A year after the Seattle Seahawks acquired Rashid Shaheed from the New Orleans Saints, the team is still waiting for a reliable secondary receiver to emerge. Shaheed became a key special teams weapon, most memorably with a 95-yard kickoff return touchdown in the divisional round of last season's playoffs that helped spark a 41-6 rout of the San Francisco 49ers on the path to Super Bowl LX. The Seahawks re-signed him in March to a three-year, $51 million deal, signaling they expected more from him on offense.
As a receiver, however, Shaheed has struggled to find his role. Through seven games this season, he has 16 catches on 30 targets for 163 yards, along with one rushing touchdown, his only score from scrimmage since the trade. Coach Mike Macdonald said there is more to unlock, adding that the team is working to get Shaheed the ball in spots that suit his game better. Rookie offensive coordinator Brian Fleury, like his predecessor Klint Kubiak, has yet to fully integrate the speedy receiver into the offense.
The lack of a consistent No. 2 target matters because Jaxon Smith-Njigba continues to carry Seattle's passing game at a historic rate. Shaheed's production has been modest relative to his $51 million contract and his prior familiarity with Seattle's playbook from Kubiak's time in New Orleans in 2024.
Fleury has tried creative packages to get Shaheed involved, including a backfield look that produced his lone touchdown, a 28-yard score against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 4. The Seahawks have not returned to that look regularly, though Fleury says those plays remain in the game plan. For now, Seattle (4-3) is still searching for a second receiving threat behind Smith-Njigba as it prepares for Monday's game against the 5-2 Chicago Bears.
Source: ESPN General · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing