2022 Seahawks offseason storylines: A major makeover on the offensive line

This was the beginning lineup for the Seattle Seahawks in Week 1 of the 2021 NFL season:

Left Sort out: Duane Brown
Left Guard: Damien Lewis
Heart: Kyle Fuller/Ethan Pocic
Proper Guard: Gabe Jackson
Proper Sort out: Brandon Shell

Brown and Shell stay unsigned in free company and there’s nothing to point both of them will probably be returning to the Seahawks. Pocic is now with the Cleveland Browns on an inexpensive one-year free agent contract. Fuller was re-signed for some cause, whereas Lewis and Jackson determine to remain at their respective positions.

In free company, Seattle’s solely notable signing alongside the OL was Austin Blythe, who’s ties to the Los Angeles Rams made him a direct goal for brand spanking new OL coach Andy Dickerson and present offensive coordinator Shane Waldron.

The NFL Draft was a unique story. Charles Cross of Mississippi State was taken at No. 9 general, with Washington State’s Abraham Lucas coming off the board at 72nd general in Spherical 3. Cross figures to have the within observe as a Day 1 starter, whereas Lucas could also be in severe competitors with 2021 UDFA Jake Curhan, who crammed in admirably in Shell’s absence in a handful of video games.

The presumptive departures of Brown and Shell, in addition to the confirmed departure of Pocic assures that there will probably be three new starters alongside the Seahawks OL in 2022. It’s very potential that each beginning tackles will probably be rookies, which is hardly a standard incidence and also needs to instantly mood expectations that we’re going to witness something resembling a reliable unit.

At OTAs on Thursday, Waldron expressed that if it unfolds as such, the group could be advantageous if we see Cross and Lucas because the starters.

“In my thoughts, by the point we get to that first sport and the most effective guys are enjoying, they’ll have earned these positions,” Waldron stated (through Seahawks.com). “And if it’s the 2 rookies, that implies that they’ve beat out some guys which might be good gamers in their very own proper. So, we now have numerous competitors at these sort out positions. The draft clearly has taken that competitors to a unique stage, so far as youthful guys which might be competing towards one another. So, I feel it’s going to be an awesome factor in the long term. And if these guys exit and earn that job, then you definately really feel comfy as a result of they’ve earned it over different guys which have had an opportunity to play and play properly within the NFL.”

Lest we overlook the rapid depth at each sort out spots and heart. Stone Forsythe didn’t play any offensive snaps after the undertaking sort out was taken in Spherical 6 of final yr’s draft, and the aforementioned Curhan didn’t begin till December.

In the meantime at heart, beneath Blythe (who would determine to be the favourite to begin) is Fuller, who ideally by no means sees the sector after his disastrous 2021, Dakoda Shepley as a guard/heart swing, and I suppose you’ll be able to embrace Damien Lewis along with his one emergency begin on the center of the road. Everybody else is camp fodder and/or was on the follow squad within the earlier season.

If there’s any a part of the Seahawks roster that the majority clearly screams “rebuild”, it’s offensive line. And maybe an important theme is the youth motion. Gabe Jackson and (in two weeks) Austin Blythe will each be 30, whereas each different projected starter isn’t any older than 25. There’s a large expertise hole between these two and everybody else within the anticipated lineup, however the hope is that Cross, Lucas, and Lewis are all a part of this squad within the long-term. It’s been properly over a decade because the Seahawks have boasted an OL that’s deservedly thought of probably the greatest within the NFL, I’d wish to suppose that drought gained’t proceed for for much longer … simply don’t get your hopes up too excessive to see instantly constructive ends in 2022. It’ll take time.