WR Jermaine Kearse re-signs with Seahawks 3yrs/13.5m

[Ozzy]

People quickly forget that Richardson beat out Kearse his rookie year late in the year.

Kearse played vastly better this past year in my opinion, I still think it's possible we slightly overpaid for him and that money would of been better spent elsewhere.

 

[Bryce84]

Too much for a #3/4 WR unless the "system" changes and the passing game starts carrying this team. Kearse is also probably the worst blocking WR we have despite what his size would have you believe. I am happy for him personally for getting paid, but for this price I hoped it'd be elsewhere.

 

[McGruff]

Too much for a #3/4 WR unless the "system" changes and the passing game starts carrying this team. Kearse is also probably the worst blocking WR we have despite what his size would have you believe. I am happy for him personally for getting paid, but for this price I hoped it'd be elsewhere.

That's insane. Kearse is our best blocking WR by far.

 

[WilsonMVP]

This is a pitiful signing IMO.

I was excited to move on without Kearse.

Ya im not excited about getting potentially the best playoff WR this franchise has had either....If you dont believe me look it up. Kearse is our best WR in postseason history IMO. Although you could make a case for Baldwin I guess but Kearse has had way larger moments IMO. Kearse belongs in that conversation.

He has 6 games started 28 catches 471 yards and 6TD

Baldwin has 8 games started 518 yards and 4TD

Largent had 7 games with 434 yards and 4TD

Darrell Jackson had 6 games started with 503 yards and 3TD

 

[Ozzy]

Too much for a #3/4 WR unless the "system" changes and the passing game starts carrying this team. Kearse is also probably the worst blocking WR we have despite what his size would have you believe. I am happy for him personally for getting paid, but for this price I hoped it'd be elsewhere.

That's insane. Kearse is our best blocking WR by far.

When he's engaged and committed to it.

 

[Seymour]

3 years $13.5 is more than I figured they'd give Kearse. I think it's fair to both sides if not favorable pro Kearse if anything. I'ts great to keep him but he's not all that tough to replace. Especially if Richardson can stay healthy.

 

[massari]

Just because other teams overpay, doesn't mean they have to as well. Instead of paying this guy 4.5M per, they could've taken a gamble and relied on Richardson staying healthy and/or drafted a WR within the first 4 rounds. Maybe even Smith or Williams would be able to rack up something close Kearse's 680 yards in production.

 

[oldhawkfan]

I like this. There are plenty of reasons why this is a good signing. We know that he can make plays. We know what he brings to the table.

This is as close to a guaranteed contributer that we can count on. Free agents don't always find success on other teams. Even trading for other teams players doesn't ensure success. See Deon Branch, Percy Harvin, TJ Housanzadah, etc. reasons for failure with other teams vary from chemistry to concept or anything in between.

I find it slightly comical that some fans want to jettison some players because they don't measure up to their standards of what they think the talent at that position should entail. Many fans want to dump said player(s) without anyone ready to take their place. It's not always addition by subtraction.

Just because Jermaine Kearse was signed to a 3 year contract does not mean that he will make the roster or that they will not draft or sign any other WRs. Maybe with some other teams but not with a Pete Carroll always comPete philosophy.

We may all want a receiving corps with 4-5 all pro caliber players but it's not happening. If we are lucky enough to have the services of a guy who has chemistry with the QB, chemistry with the team, knows the system, makes big time plays, and is a known contributer than I for one am very happy about this signing.

 

[Crizilla]

you know what youre getting with Kearse. You don't know what youre getting with "mr. glass" Richardson. I like it.

 

[chris98251]

He doesn't put up fantasy numbers so get rid of him.

He is actually like another TE on the field and can catch the high ball and in clutch situations, blocks better then any receiver and most the TE's we do have yet he doesn't have any value to many because they see him only as a 3rd receiver.

Glad he is back and will be for a while.

 

[hawksfansinceday1]

Retained the best run blocker on the team and let the 4th best go.

Maybe moving him to Guard?

I didn't know you posted here Tom.

 

[kearly]

I'm pretty stoked about this. I was 90% sure Kearse would be gone.

In terms of football outsider's advanced stats, Kearse rated as being 29.8% more efficient than the average NFL WR last season, 5th best in the NFL. Baldwin and Lockett were even better, but the efficiency dropoff from Baldwin to Lockett to Kearse is a lot smaller than most here would think. If you could keep a poor man's Baldwin or Lockett for $4.5m APY in this insane market, you found yourself a bargain.

Kearse is in sore need of a paradigm shift from the fans. He's not a drop magnet anymore. His catch rate last year was 72%... one of the best rates in the league.

Like Baldwin and Lockett, Kearse benefitted massively from the change to a spread heavy offense. His numbers over the last 7 games, if prorated over a full season, would have been something like 900 yards and 11 TDs on roughly 60 catches.

And that's not getting into Kearse's strong run blocking, his clutch gene, or how he seems to usually be the guy Russell looks for on the scramble drill.

Maybe it's the scheme more than the player, but whatever the reason may be, Kearse elevated his game to a very high level in 2015. This is a bargain signing for Seattle and puts a lot less pressure on guys like Graham and Richardson to stay healthy.

And if they do, then great! Nothing wrong with having 5 deadly weapons in the passing game. You can never have too many weapons.

 

[Ozzy]

None of the arguments have convinced me that he's worth 4.5 with holes elsewhere but I love that we can all debate it and be decent.

 

[vin.couve12]

People quickly forget that Richardson beat out Kearse his rookie year late in the year.

Kearse played vastly better this past year in my opinion, I still think it's possible we slightly overpaid for him and that money would of been better spent elsewhere.

You can't forget what didn't happen. Richardson earned some reps. He didn't beat out anyone on the roster. There's a huge difference.

 

[kearly]

None of the arguments have convinced me that he's worth 4.5 with holes elsewhere but I love that we can all debate it and be decent.

That's fine. Ultimately what matters is that Kearse proves his value in the future, not in the past.

 

[themunn]

Kearse gas gotten better every single year with us. Long may it continue

 

[vin.couve12]

One of the fallacies about how most think about WRs and football players in general is in a pure hierarchical structure. In reality it isn't that way. Because of the fact that you don't have players that are exceptional at everything you're left to deal with skill sets and matchups.

Kearse is the only WR on our roster that has proven that he can win with the ball in the air. Baldwin and Lockette are never going to be those guys. For one thing they don't have the body width and strength for pure position purposes, and second; they don't have the catch radius. He has a package of skills that our "supposed" #1 and "deserved" #2 don't have and never will have. If it really is about a hierarchy of numberical values based on old a busted definitions of football, what does it say about Baldwin's production being predominantly in the slot down the stretch last year while Kearse and Lockett predominantly played outside? Does that not make Baldwin the #3?

No, it doesn't; obviously.

Aside from the sheer value Keare's abilities that he brings to the team more predominantly as an outside WR, one of the hardest things to do for an NFL WR is to earn an NFL QB's trust. The reason why Kearse gets those balls on scramble drills and down the sideline when no one is really open (including himself) is because he's the one that RW trusts to come down with it. Why? Aside from the wide body, strength, and catch radius that our other WRs lack....because he's proven it. Time and again.

 

[Blitzer88]

I'm cool with this.

 

[ImTheScientist]

I'm rarely disappointed in the front office but this disappoints me. What a waste of money.

 

[HuskerHawk]

Pretty pleased with this. I've been super hard on Kearse in the past, but he was actually really good this year. I think that was a combination of iimproved skill, rapport with Russ, and being in a less prominent role. He's trending up imo.