Seahawks taking a chance on former draft bust wide receiver

The Seattle Seahawks are hoping that the grass is greener on their side for a former draft bust.

Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reported on Tuesday that the Seahawks are signing wide receiver Laviska Shenault Jr. in free agency. Shenault, 25, now joins his third career NFL team after the Jacksonville Jaguars and Carolina Panthers.

A second-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft at No. 42 overall, Shenault entered the league with high expectations thanks to his athleticism and his ball skills at 6-foot-1. But Shenault has failed to meet those expectations so far with only 1,551 receiving yards and six receiving touchdowns through his first four seasons combined. 

It doesn’t help either that Shenault was drafted several picks ahead of future Pro Bowlers like Antoine Winfield Jr., Jaylon Johnson, Trevon Diggs and Jalen Hurts.

Last season with the Panthers, Shenault was limited to ten catches for 60 yards and zero touchdowns in eight games; he missed much of the year with an ankle injury. 

The lowlights have seemingly been more frequent than the highlights for Shenault to this point. But he will now try his luck in Seattle, possibly in a kick returner role as well, which Shenault began to do during his time in Carolina.