Seattle Seahawks

Seahawks: Jermaine Kearse deserves to see far few snaps

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

foxsports

The Seattle Seahawks need to greatly decrease the snaps being given to Jermaine Kearse and get more-deserving players on the field.

Always compete. That’s the mantra for the Seattle Seahawks, right? Every player is always battling for their snaps. Work ethic and results are rewarded with playing time on Sundays.

That’s the story at least. It seems to happen on defense regularly, and everywhere on offense but along the offensive line (that’s an entirely different issue.) There is also one other player on offense that appears to be completely immune from having to complete for his playing time.

When you think of Jermaine Kearse this is probably what comes to mind:

Here it is. #GoldenAgeDailyPlay pic.twitter.com/9tMY8G1kqk

— John Fraley (@johndavidfraley) December 9, 2016

That was an amazing play that capped an amazing comeback. People forget that a large part of why the Seahawks had to make such a dramatic comeback in that NFCCG game was because Kearse had 3 balls bounce off his hands and into the hands of Packers defenders.

Kearse has come up big for the Seahawks on a number of occasions. Unfortunately, for every highlight we remember fondly, there are at least three like this one from yesterday:

Jermaine Kearse dot gif pic.twitter.com/rKx6Np4Nfx

— Ben B (@guga31bb) December 12, 2016

And that is Kearse’s entire career in a nutshell: multiple terrible plays offset by a spectacular reception. Except this year, there haven’t been any of the spectacular kind.

Kearse’s numbers this seasons are anemic, at best. Despite playing more snaps than any other Seattle wide receiver, Kearse has just 71 targets. From that he’s managed only 35 receptions for 429 yards and no touchdowns.

The common theory is that the Seahawks like Kearse on the field for his run blocking. While that may be true, it doesn’t show up on the field. The Seahawks only average 0.06 yards (or 2.16 inches) more per run with Kearse on the field than without him. The coaches may like him, but he isn’t a difference maker.

The most infuriating part of Kearse’s season has been the large number of plays in which he seems to check out mentally. The interception in the end zone on Sunday is a good example. It was supposed to be a back shoulder throw, but Kearse ran a lazy route. He didn’t get off the line like he was supposed to, so Wilson’s throw hit the corner in the back.

It is long-since time for the Seahawks to begin giving his snaps to someone else. Paul Richardson’s speed would be fun to see on the field more, but there’s another player that deserves more snaps as well.

Tanner McEvoy has been feasting on the crumbs left behind from Kearse’s playing time. He is doing far more with far fewer opportunities. Just take a look at yesterday’s game:

It is pretty remarkable when you see those two stat lines combined with the number of snaps. On the season McEvoy has seen 9 targets. He’s turned them into 7 catches, 124 yards and 2 touchdowns.

I don’t know about you, but I’m done with Jermaine Kearse. It is time to see if the rookie can produce where Kearse has repeatedly proven that he cannot.