O-line

[Hawks46]

With the Super Bowl win now a week in my rear view mirror I am starting to get into offseason GM thinking mode. It is obvious to me that the o-line will be the offseason priority much like the d-line was last year. What looked like a late season struggle for Russell can really be attributed to who he was playing. SF, Arizona, Stl all have elite level defenses. NO is also capable of laying elite level defense. The talk surrounding the end of the season both nationally and locally was that he was struggling. One only needs to look at the Super Bowl and his performance against a pedestrian mediocre defense. He was not sacked. He through darts from the pocket and had total command.

People state emphatically that this is a running team. That is by both desire and design. I told numerous people before XLVIII that Seattle could do whatever they wanted on that game because they are not primarily a running team. PC wants to be but with RW in charge they really can do whatever the defense gives them.

Where they had their late season struggles was with an o-line that had matchup problems with elite defenses or essentially elite front fours. This is why I see the o-line being dramatically different next season. I'm not even going to try to predict how it might look. I do believe they will want to upgrade LG and possibly RT. the question is how much concern do they have at LT and durability issues?

While I agree we need to improve the o-line a lot of the so called struggles was conservative play calling per PC who even said as much. IN the SB PC allowed them to open it up and you see what happens when you allow Rw to be RW.

The problem about "just opening it up" is that you have DL's beating our OL with just 4 guys, and beating them badly. The perfect example is the Rams game (yea I know, we had 2 replacement Tackles) where you had guys in WIlson's face in less than 2 seconds. Then you can drop more into coverage because you're beating an average OL with only 4 guys, thus making it harder on our above average, but not elite, WR corps.

Just look at the Superbowl; we got pressure on Manning with 4 guys. He had to unload it quickly, but all of our LBers were in place and we have elite DBs that can tackle, thus stopping all the YAC the Broncos lived on this year.

The two best ways to beat a blitz is to throw screens and run away from the blitz. Problem is, we're weak in the middle of our OL; Breno had no problems winning his 1 on 1's but guys like Sweezy, Unger, and a lot of times Carpenter weren't winning their individual matchups. One very good DT can blow up a run play; we've seen it with Mebane.

We need a big bodied WR and Interior OL in the worst way, and the WR is a luxury. Interior OL is the worst part of our entire team; I don't know why we wouldn't draft to fix it. I've seen some posts in this thread saying "don't waste draft capital" on OL or don't waste picks on OL......so my questions is: just where is a high round draft pick going to stick on this team ? Sure we don't know who we're going to lose via FA, but as of right now, it's OL as a priority. The very worst we could do is upgrade depth which is a good thing.

 

[NFSeahawks]

I see a need at every position on the o line.

I hope i'm not the only one.

 

[TDOTSEAHAWK]

I wouldn't expect us to pick an offensive lineman at 32. I acutally think a TE amy be the play there or a playmaker of any sort (WR/pass rusher).

I do expect at least 2 offensive lineman however in the first 5-6 picks.

I think left guard is our biggest issue - I am ready to give up on Carpenter.

I am OK with Okung - he was injured all year and probably would have been on permanent IR if we weren't playoff bound. I am certain we let McQuistan walk and perhaps even Breno as well - or at least they won't be paid quite as much.

 

[jblaze]

I think you try to sign Breno to a one year deal to groom his replacement next year in a draft player or Bowie if it works out. He's good but he's also one of the guys who might be disposable when RW's contract is up for negotiation next year.

That said, OL has to be a priority for us this offseason. With the whiners, rams and cardinals 6 times a year and those monsterous pass rushes, you gotta get solid production on the outsides. Guard will probably be a key in the draft as McQ is gone and Sweezy is serviceable but better options are available.

The last thing we can do is put RW in jeopardy. We're lucky he came out alive this year with the tackles out as long as they were. We're going to have to start transitioning a bit more towards the pass game in subsequent years in my opinion as Lynch gets older and RW progresses.

 

[AgentDib]

Though I do think Seattle needs to become more stout inside on the OL, the reality is that we just aren't picking high enough to fix that problem without a ton of luck being involved. On the flipside, our team has a very real need for weapons and history suggests that Seattle could walk out of the first round with a potential star in that area.

I agree; our OL issues were amplified by injuries and a lack of weapons. Harvin makes defenses think again not just about stacking the box but also about sending in extra blitzers. The screens that everybody was calling for will happen if Harvin is on the field, and I would rather see us draft a split-end at #32 than a lineman if both were rated equally.

my questions is: just where is a high round draft pick going to stick on this team ? Sure we don't know who we're going to lose via FA, but as of right now, it's OL as a priority. The very worst we could do is upgrade depth which is a good thing.

A running back, punter or kicker are the only positions that would surprise me. We have room to bring youth in to compete for starting roles everywhere else over the next couple of seasons due to expiring contracts of our existing players. Of course that also includes every position on the line, but the advantage of having a stacked team is the freedom to draft the player you have ranked highest on your board.

 

[sam1313]

I'm saying the same thing I've said every off-season for the last like, four years. Draft O-line high.

I couldn't agree more. To those not wanting to make the investment, think about the investment we lose if RW gets hurt...

 

[Anthony!]

With the Super Bowl win now a week in my rear view mirror I am starting to get into offseason GM thinking mode. It is obvious to me that the o-line will be the offseason priority much like the d-line was last year. What looked like a late season struggle for Russell can really be attributed to who he was playing. SF, Arizona, Stl all have elite level defenses. NO is also capable of laying elite level defense. The talk surrounding the end of the season both nationally and locally was that he was struggling. One only needs to look at the Super Bowl and his performance against a pedestrian mediocre defense. He was not sacked. He through darts from the pocket and had total command.

People state emphatically that this is a running team. That is by both desire and design. I told numerous people before XLVIII that Seattle could do whatever they wanted on that game because they are not primarily a running team. PC wants to be but with RW in charge they really can do whatever the defense gives them.

Where they had their late season struggles was with an o-line that had matchup problems with elite defenses or essentially elite front fours. This is why I see the o-line being dramatically different next season. I'm not even going to try to predict how it might look. I do believe they will want to upgrade LG and possibly RT. the question is how much concern do they have at LT and durability issues?

While I agree we need to improve the o-line a lot of the so called struggles was conservative play calling per PC who even said as much. IN the SB PC allowed them to open it up and you see what happens when you allow Rw to be RW.

The problem about "just opening it up" is that you have DL's beating our OL with just 4 guys, and beating them badly. The perfect example is the Rams game (yea I know, we had 2 replacement Tackles) where you had guys in WIlson's face in less than 2 seconds. Then you can drop more into coverage because you're beating an average OL with only 4 guys, thus making it harder on our above average, but not elite, WR corps.

Just look at the Superbowl; we got pressure on Manning with 4 guys. He had to unload it quickly, but all of our LBers were in place and we have elite DBs that can tackle, thus stopping all the YAC the Broncos lived on this year.

The two best ways to beat a blitz is to throw screens and run away from the blitz. Problem is, we're weak in the middle of our OL; Breno had no problems winning his 1 on 1's but guys like Sweezy, Unger, and a lot of times Carpenter weren't winning their individual matchups. One very good DT can blow up a run play; we've seen it with Mebane.

We need a big bodied WR and Interior OL in the worst way, and the WR is a luxury. Interior OL is the worst part of our entire team; I don't know why we wouldn't draft to fix it. I've seen some posts in this thread saying "don't waste draft capital" on OL or don't waste picks on OL......so my questions is: just where is a high round draft pick going to stick on this team ? Sure we don't know who we're going to lose via FA, but as of right now, it's OL as a priority. The very worst we could do is upgrade depth which is a good thing.

I do not disagree but if we had not been so conservative prior to and leading up to that game, the Rams might have had more to think about and given Rw an extra split second, Heck just having a check down would have helped. But I agree we need to improve the o-lien and get a big, fact WR.

 

[chris98251]

At least 3 Extra Large Hyperbolic Chambers would help us.

 

[HawkWow]

Staying with this current group, even when healthy, would be irresponsible if not criminal, IMO. We are not in the AFC and can't continue to field an AFC type O-line if we expect Wilson to survive in the NFCW. We face not only the nastiest DLs in the league, but a few of the best teams in the league, and other than QB, there's not a lot keeping us at the top. Don't think pea-brains like Aldon and Dockett are above intentionally hurting our FQB. The only sure way to prevent that is to keep them away from him.

Kearly makes the point that finding such protection is unusual late in the 1st. This is true for countless reasons and why I would understand should the FO decide to get creative. OL is not a luxury.

 

[Hawks46]

Just keep giving Tom Cable more clay to work with every draft until we've developed a very good O-line, one way or another. Preferably some quality clay.

Or identify 3rd and 4th round talent like they do for DBs.

I would really go "huh?" if they passed over this WR class for a tackle. I mean, I'd hope the tackle turned out better than Carpenter, but I'd prefer to get some weapons for Russell so that he doesn't have to worry about a pocket - in turn forcing defenders out of the box.

Didn't we just hear that refrain about the SB ? How Denver's OL was so good, and how their WRs were so elite that we weren't going to get to Manning ? Looking at AZ, STL and SF....those guys get pressure. We've seen how good pressure can destroy an offenses rhythm. I actually think it stunted Russell's growth this year; he didn't seem to find more open WRs than he did last year.

Wilson also got the crap beat out of him this year. We keep doing that to him, year in and year out, and he's going to get hurt eventually and if we don't have Jackson on the squad, we might as well flush the season in the division we play in.