The Seattle Seahawks are hoping they have the next Tony Gonzalez on their hands or maybe the next Jimmy Graham. In an effort to surround quarterback Russell Wilson with more offensive weapons; the Seahawks have signed a basketball star on to play tight end without ever seeing him work out.
Darren Fells is 6-foot-7, 289 pounds. He certainly has the height and weight of a football athlete, yet has only played the game in high school. Fells, 26, played his college basketball at UC Irvine before spending time in the international basketball circuit. Tight ends run the family; his brother is New England Patriots tight end, Daniel Fells. Fells was originally in town to meet with the Seahawks in anticipation for a Pro Day he planned on having. However, the team was so impressed by him, they signed him to a contract before he could walk out the door.
The Seahawks signed Fells to a three-year deal worth $1.485 million. The amount of the contract is relatively standard for an undrafted player, but the contract seems a bit long for a guy who has not played football since high school.
Fells will have to prove he is an actual football player rather than just an athlete. He has a similar build to Graham and Gonzalez. Both players are also former basketball stars and have showmen that those skills translate to the football field. He was all all-state tight end at Fullerton High School so he has shown to have some kind of talent in the sport.
The signing is a bit out of the box for head coach Pete Carroll. The Seahawks must trust that his certain set of basketball skills will allow him to be successful at football too. In order to be a successful tight end, a player must have both great hands and blocking skills. If Fells proves to be a good student of the game, he would line up well against the Seahawk's current tight end, Zach Miller. At this moment, the signing is more risk than reward, but Seattle has a large amount of cap space and can afford a little risk.
