Seattle Seahawks: Jermaine Kearse smart to stick around
When it came to the Seattle Seahawks, wide receiver Jermaine Kearse made the smart decision to stick around with a team that not only caters to his strengths but also puts him in a great position for continued success.
Sometimes the grass isn’t greener on the other side.
The saying holds especially true for Seattle Seahawks wideout Jermaine Kearse who many believed wouldn’t be an option anymore on the Seahawks’ offense in 2016 as he entered this year’s free agency period. Not only did he not find a better situation for him, but he has decided to stick around for what is best for his career over the course of the next few years.
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As reported by Sheil Kapadia of ESPN, Kearse agreed to a three-year, $13.5 million deal that will see him return in 2016 with his fellow teammates Doug Baldwin and Tyler Lockett. This talented trio continues to push the envelope for the Seahawks’ offense as they all have been thriving thanks to quarterback Russell Wilson.
The Seahawks continue to be a contending team that once again, made the NFL Playoffs and almost went the distance. For Kearse to leave one of the premier teams of the NFC West strictly for money or what he thought would be a better situation, would have been huge mistake on his part.
Considering the nice impact Kearse has had the past four seasons with the Seahawks, especially winning the Super Bowl with them back in 2012, he would have made an unfortunate mistake if he bolted via free agency.
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To leave as his best years of football are ahead of him for a team that won’t be as consistent as the Seahawks would have been a terrible decision to make. The Seahawks don’t like to change much when it comes to their overall roster as they believe in sticking with as much of their talented core of players that have continued the momentum year in, year out.
It’s the first move of many more for the Seahawks this season as they still have to add a few more pieces to their team to go even farther next season. With some opportunities to address on their offensive line and at linebacker, Kearse knows this is the team for him as they will undoubtedly be back in the playoff race in 2016.
Kearse is as clutch as they come for the Seahawks, especially on crucial third down conversions or game-defining touchdowns. In his career so far, Kearse has totaled 1,599 receiving yards on 112 receptions and scored 10 touchdowns. His performances in the playoffs also speak to the kind of high-caliber player Kearse is in the grand scheme of it all.
Expect to see Kearse pick up exactly where he left off from last season. He’s coming off his best season yet in 2015 as he totaled 685 receiving yards on 49 receptions and five touchdowns. One can only imagine the amount of damage he’s going to cause against opposing defenses over the next few years.
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Overall, it’s great to see Kearse chose the wise path of staying where all his major success originated from. As an undrafted free agent, his story is an incredible one as his journey is far from over. As the Seahawks continue to work hard to once again make it to another Super Bowl appearance, it will no doubt be thanks to everything Kearse brings to the table.