Seahawks 90-Man Rundown: Montorie Foster Jr. Eager to Impress as Receiver, Return Specialist
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After signing with the Seattle Seahawks following a tryout audition at rookie minicamp, Montorie Foster Jr. will compete at both receiver and as a kick return specialist. Credit: Montorie Foster Jr./Instagram [/caption]
With their offseason program all wrapped up, the Seattle Seahawks will open training camp at the VMAC on July 23, meaning the start of the upcoming season will be here before fans have a chance to blink.
In preparation for year number two under coach Mike Macdonald, I’ll be detailing every member of the Seahawks 90-man roster over the next several weeks, dishing out fun facts, exploring best and worst case scenarios, and predicting what to expect from each player entering the 2025 campaign.
Impressing as a tryout player at Seattle’s rookie minicamp, can Montorie Foster Jr. build off that momentum to make a serious push for a roster spot as a reserve receiver and special teams ace?
Montorie Foster Jr.
Height/Weight: 5-11, 188 pounds
2024 Stats: 46 receptions, 588 yards, three touchdowns
A football and basketball star at St. Edward High School in Ohio, Foster received far higher recruiting marks as a prospect on the gridiron, eventually choosing to commit to Michigan State over Akron, Bowling Green, and Cincinnati among others. He earned a letter as a true freshman while seeing action in seven games, primarily contributing on special teams. He took on a more significant role for the Spartans in 2021, catching 12 passes for 164 yards and a touchdown on offense and returning five kicks for 77 yards.
Though his receiving production dipped in 2022 with less than 10 catches, Foster bounced back in his final two seasons in East Lansing, leading Michigan State in receptions (43) and receiving yards (576) in 2023 and surpassing those numbers last season to close out his collegiate career. He wrapped up his time with the Spartans with 108 catches for 1,426 yards and eight touchdowns to go with seven kick returns and six punt returns. He went undrafted in April and didn’t immediately sign with a team, instead trying out at Seahawks rookie minicamp and performing well enough to be signed by the franchise days later to the 90-man roster.
Fun Fact: In parts of five seasons with the Spartans, per Pro Football Focus charting, Foster posted an excellent 5.3 percent drop rate and caught nearly 60 percent of his contested catch opportunities.
Best Case Scenario: Benefiting from a significant jump in quarterback talent, Foster quietly rises up the depth chart, surpassing the likes of veterans Cody White and Dareke Young on offense while surprising as a viable contender to return kicks for the Seahawks, leading to a return as a practice squad member after being cut in late August.
Worst Case Scenario: Not the twitchiest of receivers and undersized to go with it, Foster isn’t able to stand out among undrafted receivers on the roster, including Tyrone Broden Jr., and he isn’t in contention for return duties either, leading to his release after two preseason games.
What to Expect in 2025: At a position group that underwent substantial personnel changes this offseason, including the departure of DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett, it isn’t out of the question that a instinctive, smooth route runner with return capabilities such as Foster could surprise and make veterans ahead of him on the depth chart start sweating. He put up solid numbers each of the past two seasons at Michigan State despite playing in a run-centric offense that lacked much of a passing game with multiple quarterbacks under center and when he had a shot to pitch in as a kick returner, he performed well, albeit with limited opportunities.
But Foster isn’t a burner who can create as a vertical threat consistently by any means and also didn’t generate much yardage after the catch in his college career, leaving two significant voids in his game that would be quite helpful in his pursuit of a roster spot. There’s still quite a crowded field in the receiving corps ahead of him and for him to have a legitimate chance at even a practice squad spot, he will not only have to take full advantage of every opportunity he has to make plays as a pass catcher, but he will have to find a way to insert himself firmly into the discussion as a return specialist option. While it’s possible he could do the latter, he’s going to have a lot of work cut out for him after being a late signing by the Seahawks coming out of rookie minicamp in May.
