Phillip Dorsett signed with the Seattle Seahawks in NFL free agency in March after spending the last three seasons with the New England Patriots, and it sounds like he regrets not making the move to the NFC West club sooner.
Dorsett could have signed with the Seahawks last offseason but decided to return to the Patriots, and he was determined to make the right call in 2020.
“I didn’t want to make that mistake again,” Dorsett told reporters Tuesday on a video conference call, per NBC Sports Northwest's Joe Fann.
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It made sense at the time for Dorsett to re-sign with the Patriots as a free agent after winning Super Bowl LIII. He was coming off a 2018 season during which he tallied 32 receptions for 290 yards and a career-high three touchdowns. He also had a solid playoff run that included a touchdown reception against both the Los Angeles Chargers in the AFC Divisional Round and the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game.
Dorsett could have had an even larger role in 2019, but he struggled to find much consistency. The veteran wideout was awesome in a Week 1 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers with 95 yards and three touchdowns, but he totaled just 302 yards and two touchdowns for the rest of his season (10 more games). Dorsett was a non-factor in the Patriots' loss to the Tennessee Titans in the AFC Wild Card round with one reception for six yards on four targets.
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The 27-year-old wide receiver signed a one-year contract with the Seahawks in March. After playing with Tom Brady in New England, Dorsett will catch passes from another elite quarterback in Russell Wilson. The Seahawks quarterback is one of the top MVP candidates entering the 2020 season and ranks among the top five players at his position.
Dorsett is understandably optimistic about what could happen with Wilson in the Seahawks offense.
“I feel like this is the right offense for me,” Dorsett said, per Finn. “Obviously, I know Russell, and he’s a great quarterback. The way he plays quarterback and the way this offense is fits my skill set.”
The Patriots didn't make a huge splash in free agency to replace Dorsett, but they did sign veteran wide receivers Damiere Byrd and Marqise Lee. The best-case scenario for the Patriots would be second-year wide receiver N'Keal Harry taking a huge leap in 2020 and becoming a dependable player.