Following a tumultuous 2017 NFL season, the Seattle Seahawks somewhat find themselves in a tough position to compete moving forward. Among the notable departures this offseason was tight end Jimmy Graham.

Much like their other key position, the Seahawks have managed to somewhat fill the void with a solid replacement in former Carolina Panthers tight end Ed Dickson. According to ESPN's Brady Henderson, head coach Pete Carroll had high praise for what Dickson brings to the table:

“Ed is a good all-around blocker but he's a downfield catcher as well. He's a really good athlete. We've known him since he was a high school kid. Really fired up to get him to fit in. He's kind of been overshadowed with [Greg] Olsen there at the Panthers, but he's always been a productive football player and a really good all-around ballplayer.”

Dickson started his career with the Baltimore Ravens after they took him in the third round of the 2010 NFL Draft. The former Oregon product showed some promise as a legitimate pass-catcher early in his career. However, he has been unable to mirror the kind of production he enjoyed during the  2011 campaign up until last season.

This is not the first time Dickson has been tasked with replacing a valuable starter. He filled in nicely for the injured Greg Olsen last season after registering 30 receptions for 437 yards and a touchdown. While he is hardly the red zone threat Graham was, he can still contribute in other ways by being a quality blocker up front as well.