9 NFL Veterans Who Could Lose Their Jobs to 2017 Rookies

​Jermaine Kearse

Seattle Seahawks receiver Jermaine Kearse is notable for two things: He was one of two Seattle receivers taller than 6’0” to catch a pass in 2016, and he was the only receiver on the roster to have a lower than 50 percent catch rate with at least 2 targets. That’s not good. Kearse generated 0.49 Reception NEP per target, just under 75 percent of the league average and ninth-worst among receivers to see 50 targets last year. By the end of the year, he was losing targets to undrafted quarterback convert Tanner McEvoy, which doesn’t bode well for his future.

The Seahawks have been scaling their receiver group down in an era where basketball-type wideouts are the ideal, and 5’10” Doug Baldwin, 5’10” Tyler Lockett, and 6’0” Paul Richardson look like the projected starters for 2017. Add in the selection of Amara Darboh out of Michigan in the third round and seventh-rounder David Moore, and you have a packed depth chart with little room for further error by a veteran like Kearse.