Two months ago, Rashid Shaheed traveled to Seattle to play against the Seahawks as a member of the New Orleans Saints. On Wednesday, Shaheed walked into the Virginia Mason Athletic Center as the newest member of the Seahawks, having been acquired in a trade a day earlier.
After going from undrafted free agent out of Weber State to starting receiver and All-Pro returner in New Orleans, Shaheed has fond memories of his time with the Saints, but he’s also excited to be joining the Seahawks.
“It was a bittersweet feeling, but a lot of excitement,” Shaheed said Wednesday. “A lot of excitement for my family, myself, of course. Just excited about the journey, excited to be here, excited to be a part of this organization, and so far, it’s been nothing but welcoming. I’m just feeling good right now.”
The move takes Shaheed from a Saints team that has struggled this year to a 6-2 Seahawks squad that right in the thick of things with the top teams in the NFC.
“I know it’s a winning organization, and that’s what matters the most in this league,’ Shaheed said of the Seahawks. “I’m just excited to be a part of it, get to know the guys and coaches, and just get acclimated with the culture around here.”
Shaheed, a former high school track star who has been a big-play threat as a receiver and a returner during his four seasons in the NFL, describes himself as, “A guy with a lot of energy. A guy who loves to win and to compete. I can make plays on any level, and I’m willing to do whatever it takes to win.”
Said Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald, “Really excited. He got in the building, so we’re off and running. The offense is walking through right now. Obviously, he has familiarity with Klint (Kubiak) and our system, so hopefully it’s an expedited getting up to speed. I’ve enjoyed our conversations since the trade, and the guys are excited.”
As Macdonald pointed out, the Seahawks didn’t come into the trade deadline feeling like they had any big holes on the roster to fill, but rather they saw an opportunity to add a talented player to an already explosive offense.
“It’s a great opportunity to add to our team,” Macdonald said. “It didn’t feel like we were missing something, it’s not like we were trying to plug holes or anything like that, it was just an opportunity to get a great player to augment what we’re doing. I’m excited about it and we’re excited to see him out there.”
And while Shaheed was only a day into his Seahawks career when he met with the media on Wednesday, he made it clear he hopes to stick around well beyond the final nine games of this season.
“I’m here to stay,” he said. “I’m excited to see if we can figure something out after the season ends. But, yeah, I’m excited.”
Asked if that meant that he sees Seattle as his new home, Shaheed added, “Yes, long term.”
Source link
