I understand the perception that Jermaine was often times penalized and failed to come down with as many passes as his counterparts. I also understand that the role that Jermaine played on the Seahawks offense was much more complex and challenging than what was asked of the other receivers in Russell's progressions.
Jermaine was Russell's final option in the progression. On each snap, Jermaine was to provide some blocking assignment, then try to break free and make himself available to Russell, if all else failed, Jermaine was to do "whatever was necessary to free himself up" and be available to Russell however possible.
With that in mind, first consider that all the other receivers in Russell's progression failed in their routes, which set Jermaine up as the final and only option left in the series to go to. It would be expected that Jermaine would draw more penalties than his counterparts, in firstly blocking, when the others did not have to concern themselves with, and secondly having to establish space enough between his defender and himself to give Russell that window of opportunity to go to him, a fine line to walk without drawing a penalty from an official. Also, in most of the instances when Russell did go to his final option in his progressions, he was usually under considerable pressure in that moment, and usually passing to Jermaine while running himself, which was an extremely challenging scenario for both Russell and Jermaine.
When you take these factors into consideration and compare Jermaine's stats with the Seahawks and with the Jet's, you may draw an entirely different conclusion about the quality of player that Jermaine Kearse was and could be again to the Seahawks Offense.
The final, and to me, possibly the best rationale for signing Jermaine Kearse back on the Seahawks Roster, is that, everytime, that it really mattered, when we were in that place that Russell's style of play, all to often takes us, where one play determines if we stay alive and have a chance to win or if that all she wrote and all hope is lost, Jermaine Kearse almost always, by skill, by dumb luck, by magic, or by the spirit of the 12th Man at play on the field, would complete the catch. Those miraculous catches are what gave the Seahawks play off births, and that took us to Super Bowl Championship challenges not once but twice, one of which we won.
Plain and simple in my mind, Jermaine Kearse is a role model to thousands of kids growing up the Pacific Northwest, who dream of one day playing in the NFL and more importantly for the Seattle Seahawks. That was Jermaine's dream all through high school and college and then his dream came true when he took to the field in a Seahawk Uniform. He did not abandon the Seahawks, they abandoned him, having to choose from our top receivers at the time. It could have just as easily have been Doug Baldwin, Tyler Lockett, Moore, or one of the others at that time.
Everyone that weighed in on the matter at the time, his teammates, his fans, the sports media and even Jermaine himself said that it was terrible thing that had occurred and that if the opportunity to correct it ever availed itself that we would correct it and bring him home to play out the final years of his career, at home in the Pacific Northwest with his family of fans and teammates. That opportunity is now and may never avail itself again in his playing career.
Jermaine always gave us everything he had and we could expect no less if he is brought home and allowed to play for us again. With the new and improved offensive line, now giving Russell a little more time to run his progressions, may also equate into some record breaking seasons for Jermaine.
My voice is only one and in the overall scheme of things, it doesn't amount to squat, so far as what happens in this instance. I am hoping that my voice along with enough others, that do support this homecoming, will influence John into working something out with Jermaine's management, that would right, what many perceived as wrong, and bring our boy home!
We need another receiver this year, with Doug's health being what it is and we could do a whole lot worse than Jermaine Kearse, and frankly with what's out there and available to us, not any better.