Lauren Smith
The Olympian
RENTON — Receiver Jaron Brown is entering his sixth season in the NFL, but he says he’s treating his first training camp with the Seattle Seahawks like his rookie year.
“I’m still taking the notes, and trying to learn the offense, and just having fun with it,” he said following the fourth day of camp Monday at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Brown, 28, who spent the first five seasons of his career with the Arizona Cardinals, said he’s working to develop a chemistry with quarterback Russell Wilson. And he’s one of several wideouts trying to determine their role.
Brown signed with the Seahawks as a free agent in March, and is one of eight receivers Seattle has acquired in 2018.
Doug Baldwin (entering eighth season), Tyler Lockett (fourth) and Tanner McEvoy (third) are the only receivers on the roster who have been with Seattle for longer than a season.
“It’s a competition we’re really excited to see,” first-year offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer told reporters Sunday. “It’s still early. … It will be good to see who separates themselves.”
Brown is one of those players, and says wherever he can fit is where he’s happy to be.
“I want to help the team (and) contribute,” he said. “Whether that be run-blocking, catching a big pass, special teams — whatever. I just want to come in here, earn my role and see where I go from there.”
During his first five seasons in the NFL, Brown appeared in 71 games — starting 12 — and hauled in 86 catches for 1,177 yards and nine touchdowns.
He had a career-high 31 catches, 477 yards and four scores with the Cardinals in 2017, and caught the opening 25-yard touchdown pass in his final game with Arizona last December — a 26-24 win that also ended Seattle’s season.
Brown has shown some bright spots in training camp early on, including catching a 41-yard touchdown pass from Wilson on Monday.
The make-up of the receiving corps Brown has joined in Seattle is a bit different than what he had in Arizona, he says. He was a younger player with the Cardinals, sitting behind veteran receivers Larry Fitzgerald and Michael Floyd.
With Seattle, he’s the third-most experienced player on the roster behind Brandon Marshall (13 years) and Baldwin (eight).
Brown says Seattle’s group this year is dynamic, and has a good mixture of veterans as well as some talented younger players.
“I’m just learning from those guys, and picking their brains, and at the same time trying to pick up some of the younger guys,” Brown said. “I’m almost a vet myself, so it’s a difference.”
Brown said he’s learned from veterans like Fitzgerald, and now Baldwin, how to work on the field.
“Doug, just watching him every day, he’s been one of the hardest working guys on this team, and it shows,” Brown said.
“Larry, having the opportunity to work with him, I was fortunate the last five years. He taught me a lot on and off the field — how to be a pro.”
Brown said he hopes to emulate qualities and techniques both of those veteran receivers have as he continues to carve out his role in Seattle.
He noted Monday that the relationship his position group shares outside of football is important, too. He remembered one occasion during his time in Arizona when Fitzgerald had the receivers join him on his private jet.
“He took us to a (Conor McGregor) fight in Vegas,” Brown said. “That was a fun trip with the wideouts. I think it’s always fun to get some bonding time outside of football. I look forward to doing it with these guys here.”
He’s already started to make those connections. During OTAs, Brown said the receivers went bowling in Bellevue. Lockett won, he said, but the winning score “wasn’t too high.”
“We always get competitive,” Brown said, smiling. “We compete in everything we do.”
Extra Points
For the second consecutive day, Baldwin did not participate at camp, and had his left leg wrapped. Several more players, including wide receiver David Moore, tight end Clayton Wilson and fullback Jalston Fowler were also walking the sidelines without pads. … Linebacker Shaquem Griffin is currently a part of every special teams unit, special teams coach Brian Schneider says. Griffin also arguably had the play of the day Monday when he picked off Wilson during a 7-on-7 drill. After corralling the interception, Griffin was stormed by several teammates in celebration. … Former University of Washington tight end Will Dissly took some reps with the first-team offense, including catching a 15-yard pass from Wilson. Another former Husky, wide receiver Damore’ea Stringfellow, was targeted several times with the second-team offense.
