The Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers have competed at just about everything this off-season.
The latest development seems to be injuries as the Seahawks learned tight end Anthony McCoy will miss six to nine months with a torn Achillies tendon.
The McCoy news comes just days after 49ers starting wide receiver Michael Crabtree suffered the exact same injury.
Losing McCoy isn’t considered a major blow for the Seahawks as he ranked No. 2 on the depth chart at tight end.
The six-foot-five tight end has struggled with dropped passes in his three-year career but he is an adept blocker and has shown an ability to get down the field.
He had a career-high 27 catches for 291 yards and three touchdowns last season.
The main beneficiary of McCoy ‘s injury could be Canadian tight end Luke Willson (not the actor!) – who the Seahawks selected in the fifth round out of Rice Universiy.
Willson, a former Toronto Blue Jays prospect and Toronto Argonauts draft pick, reportedly shined during the team’s rookie mini-camp earlier this month. His outstanding speed and willingness to block is what caught the Seahawks’ eye, despite catching just nine passes last season.
Seattle still has Zach Miller and a group of inexperienced players in Willson, Sean McGrath, Cooper Helfet and Darren Fells at the tight end position.
The Seahawks should be able to function without McCoy as the offence is expected to move towards more three-receiver looks this season with the addition of wideout Percy Harvin.
The USC product was originally selected in the fifth round of the 2010 NFL Draft.
