Rashid Shaheed’s Quiet Start in Seattle Could Still Be the Spark the Seahawks Need
When the Seahawks swung a deadline-day trade for Rashid Shaheed on November 4, expectations took off like a go-route. The speedster arrived with a reputation as one of the NFL’s premier deep threats, and fans were quick to imagine him unlocking a new gear in Seattle’s offense. The nickname “Legion of Zoom” even began to circulate-an homage to the team’s past dominance, now reimagined with blazing speed on the perimeter.
But through four games, the reality hasn’t matched the hype.
Shaheed’s stat line since joining the Seahawks is modest at best: four catches for 37 yards. That’s not in a single game-that’s total.
For comparison, before the trade, he had logged at least four receptions in every game with the Saints this season. In Seattle, his game logs look more like footnotes:
- Week 10 vs. Arizona: 1 catch, 3 yards
- Week 11 vs. L.A.
Rams: 2 catches, 27 yards
- Week 12 vs.
Tennessee: 0 catches
- Week 13 vs.
Minnesota: 1 catch, 7 yards
That’s not exactly what you expect from a player brought in to stretch the field and tilt coverage.
Usage Tells the Story
The issue hasn’t necessarily been performance-it’s been opportunity. Shaheed has only seen nine targets in four games.
That’s fifth on the team over that stretch, trailing Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Cooper Kupp, A.J. Barner, and Kenneth Walker III.
He’s also playing just about half of Seattle’s offensive snaps, again ranking fifth among skill-position players.
There was a near-breakthrough moment in Week 11 against the Rams. Sam Darnold looked Shaheed’s way on a 25-yard shot to the end zone, and it almost connected-until a diving Emmanuel Forbes tipped the ball at the last second.
A highlight-reel touchdown there might’ve changed the narrative. But even if it had landed, the broader question would still linger: Why isn’t Seattle using Shaheed more?
He’s also contributing on special teams, returning punts and kicks, but that’s not why Seattle gave up fourth- and fifth-round picks to get him. They brought him in to impact the offense, especially down the stretch.
Why Shaheed Could Be the X-Factor Seattle Needs
Despite the slow start, Shaheed is still being viewed as a critical piece moving forward. Seahawks insider Brady Henderson recently pegged him as the team’s biggest X-factor for the final stretch of the season-and there’s logic behind that.
Sam Darnold’s recent dip in form has coincided with Shaheed’s arrival. Over the last four weeks, Darnold has thrown three touchdowns against four interceptions, with his passing yards dropping from 260.5 per game to 207.3. That’s not all on Shaheed, of course, but it does highlight the offense’s recent struggles.
And then there’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba. The NFL’s leading receiver was held to just two catches for 23 yards against the Vikings in Week 13-his lowest output of the season. That game served as a reminder: if defenses start keying in on Smith-Njigba, Seattle needs someone else to step up and make them pay.
That’s where Shaheed comes in.
“Not long after acquiring Shaheed from the Saints last month, the Seahawks had to put rookie receiver/punt returner Tory Horton on injured reserve,” Henderson noted. “While the trade has proved to be timely, it has yet to be as impactful as Seattle envisioned.
Shaheed has only 73 scrimmage yards on nine touches in four games with the Seahawks. But among the reasons they gave up fourth- and fifth-round picks for one of the NFL's premier deep threats was to give opposing defenses someone else to worry about other than Jaxon Smith-Njigba.”
That’s the blueprint. Even if Shaheed isn’t racking up receptions, his presence on the field can shift coverage and open up space.
If defenses start bracketing Smith-Njigba-as Minnesota did-Shaheed’s speed becomes a weapon that can’t be ignored. And if Darnold can connect with him just once or twice on those deep balls, it could flip a game, or even a season.
The Road Ahead
Seattle sits at 9-3, but the home stretch won’t be easy. Four of their final five opponents have winning records, and most of those games are on the road.
The passing defenses they’ll face aren’t elite across the board, but they’re good enough to challenge Seattle’s aerial attack-especially with shutdown corners like A.J. Terrell Jr., Sauce Gardner (if healthy), and Jaycee Horn likely to shadow Smith-Njigba in three of those matchups.
That puts even more pressure on Shaheed to make an impact. Whether it’s by drawing coverage, creating explosive plays, or simply giving Darnold a reliable second option, his role could quietly become one of the most important in Seattle’s push for the NFC West crown.
The “Legion of Zoom” hasn’t taken off yet-but there’s still time. And if Shaheed finds his stride, he might just be the late-season spark Seattle didn’t know it needed.