With Jaxon Smith-Njigba coming off a breakout 1,100-yard season and former All-Pro Cooper Kupp now in the fold, free-agent addition Marquez Valdes-Scantling has been a bit of an afterthought in the Seattle Seahawks’ new-look wide receiver room.
But during OTA practices earlier this week, the speedy 6-foot-4 Valdes-Scantling made a strong early impression.
Seahawks RT Abe Lucas on his health: ‘I’m playing – that’s a good sign’
On Monday, Valdes-Scantling made a nice leaping touchdown catch over a defender in the corner of the end zone.
And on Wednesday, Valdes-Scantling got open downfield for a couple of receptions before delivering one of the plays of the day toward the end of practice. Matched up against starting cornerback Riq Woolen in an 11-on-11 red-zone period, Valdes-Scantling faked a slant route and then broke hard back to his left, which enabled him to gain separation and haul in a short TD pass from Sam Darnold.
Former NFL wide receiver Michael Bumpus was at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center for Wednesday’s practice and came away impressed by the 30-year-old Valdes-Scantling.
“He just looks smooth,” Bumpus said during Thursday’s Four Down Territory segment on Seattle Sports’ Bump and Stacy. “… And again, the caveat is the (defensive backs) cannot really contest the football when it’s in the air. There’s no contact (allowed during OTAs). But there were some obvious plays where he’s just wide-open.
“Watching the way that he moves, getting in and out of his breaks, the security with him catching the football – he just looks really good,” Bumpus added. “He looked better than I expected. I don’t really know what I expected out of MVS, but he stood out.”
Who is MVS?
Valdes-Scantling, a 2018 fifth-round draft pick by the Green Bay Packers, has totaled 3,566 receiving yards and 20 touchdown catches over his seven-year NFL career. He has a career average of 17.4 yards per catch, which leads all active NFL receivers with at least 200 receptions since 2018, according to Stathead.
After four seasons with the Packers and two seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, Valdes-Scantling split the 2024 season with the Buffalo Bills and New Orleans Saints. He was released by the Bills after making just two catches in six games, but then signed with the Saints and emerged as their top downfield threat over the second half of the year. He totaled 17 catches for 385 yards and four TDs in eight games with New Orleans, while playing under offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak.
Valdes-Scantling and Kubiak are now reunited in Seattle. Kubiak was hired as the Seahawks’ new offensive coordinator in January and Valdes-Scantling signed a one-year, $5.5 million deal with Seattle in March.
“I just saw a really intelligent guy that could play all the spots and make plays,” Kubiak said Wednesday when asked about their time together in New Orleans. “Came to us in the middle of the season, learned a new system and just really impressed with his intellect and the type of teammate that he was.
“He’s picked up right where he left off.”
Listen to the full Four Down Territory segment at this link or in the audio player near the middle of this story. Tune in to Bump and Stacy weekdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. or find the podcast on the Seattle Sports app.
More on the Seattle Seahawks
• Abe Lucas: Seattle Seahawks have brand-new offensive ‘identity’
• What Seattle Seahawks WR Cooper Kupp likes about his new OC
• Notes and observations from Seattle Seahawks’ 2nd open OTA practice
• Salk: Seahawks coach Macdonald backs Darnold for all the right reasons
• Unlike last year, Seattle Seahawks’ defense now gets to ‘just play fast’