Pete Carroll is talking up Gerald Everett as a breakout player. The Seahawks signed Everett to a one-year contract worth $6 million, and Carroll envisions him playing a big role.
That’s what he’s saying, anyway.
“Oh, I think you’re going to be really excited to see Gerald Everett,” said Carroll on a podcast Tuesday. “This is I think the fanciest, sweetest-looking receiver/tight end mix that we’ve had. He’s like a wide receiver, he’s got terrific after-the-catch run ability, really aggressive and he’s a good blocker, too.”
“What Gerald brings us is a real threat in the throwing game. (He) should be a big factor on third down,” Carroll continued. “Our tight end spot is a good position already with Will (Dissly) and you’re going to see Colby Parkinson coming up – he’s been really impressive. But Gerald is a really unique player and he should catch a lot of balls and be right in the middle of the action this year.”
Such talk, of course, is easy in the offseason. But it doesn’t necessarily mean Everett will make a big impact in the regular season. A year ago at this time, after all, similar things were said about Greg Olsen, who arrived with an even larger contract. And twice before during Carroll’s regime, the Seahawks have obtained high-profile tight ends, with neither ever quite meeting expectations – Jimmy Graham and Zach Miller.
Oddly, two tight ends have had games with over 130 receiving yards in games at CenturyLink Field in the last five years, and both ended up signing with the Seahawks – first Olsen and now Everett. In the case of Everett, he caught 7 passes for 136 yards in a Thursday night shootout against the Seahawks in October, 2019.
Seattle was drawn to Everett in part because he has previously played for their new offensive coordinator, Shane Waldron (who’s been an assistant with the Rams in recent years).
Everett had some drop issues last year. He dropped 7 passes, finishing with the 2nd-worst drop rate in the league (among tight ends with at least 40 catchable balls. But that probably won’t be an issue; he didn’t have any drops in the 2018 and 2019 seasons while catching 70 passes.
I am not a big Everett fan. To me, he looks more like a contributor than a go-to type guy. Not a guy I would be thinking about to finish in the top 15 at his position.
| TIGHT END DROPS, 2020 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | No | Rec | Drop | Pct |
| Robert Tonyan, GNB | 52 | 52 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Travis Kelce, KAN | 107 | 105 | 2 | 1.9% |
| Jimmy Graham, CHI | 51 | 50 | 1 | 2.0% |
| Dallas Goedert, PHI | 47 | 46 | 1 | 2.1% |
| Anthony Firkser, TEN | 40 | 39 | 1 | 2.5% |
| Hunter Henry, LAC | 62 | 60 | 2 | 3.2% |
| Darren Waller, LVR | 111 | 107 | 4 | 3.6% |
| Mike Gesicki, MIA | 55 | 53 | 2 | 3.6% |
| Austin Hooper, CLE | 48 | 46 | 2 | 4.2% |
| Rob Gronkowski, TAM | 47 | 45 | 2 | 4.3% |
| Dalton Schultz, DAL | 67 | 63 | 4 | 6.0% |
| Tyler Higbee, LAR | 47 | 44 | 3 | 6.4% |
| Hayden Hurst, ATL | 60 | 56 | 4 | 6.7% |
| Jonnu Smith, TEN | 44 | 41 | 3 | 6.8% |
| Drew Sample, CIN | 43 | 40 | 3 | 7.0% |
| Noah Fant, DEN | 67 | 62 | 5 | 7.5% |
| Jordan Akins, HOU | 40 | 37 | 3 | 7.5% |
| Mark Andrews, BAL | 63 | 58 | 5 | 7.9% |
| Logan Thomas, WAS | 79 | 72 | 7 | 8.9% |
| George Kittle, SFO | 53 | 48 | 5 | 9.4% |
| T.J. Hockenson, DET | 74 | 67 | 7 | 9.5% |
| Eric Ebron, PIT | 63 | 56 | 7 | 11.1% |
| Zach Ertz, PHI | 41 | 36 | 5 | 12.2% |
| Gerald Everett, LAR | 48 | 41 | 7 | 14.6% |
| Evan Engram, NYG | 74 | 63 | 11 | 14.9% |
—Ian Allan