The Seattle Seahawks knew that replacing slot receiver Doug Baldwin would be a nearly impossible task for just one player to achieve. That’s part of the reason they drafted three receivers – including two who have slot experience – in the 2019 NFL draft.
The top candidate in the rookie class to see time in the slot next season is West Virginia product Gary Jennings Jr. Jennings excelled in that role in college, leading to his selection in the fourth round by the Seahawks.
However, a hamstring injury kept Jennings out for all of rookie minicamp and OTA’s, which has slowed his development.
“Yeah, really important,” coach Pete Carroll commented Tuesday when asked about having Jennings back in the mix during minicamp. “Every day is important for these young guys. Gary’s started out well, he’s come out looking good, moving well, catching the ball well. It hasn’t limited in what he’s done, but just to see him in the drills and all so we can see him move in comparison to the other guys.”
Jennings will compete with fellow rookies John Ursua and Terry Wright, along with Keenan Reynolds and Malik Turner, to have a role in Seattle’s offense in the slot. Of course, veteran Tyler Lockett is expected to see more snaps at the slot, especially now that the team has X-receiver DK Metcalf in the mix on the outside.
Still, Carroll likes what he has seen out of Jennings in his limited opportunities so far, and is excited to see where he fits in long term.
“He’s a really strong, well fit, speedy guy,” Carroll continued. “And so it’s going to be interesting to see how he fits into this whole thing. But he’s behind though, you know, this is putting him behind, he’s going to have to catch up.”
