Seahawk State of Line...
Most avid Seahawks fans expect... check that - demand... that the Seahawks use at least one of their two 1st round pick on an offensive lineman. Agreed, that has been a sore spot for the Hawks the last few years. And yes, the offense hasn't been the same since Hutchinson was:
1. Mishandled and let go by Ruskell
2. Stolen by the Vikings
3. An instrument to let the NFL do another job on the Seahawks by not voiding the absurd offer sheet, or
4. All of the above.
But, that is ancient history and we need to move on. So for 2010, how can the Seahawks not only survive, but thrive, without using several top picks on the O Line and a new left tackle to replace Walter Jones who Twittered his retirement? Enter Alex Gibbs. He has a self-proclaimed ability to turn a garbage man into an NFL guard. He looks for quick, agile, physical guys, and while Mora said he needed to go find some dirt bags, Gibbs takes the players he has and teaches them how to play like one. So... are the cupboards really bare relative to the offensive line in Seattle? While the Seahawks may not have a slew of guaranteed pro-bowl blockers, there is talent on the roster that can be groomed. Sean Locklear struggled at LT and struggled staying healthy, but he will be moved back to the right side of the line. So long as he can stay on the field, he will be a solid producer at that position again (I don't recall too many complaints on his performance at that position during the championship years). He will need to work a little harder, and the other potential OTs on this team will push him to do so. This will allow Ray Willis to move back to more comfortable position of RG, where he is more than adequate. He is big and fast, but a little lost at the unfamiliar T position. It shouldn't take long for Gibbs to realize Willis' value. The middle of the line should be anchored by Max Unger for years to come, thanks in no small part to Ruskell's weekend of clarity during the draft last season. Anyone that is unhappy with those three players sets their expectations a bit too high. So this just leaves us with that little issue of the left side. Before we talk about what is in-house, let's look at what is coming out of the draft. There are a lot of names circling, and no fewer than seven of them are being talked about as first round talent. But are any of them certain pro-bowlers? Maybe. Is the next Walter Jones sitting out there? Well, no. It may take a decade or four to find him. I don't want to take anything away from Russell Okung. He will be a very good LT, and is the class of this draft. He looks solid in every aspect of the game, and should be a pro bowler at some point in his career. If he is there at #6 I expect him to be a Seahawk. But three of the five teams picking ahead of Seattle need a LT, so there is no real chance he'll slide that far. Trent Williams and Bruce Campbell are both being mentioned in the top 10. Both impressed during the combine, but both have issues that would keep me from touching them at #6. Campbell plays slower than his 40 time, and will be very challenged in the NFL when he starts pairing up against big, speedy DEs. He will need time to develop, and won't be an immediate upgrade at the position, contrary to what many believe. And should we talk about the injury issues each of the last two seasons? Is that really what the Seahawks need... another lineman with injury issues? Anthony Davis could be great, but he has flop-risk due to his size and conditioning concerns. Davis could very well end up playing the guard position in the NFL. Bulaga has great overall size and is a good technician, but his short arms will deny him needed leverage for the LT spot. Neither of them are worthy of the pick at 6, and I would even avoid them at 14. The blocker that should be available at the Seahawks 2nd pick, and the only LT besides Okung who looks ready to start at LT next season, is Charles Brown. He is familiar with Carrol's system, and has an ideal combination of speed and power. He is working on his size, and is the insurance policy the Seahawks need to keep them from reaching for an OT with their first pick. | Keeping our Seagals in true fashion... this site has som great Seahawk "stuff", on sale now with free shipping. Click the links below for more info...
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Iupati has been anointed by some, but his Sr. Bowl performance gives credence to an argument I made weeks earlier- weaker talent on Idaho's schedule made him look a lot better than he is. We also have Black, Capers and Saffold to consider (these three have been tagged anywhere from mid-first round to fourth round picks). All look like solid options, but is one of them the guy everyone will be talking about for years to come? Is one of them worth a pick at 14? Perhaps, but the problem is it may be a a season or two before we know which one. A summary of the O Line combine results is included HERE.
We'll assume the Seahawks don't sign an OT in free agency, as there just isn't much talent available at the spot. This still leaves a few players battling for two slots on the left side. As for how they break down... we can expect the Chris Spencer experiment to continue, even though he will be ousted from RG. He'll push Unger to perform at C, along with competing for a spot at LG in 2010. However, he is far from assured a starting spot on this line in 2010. In fact, the fate of Spencer lies underneath the looming battle between a potential draft pick, Brandon Frye, Damion McIntosh and Mike Gibson for LT. Yes, I said Gibson...
Just as the draft is muddled with uncertainty with LT talent, so are the Seahawks. Frye has been underwhelming at times (and has injury concerns and is not currently under contract), but he is the style of blocker that fits in Gibbs' zone system. He was thrown to the wolves last season, and asked to step in as a starter when he had anticipated learning under Jones for another season or two. He didn't blow anyone out of the water, but he looked solid against San Francisco and Chicago. And then Freeney made him look silly. But how many OTs didn't have a similar issue, and can you imagine what Dwight would do to Campbell or Davis as a rookie? Frye did rebound with a solid showing against Jacksonville before being lost for the season. Quite simply, he is young and talented. He isn't Campbell-big, but his speed, agility and athleticism work for the zone blocking system Gibbs will run. I know many will scoff at the notion, but if he is healed, Frye can be a starter for the Seahawks next year and outperform most rookies coming in (Okung and Brown would be the exceptions).
There are different concerns and comments surrounding McIntosh, even though he looked solid in extremely limited time in 2009. He was off and on in his tenure in Kansas City, but if not for financial reasons, he would still be there. He is great in run blocking, and will likely have a chance to play on select 1st and 2nd down plays and push guys around and open holes for the running game. Damion is suspect in pass blocking, though, and isn't the full time answer at the position. A very worthy back-up and situational blocker, expect McIntosh to make Locklear better and contribute at some level in 2010.
Gibson will quietly make a strong push at this position as well. Yes, he is listed as a guard, but he was a standout LT for California on one of the most prolific offenses in the country. The Seahawks were very pleased to be able to pluck him form Philly's practice squad last year, and were even more impressed by his performance. The Seahawks played him very close to the chest last season, but sources close to the team revealed that the old regime felt he could be a standout performer at the tackle position. But if another blocker grabs that spot, he will most certainly be leading the push for the starting LG spot. Regardless, Gibson was the key in making Sims best suited for trade bait.
While not expected to be in contention for a starting position, Seattle also has Steve Vallos and Mansfield Wrotto looking to fill any gaps that may arise, as they would certainly like to remain in Seattle and learn under Gibbs.
So the million dollar question that has been posed to Alex Gibbs is, quite simply, do we already have the man you want at left tackle? If I had the answer to that question I'd likely be working for the Seahawks instead of writing about them, but don't be surprised if that answer is "almost". Shy of an unexpected trade or free agent coming to town, Seattle may need in-house talent to step in and start in 2010, even if they draft an OT in the first round. Gibson could emerge as the victor in the LT position battle, and if he can bring the same hard-nose approach to the position that bored holes for Forsett a few years ago, he might get the chance to do it again.
And not needing to use one or two first round picks on a LT in a year that is deep in so many other need positions doesn't exactly hurt...
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