Okung in a walking boot

[hawknation2014]

Ray Roberts missed two games in 1994. So from 1994-2009, the Seahawks starting LT missed only 19 games.

Russell Okung has missed 18 games from 2010-2013.

That's certainly not all of Seahawks history, but it is significant that Okung has missed the same number of games in four years that the previous starting LTs missed in the previous 16 years. That's why Walter Jones is arguably the greatest LT of all time. Consistency and durability. Okung has a lot to live up to.

 

[hawknation2014]

Exaggerate much? okung is a pro-bowler.

In Okung's short tenure with the Hawks he has already missed more games due to injury than every other LT in Hawks history COMBINED. So no, I tend to think Dom is dead on.

In Hawks history? Combined? LOL. That's obviously a HUGE exaggeration.

The starting LT in 2009 missed six games. The year before that, Walter Jones missed four games with his season-ending knee injury. We were lucky to have Jones for 12 seasons, who missed just 11 games in his career. That's 17 total regular season games missed between those two players. Okung has missed one game more than that. I'm assuming in the 20 preceding years of Hawks history that more than one game was missed by a starting LT.

17 games were missed between Jones (1997-2008) and Locklear (2009). Are you saying no games were missed by the starting LT from 1976-1996?

Jones only missed 8, not 11.

His NFL.com bio says he missed 12 games, so maybe we are both wrong.

http://www.nfl.com/player/walterjones/2501526/profile

 

[SalishHawkFan]

That depends on how you count games missed due to injury. If he never came back from the injury, I consider his career to have ended right there. You don't keep counting games missed at that point because Locklear was the starter from then on.

 

[BlueTalon]

Guys, this is a very silly -- arguing about the precise number of games missed by Seahawk LTs to determine whether a bit of hyperbole is true or not? Who the hell cares?

Let's find out the particulars of Okung's walking boot before we consider throwing his Seahawks career on the trash heap.

 

[hawknation2014]

That depends on how you count games missed due to injury. If he never came back from the injury, I consider his career to have ended right there. You don't keep counting games missed at that point because Locklear was the starter from then on.

OK, I understand now. I would count those games because he was the starter that season, and only missed those games due to injury. Had he not been injured, he would have started those games that season. Also, he tried to play again in 2009, but was placed on injured reserve, and he did not announce his retirement until 2010. There were other games he missed for non-injury decisions, so admittedly there are different ways to count those.

Even so, there have been many other missed games by LTs when looking at the entire history of the franchise. Andy Heck missed seven games alone during his rookie season.

 

[Happypuppy]

The fact is he is brittle and we lack depth on the offensive line. We need to draft and hit on some lineman

 

[Smoke]

Let's draft some tackles. Let's plan for okung to miss 4-6 game a year. Let's have better OT prospects than backup guards.

 

[Hawks46]

We all know Okung misses a lot of games. I'd just like to see a viable plan for a backup, knowing Okung will likely miss some games.

I honestly think we're remiss in this area due to Wilson's elite mobility. Even with McQuistan in there, Wilson still managed to look pretty decent dodging guys and making plays. I just think it's Russian Roulette: at some point, Wilson is not going to get up from one of those hits.

 

[LudwigsDrummer]

Okung is one of the highest paid players on this team. He held out as a rook for top dollar. Based upon his injury history we are not getting our moneys worth.
IIRC, he made over $1 million for every non preseason game played last year.
I would rather have a journeyman LT that is RELIABLE if he could play at 90% of Okung's effectiveness for a savings of $3-$4 million per year to help sign Malcom, or Bobby, or KJ, or Maxwell as examples.

In other words, I value a LT with a little less ability that can play for a full season over a top 5 LT that will play 10 games a year for you.

 

[SoulfishHawk]

It's April 7th. Go Hawks

 

[Evil_Shenanigans]

Pete made him do it so he wouldn't go running with the La Toro's in Pamplona this year.

 

[hawksfansinceday1]

Okung is one of the highest paid players on this team. He held out as a rook for top dollar. Based upon his injury history we are not getting our moneys worth.
IIRC, he made over $1 million for every non preseason game played last year.
I would rather have a journeyman LT that is RELIABLE if he could play at 90% of Okung's effectiveness for a savings of $3-$4 million per year to help sign Malcom, or Bobby, or KJ, or Maxwell as examples.

In other words, I value a LT with a little less ability that can play for a full season over a top 5 LT that will play 10 games a year for you.

This is a good post and I agree. And yes, I know it's early April, but the discussion of Okung's injury issues is relevant no matter the time of year IMO.

Pete made him do it so he wouldn't go running with the La Toro's in Pamplona this year.

:th2thumbs:

 

[onanygivensunday]

The more we discuss the offensive line, the more convinced I am that Pete and John see it as their area of the least competition... and thus, their focus of the upcoming draft.

I wouldn't be surprised to see us draft a Tackle in round 1 and a Guard in round 2.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

Let's find out the particulars of Okung's walking boot before we consider throwing his Seahawks career on the trash heap.

I agree, but the fact that nothing's been said for days now since he was seen in the boot is troubling. Usually Pete's quick with the PR statement for player injuries.

The good news is it's only April 7th, the bad news is this is a guy with chronic foot/toe issues.

 

[HawkinNY]

If it's only 1 toe why not cut it off. One would think the problem would then be solved.

 

[hawknation2014]

Okung is one of the highest paid players on this team. He held out as a rook for top dollar. Based upon his injury history we are not getting our moneys worth.
IIRC, he made over $1 million for every non preseason game played last year.
I would rather have a journeyman LT that is RELIABLE if he could play at 90% of Okung's effectiveness for a savings of $3-$4 million per year to help sign Malcom, or Bobby, or KJ, or Maxwell as examples.

In other words, I value a LT with a little less ability that can play for a full season over a top 5 LT that will play 10 games a year for you.

That's fine . . . but we likely do not win the NFC Championship with a lesser LT.

 

[Snakeeyes007]

I was genuinely excited when I read the news of Okung in a walking boot last night. I was excited because I believe it indicates the he had surgery to repair the problem. To say Okung has had a rough start to his NFL career from an injury perspective is a massive understatement.

It's 'massive' because contrary to what some believe, he is not a historically injury prone player. Becoming the starting left tackle at Oklahoma State while a freshman, Okung started 47 consecutive games in a row.

Having met the man, and getting some insight into how hard he works, my sincerest hope is that this rash of freak injuries is behind him. The injuries that have kept him out the longest haven't been durability injuries: the Trent Cole injury was from a dirty play, and his foot injury was a phantom one - with no one around him when it happened.

Get healthy, Big Russ! (from his b-day last year)

 

[Throwdown]

They were right, you don't wanna be the guy that follows a legend.

 

[3Girls'HawkDad]

Walking a boot town?

Sincerely,
Canadia

 

[hawksfansinceday1]

I was genuinely excited when I read the news of Okung in a walking boot last night. I was excited because I believe it indicates the he had surgery to repair the problem. To say Okung has had a rough start to his NFL career from an injury perspective is a massive understatement.

It's 'massive' because contrary to what some believe, he is not a historically injury prone player. Becoming the starting left tackle at Oklahoma State while a freshman, Okung started 47 consecutive games in a row.

Having met the man, and getting some insight into how hard he works, my sincerest hope is that this rash of freak injuries is behind him. The injuries that have kept him out the longest haven't been durability injuries: the Trent Cole injury was from a dirty play, and his foot injury was a phantom one - with no one around him when it happened.

Get healthy, Big Russ! (from his b-day last year)

Completely agree that the Cole play was dirty as shit.
I think we all would LOVE to see big Russ stay healthy. No one really ever questions his performance much, even though he followed one of the two greatest LTs of all-time (Munoz). Just really want to see him start "47 consecutive games" for the Seahawks.