Cade

Johnson

Coach Pete Carroll said reports were positive on Johnson after getting carted off in the team’s preseason opener. Johnson, a 2021 UDFA that appeared in three games last year, is competing for one of the final receiver spots with WR Dee Eskridge suspended the first six weeks.

The South Dakota State receiver played 44 snaps in Seattle’s playoff loss to San Francisco and has a shot to make the roster again this offseason. Seattle’s other reserve/future signings include RB Darwin Thompson, G Greg Eiland, LB Chris Garrett, DT Jarrod Hewitt, T Jalen McKenzie, DB Chris Steele, WR Connor Wedington, and WR Easop Winston.

With Hart out and Marquise Goodwin on injured reserve, Cade Johnson is in line to serve as the team’s No. 3 wideout. In Week 18 against the Jets, Johnson caught both of his targets for 21 yards while running a route on 45 percent of Geno Smith’s drop backs.

“Cade has looked good. He was a really productive player in college. Just seems like he’s carried it over.” Johnson, who finished the preseason with a team-high nine receptions, had his roster chances improved when WR John Ursua (knee) went on IR last week. There are Doug Baldwin parallels to the undrafted Johnson, who was featured in the slot this preseason. Johnson is a hedge to second-round rookie D’Wayne Eskridge if he makes the opening day roster.

The injury came in the Seahawks’ second preseason game. Ursua, a seventh-round pick in 2019, spent last year on Seattle’s practice squad after catching one pass as a rookie. With Ursua done for the year, UDFA receiver Cade Johnson will get a chance at cracking the final 53-man roster. Johnson, an intriguing small-school prospect, totaled 2,554 receiving yards and 25 touchdowns over his final two seasons at South Dakota State.

Ursua, a 2019 seventh-round pick, was competing for one of Seattle’s final receiver spots after spending last season on the practice squad. The injury to Ursua increases hyped UDFA Cade Johnson’s roster chances.

Johnson (5'10/184) produced inflated numbers against MVFC competition, totaling 2,554 receiving yards and 25 touchdown catches over his final two seasons (2018-19). Although he faced just one FBS team across 40 career games before the fall season was canceled in 2020, Johnson reportedly held his own at the Senior Bowl as Pro Football Focus’ highest-graded receiver in one-on-one coverage. His vast experience as a kick returner (56/1,496/2) with the Jackrabbits will keep him in the active roster mix while he tries to develop into a dependable slot option.

Senior Bowl invitations usually do not go out this early, but like all things this year, things are a bit different this time around. Since the FCS is not playing fall football and Johnson is a senior, his options were basically to transfer or prepare for the NFL Draft. Johnson did put his name in the portal, but ultimately never went anywhere, instead focusing on the NFL. Since he is not playing any football right now, the Senior Bowl decided to toss him an early invite. At 5-foot-10, 175-pounds, Johnson is a bit on the smaller side, but he was ridiculously productive at SDSU. Just last season, Johnson caught 72 passes for 1,222 yards and eight scores.

In the span of three seasons in Brookings, Johnson (5'10/175) went from walk-on to three-time all-Missouri Valley Football Conference performer. Last season he caught 72 passes for 1,222 yards and eight touchdowns while rushing for another 149 yards on eight carries. For his efforts Johnson was named a first team All-American by both the Associated Press and Walter Camp Foundation, with HERO Sports and STATS naming him to their second and third-team All-America squads. South Dakota State won’t be playing football this fall as the MVFC has postponed its season due to COVID-19. Overlooked in high school, Johnson has already attracted interest from multiple NFL scouts ahead of the 2020 season.