Most NFL teams are wrapping up their mandatory minicamps this week, which is the final item in the offseason phase before training camp begins next month.
Minicamp presents an opportunity for players on a new team to carve out a role for themselves, and for veterans to get into game shape for the NFL regular season.
The Houston Texans finished their minicamp this week, and there were a lot of positives to take away. At the same time, a former Texans wide receiver is making some positive news with his new team and could be an instant contributor this season.
Veteran wide receiver Steven Sims, who spent the 2023 season and part of the 2024 campaign with the Texans, signed a one-year deal this offseason with the Seattle Seahawks. Seattle has a loaded wide receiver unit, leaving Sims in a tough spot to make the 53-man roster.
However, Sims has return skills, which have already helped him stand out and reportedly given him an inside track to starting, per Gregg Bell of The News Tribune.
"While talking about his special teams Wednesday, Macdonald revealed veteran wide receiver Steven Sims, signed this offseason from Macdonald’s former Baltimore Ravens, has the inside track to be Seattle’s new kickoff returner. And maybe punt returner, too.Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald
It’s why we signed Sims, in large part. But we got some competition there and the kick return battle, too. So it’s good. Yeah, it’s good."
The former Texans wide receiver isn’t a bad special-teams player, as he has a career kick return average of 25.2 and a 6.2 punt return average.
In his first season with the Texans, the 28-year-old receiver played mostly on special teams. Sims appeared in three games as he bounced on and off the practice squad. He averaged 5.8 yards per punt return (21 returns), but 23.7 yards per kick return (seven returns).
Then last season, Sims played in nine games before being waived in late December for veteran Diontae Johnson. Sims was much better on kick returns (27.9 yards per return) than on punts (6.2 yards per return).
Therefore, it's not surprising to hear that Sims is impressing the Seahawks coaches, especially with what he did last season with the Texans. That said, the veteran receiver still has a long way to go to solidify his spot on the roster.
We still have training camp and preseason left, which will be paramount for Sims, who has one avenue to make the Seahawks’ 53-man roster. But if he can hold off the other competitors and lean on his experience, the former Texan will be on a 53-man roster to start the season.