellore be a cap casualty for the Seahawks?

The Seattle Seahawks could replace fullback Nick Bellore with DeeJay Dallas, who can contribute as a receiving back and core special teamer.

While the Seattle Seahawks have always employed a fullback in the Pete Carroll era, recently the position has become a glorified special teams contributor, often not getting used on the offensive side of the ball for entire games at a time.

That was the case last year with Nick Bellore, a converted linebacker whom Seattle used on just 29 offensive snaps all season long, even though he appeared in 14 games.

Bellore did haul in both of his targets for 23 total yards, including a touchdown against the Cardinals, but it was clear his role on the team was on the special teams, where he appeared in 58% of the team’s snaps and recorded seven combined tackles and a fumble recovery.

Now, with one year left on his contract and a $1.05 million hit against the cap, the question is whether the Seahawks will keep Bellore around for 2020 or dump him to save some cash.

The Seahawks don’t have any other true fullbacks on the roster, but if they wanted to move on from Bellore they could attempt to use DeeJay Dallas, a fourth round pick in April’s draft, in a similar role.

Dallas is nowhere near as big as Bellore, but he was an elite receiving back in college and expects to contribute right away on the special teams, which helps fill the gaps of what Bellore did for Seattle.

While Dallas probably won’t be creating running lanes as a lead blocker, the traditional fullback role, Bellore didn’t really do that either, and Dallas is a cheaper, younger alternative with more upside and a smaller cap hit – making him an appealing option to keep on the active roster over the veteran Bellore.

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Seahawks announce Carlos Hyde signing, waive Demetrius Knox

The Seattle Seahawks made the signing of veteran running back Carlos Hyde official, waiving guard Demetrius Knox to make room.

The Seattle Seahawks made the signing of veteran running back Carlos Hyde official on Thursday afternoon.

In order to make room on the 90-man roster, guard Demetrius Knox was waived.

Hyde’s deal is reportedly worth up to $4 million, including incentives.

Hyde spent last season with the Texans, rushing 245 times for 1,070 yards and six touchdowns. He will provide the Seahawks important depth in the running back room, where both Chris Carson and Rashaad Penny missed the final few games of the season with major injuries.

While Carson is expected to be ready for training camp and the regular season, Penny’s injury looks increasingly likely to linger into September, making the urgency for an experienced back like Hyde even stronger.

Hyde will likely settle in as the No. 3 back when everyone is healthy, pushing Travis Homer and 2020 draft pick DeeJay Dallas further into reserve roles, likely making them primarily special teams contributors.

Knox was signed by the Seahawks as an undrafted free agent out of Ohio State last year. He spent the entire 2019 season on the injured reserve after hurting himself in a preseason game.

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Seahawks use Twitter to remember fallen soldiers on Memorial Day

Russell Wilson and a handful of other Seattle Seahawks used social media to commemorate those who lost their lives on Memorial Day.

Memorial Day often marks the beginning of the warm weather season, summers filled with barbecues, beverages, friends, and baseball on the TV.

This year is a little different, as the COVID-19 crisis has made the holiday feel a lot more like a regular day, thanks to social distancing practices that have kept the majority of Americans at home, many without jobs.

However, it is still a day to celebrate those who have lost their lives while serving our country, and while that may not happen over a barbecue with the neighbors, remembrance can still be had over social media.

The Seattle Seahawks took to Twitter to celebrate our fallen soldiers, and a handful of current and former players followed suit as well.

The Seahawks will continue to hunker down, with a handful of NFL teams set to re-open their practice facilities in the month of June.

The Seahawks are not set to begin training camp until the end of July, and it is still unclear if that will happen at the practice facility or not.

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A look at Seahawks running back room after Carlos Hyde signing

The Seattle Seahawks have an abundance of running backs after signing Carlos Hyde, but after last year’s injuries, they are playing it safe.

The Seattle Seahawks began the offseason with a perilous running back situation, following the season-ending injuries suffered by Chris Carson, Rashaad Penny and C.J. Prosise near the end of the 2019 season.

Prosise is gone, along with Marshawn Lynch and Robert Turbin – who were both signed as emergency depth in December – which leaves Seattle with Carson and Penny as well as second-year back Travis Homer from last year.

Seattle shored up some depth by selecting DeeJay Dallas in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL draft, and they added even more depth by signing Carlos Hyde to a one-year deal worth up to $4 million for 2020.

So – now the Seahawks have five players (Carson, Penny, Hyde, Homer and Dallas) all competing for snaps at tailback, with Nick Bellore still on the roster at fullback and a pair of undrafted free agents, Patrick Carr and Anthony Jones, in the running as well.

The biggest question, which will remain unknown until training camp opens, is the health of Penny. All signs point to Carson, who had surgery on his hip in December, returning to 100 percent health by the time things open back up again.

However, there have been rumblings that Penny, who tore his ACL, will begin training camp on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list, and even some concern that could spill into the regular season if he does not get any time during the preseason to get his legs under him.

That would certainly help explain the Hyde signing, as he would be a more than capable No. 2 running back to Carson while Penny is out. How the team will handle the trio when Penny is healthy remains to be seen, and it sure looks like Homer, who filled in admirably late last season, has been relegated to special teams duties once again, this time alongside Dallas, who may have a hard time even staying on the roster once Penny is healthy.

Of course, Seattle saw firsthand what happens when a team doesn’t have enough running back depth, or when they all manage to get hurt at once, so they will do their best to have everyone ready to step up as needed this season – and they’ll almost certainly have Beast Mode on speed dial.

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Seahawks have had conversations with free agent RB Carlos Hyde

The Seattle Seahawks reportedly made an offer to free agent Devonta Freeman, and have also had conversations with veteran Carlos Hyde.

After reportedly making a $4 million offer to free agent running back Devonta Freeman, which was turned down, the Seattle Seahawks are apparently engaging in conversations with another veteran back, Carlos Hyde, who spent last season with the Houston Texans.

The Seahawks appear set on paper at the running back position, with Chris Carson, Rashaad Penny, Travis Homer and DeeJay Dallas all in the fold.

However, while Carson is expected to be fully recovered in time for the regular season, it sounds like Penny could be a candidate to begin the season on the PUP list, which makes the need for another running back more prevalent.

Hyde rushed for a career-high 1,070 yards with six touchdowns in Houston last year. He spent the first four years of his career in San Francisco before spending 2018 between Cleveland and Jacksonville and finally finding his footing in Houston.

Hyde would provide Seattle with another bruising running back, the type coach Pete Carroll likes, and he’s very solid injury insurance and added depth when everyone is healthy.

Seattle was unwilling to budge on their $4 million offer to Freeman, however, and it’s hard to imagine them offering more for Hyde with their limited cap space remaining.

Whether he is willing to sign at that price point remains to be seen, but it’s no surprise to see the Seahawks keeping their options open at a position where they suffered a myriad of injuries in 2019.

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