The Seattle Seahawks didn’t just add a receiver at the deadline – they added speed. Seattle acquired Rashid Shaheed from the New Orleans Saints for 2026 fourth- and fifth-round picks.
Defensive leader Jarran Reed broke down Shaheed as only he could: “He’s fast as hell.” The blunt scouting report matches the data and hints at how the addition can stress opposing coverages from snap one.
The move reunites Shaheed with offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak and injects an explosive field-stretcher into a passing game that already stresses defenses with layers, motion and play-action.
Shaheed’s calling card is pure velocity. He reached 21.72 mph on an 87-yard touchdown in Week 5 — the fastest speed recorded on a TD reception this season, per NFL Next Gen Stats. That trait alone forces safeties to play deeper, creating room for crossers, overs and intermediate option routes. It also fits the schematic bones of Kubiak’s attack, which thrives on deep play-action shots and route stacks that punish single-high coverage.
What Teammates Said
Quarterback Sam Darnold praised Seattle’s front office for pushing to win now and laid out his plan to fast-track chemistry with Shaheed.
“Obviously John and everybody that works upstairs in the front office is going to do everything they can to put us in a great position to succeed every single game day,” Darnold told reporters. “I feel like they did just that by [adding] Rashid. We’re really excited to have him. For me, I’m going to continue to try to get to know him as much as possible, throw as many routes — without hurting my arm — as possible. Just continue to gain trust and gain that confidence in him.”
How Seattle Can Use Him Right Away
Clear-outs & posts: Expect early packages that ask Shaheed to sprint the deep third, lifting safeties and opening digs and crossers behind him. Seattle has leaned on these calls all season; now they hit harder with a legit 4.3-level threat occupying the top of the defense.
Jet & motion touches: Shaheed’s acceleration translates to jet sweeps, orbit motion and quick-game tags that function as run-game extensions. Those plays can punish overaggressive edge defenders and set up play-action shots later in drives.
Return game juice: If the staff wants to tilt field position, Shaheed brings All-Pro return value, giving Seattle hidden yards while the offense onboards him. (Role to be determined.)
Red-zone sequencing: Pairing Shaheed’s speed with layered concepts — for example, a deep over paired with a backline sit — can widen throwing windows and create rub opportunities when defenses compress.
The Bottom Line
Seattle paid mid-round capital for an immediate, scheme-clean fit who can change the geometry of defenses the moment he aligns wide. Darnold plans to “throw as many routes as possible” to build timing; if that rapport clicks quickly, Shaheed’s presence should lighten boxes for the run game and open the intermediate middle for Seattle’s chain-movers. In short: the Seahawks added an accelerator at exactly the right time — and the locker room already sees the difference. Shaheed took the field for his first practice on November 5, and the Seahawks immediately noticed.
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