NorthDallas40oz brings up an excellent point -- the evaluation of Kasen Williams WASN'T just made based solely upon this training camp and Preseason alone ... BUT also on over 2+ years going up against the Legion of Boom. They know this guy and what he can do ... and the bottom line is that Schneider and company obviously felt that there was something lacking in his game that other receivers could fulfill better than he could.
I don't subscribe to the All-22, so I only see what the local and national broadcasts show me. Besides simply having good hands, speed, and catching the football, here are other things that I personally look at when I evaluate WR's in general. And I'll do it in question form ...
1) Can he consistently get good separation? Yes, Kasen Williams can make spectacular plays, but I've noted at times that it appeared he has trouble getting separation from the DB. Other posters here in this thread have noted that as well. I know that he looked like he was fully back from his injury, but I'm wondering if he ever got the speed back. If he really is more of a 4.6 (40 yard dash) guy at this point, that could be an issue. So, if you don't have blazing speed and you don't have jitter-bug shiftiness (like Lockett), then you have to create separation by out-muscling guys (which brings me to my next question).
2) Is he physical and is he a good blocking WR? Again, the OP in the original reddit post and several posters here have noted that's an area of Kasen's game that appears to be lacking. On this team especially, that is a REALLY important skill for a WR to have. Doug Baldwin has pointed out that's part of what made Jermaine Kearse so invaluable to this team. Besides the clutch amazing catches he had over the years, Jermaine also was willing to do a lot of the necessary dirty work (blocking to spring big runs, 'picking' guys off to open things up for Doug, etc.). Chris98251 is right that no DB wants to get tangled up with a good, physical, blocking WR (as he noted, this team has had several throughout the years). That is a really important skill to have.
3) Does he give MAXIMUM effort, even when he's not the primary Go-To Receiver on a particular play? That to me is really, really key. If a receiver doesn't give 100% all the time, each and every single time, the opposing DB is going to know he's not the main target as well. If he goes through the motions at even 75% speed, good DB's are going to recognize that and he is invariably tipping the opposing defense off to where the ball is going. The play isn't going to work (or at least it's not going to work as well as it should). A guy who doesn't go 100% all of the time and give his maximum effort is going to (in the end) hurt the team as a whole. Plays DO break down all the time and though that WR might not have started out as the #1 target (maybe he was the #4 option) ... he may find the ball actually coming his way IF he has been giving his all to get separation. Again, I'm hearing that there may have issues when it comes to Williams and giving 100% effort ALL the time.
I don't honestly know if any of that truly applies to Kasen Williams. I don't know if the coaches thought he took plays off, was slow, or had consistent difficulty getting separation. However, it's clear based upon the available info that there were deficiencies in his game ... and that they felt other guys were more deserving of his spot.
As I reflect and evaluate Kasen Williams, the biggest lingering question I have regarding him is -- "Is Kasen Williams more or less a 1 Trick Pony?"
He has 1 skill that is absolutely amazing -- he can jump out of the gym and go up for the high ones. Does he do all the other necessary things a WR on this team should (and needs to do) though ... and can he do those things consistently?
That's my lingering question when it comes to him. And perhaps that's why a guy like an Amara Darboh is on this team ... and Kasen Wiliams is not. Field Gulls' Jared Stanger posted this soon after Amara Darboh was drafted and perhaps this helps explain some of the evaluation when it comes to him.
[tweet]https://twitter.com/JaredStanger/status/859883483245682688[/tweet]
In the end, I think that the Seahawks saw Darboh as being more physical and well-rounded as a receiver ... and Tanner McEvoy as being a faster (4.4 speed) and bigger (6'6") version of Kasen Williams. Bottom line.