Seattle is dead last in OL spending

I see what PC/JS were going for with this approach; you have to save somewhere. I'll wait for Ifedi to get back before I make any determinations as to the OL, but I find serious fault with expecting Bradley Sowell to anchor the LT spot. He shouldn't be asked to do that because he isn't capable of it.

The cold hard facts: Seattle ranks 32/32 in OL spending, coming in at under $1M per player and just 5.83% of our total cap.

http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/positional/offensive-line/

Y'all hated the OL when it was expensive, too.

MontanaHawk05":209vorl9 said:

Y'all hated the OL when it was expensive, too.

Click to expand...

We had no frame of reference of how bad it could be.

We've known this for quite some time. Did you just find out, or delayed reaction due to depressing loss?

We all know the line stinks.

So the question for the people who want more cap space dedicated to it is simple..............what players do you cut to open cap space. Bennett? Kam? Shouldn't have given Doug more money? Graham?

To be fair to this conversation, there's a difference between spending FA money on the line and using draft picks for the line. Of which we've done, a LOT. Just hasn't worked out in most cases. But attention IS being given to the line, just in picks not FA's.

Seymour":3a2rdhee said:

We've known this for quite some time. Did you just find out, or delayed reaction due to depressing loss?

Click to expand...

It has never been this severe before. Even last year Seattle spent 8.59% of the total cap on OL. It is down ~30% from last year. It is a recurring problem that has been made worse.

mrt144":jv9e3ioi said:

MontanaHawk05":jv9e3ioi said:

Y'all hated the OL when it was expensive, too.

Click to expand...

We had no frame of reference of how bad it could be.

Click to expand...

Eh. If I'd said "It could be a lot worse" back then, I'd have been laughed off the toilet.

Besides, mediocre offensive lines have appeared in and won Super Bowls before. Colts, Steelers, Packers, Cardinals, 2013 Seahawks. It happens more often than you think.

Sgt. Largent":e9hy9lp6 said:

We all know the line stinks.

So the question for the people who want more cap space dedicated to it is simple..............what players do you cut to open cap space. Bennett? Kam? Shouldn't have given Doug more money? Graham?

To be fair to this conversation, there's a difference between spending FA money on the line and using draft picks for the line. Of which we've done, a LOT. Just hasn't worked out in most cases. But attention IS being given to the line, just in picks not FA's.

Click to expand...

Why hasn't it worked out in most cases, to the point that anyone who is at least average is too expensive to pay by our own standards but seemingly play well in their new home at whatever salary they earn. What could be the cause of that?

MontanaHawk05":2l7ivvjd said:

mrt144":2l7ivvjd said:

MontanaHawk05":2l7ivvjd said:

Y'all hated the OL when it was expensive, too.

Click to expand...

We had no frame of reference of how bad it could be.

Click to expand...

Eh. If I'd said "It could be a lot worse" back then, I'd have been laughed off the toilet.

Besides, mediocre offensive lines have appeared in and won Super Bowls before. Colts, Steelers, Packers, Cardinals, 2013 Seahawks. It happens more often than you think.

Click to expand...

In 2013 Seattle had the highest paid line in Football. In 2014 that fell to 11th, but still above average.

mrt144":2pqkkvpn said:

Sgt. Largent":2pqkkvpn said:

We all know the line stinks.

So the question for the people who want more cap space dedicated to it is simple..............what players do you cut to open cap space. Bennett? Kam? Shouldn't have given Doug more money? Graham?

To be fair to this conversation, there's a difference between spending FA money on the line and using draft picks for the line. Of which we've done, a LOT. Just hasn't worked out in most cases. But attention IS being given to the line, just in picks not FA's.

Click to expand...

Why hasn't it worked out in most cases, to the point that anyone who is at least average is too expensive to pay by our own standards but seemingly play well in their new home at whatever salary they earn. What could be the cause of that?

Click to expand...

They played well here didn't they? I mean Okung, Sweezy, Breno and even Carp were good to above average lineman. But our GM and coach have decided to not give out those expensive 2nd contracts, even to good lineman so that they can spend money elsewhere.

Hard to argue that philosophy cause this team's been good, even great..............but damn is it hard to watch Russell get killed year after year waiting for the line to get their crap together.

CodeWarrior":mq84oxlr said:

Seymour":mq84oxlr said:

We've known this for quite some time. Did you just find out, or delayed reaction due to depressing loss?

Click to expand...

It has never been this severe before. Even last year Seattle spent 8.59% of the total cap on OL. It is down ~30% from last year. It is a recurring problem that has been made worse.

Click to expand...

No question about it, but the teams "success" converting guys to play oline and making due with other teams scrubs and our own poor drafting has been mitigated with Mr Wheels at QB, a strong run game, and top 3 D. So they figured they could get by with scrubs one more year to keep the guys they wanted as "core players".
Now we are stuck, and quite possibly screwed. As the Oline fails, and guys like Kam and even Earl start to falter, plenty more hand wringing will be cropping up...so hold on!

Sgt. Largent":mdap359l said:

mrt144":mdap359l said:

Sgt. Largent":mdap359l said:

We all know the line stinks.

So the question for the people who want more cap space dedicated to it is simple..............what players do you cut to open cap space. Bennett? Kam? Shouldn't have given Doug more money? Graham?

To be fair to this conversation, there's a difference between spending FA money on the line and using draft picks for the line. Of which we've done, a LOT. Just hasn't worked out in most cases. But attention IS being given to the line, just in picks not FA's.

Click to expand...

Why hasn't it worked out in most cases, to the point that anyone who is at least average is too expensive to pay by our own standards but seemingly play well in their new home at whatever salary they earn. What could be the cause of that?

Click to expand...

They played well here didn't they? I mean Okung, Sweezy, Breno and even Carp were good to above average lineman. But our GM and coach have decided to not give out those expensive 2nd contracts, even to good lineman so that they can spend money elsewhere.

Hard to argue that philosophy cause this team's been good, even great..............but damn is it hard to watch Russell get killed year after year waiting for the line to get their crap together.

Click to expand...

I think I've said this over a dozen times

Seattle has linemen that wind up too good to stick around due to salary constraints but not good enough to be touted as anything other than above average on their best day. Seeing Ryan Fitzpatrick and Matt Forte put up that mess of points makes me jealous they have Carp and Breno EVEN IF I KNOW IN MY HEART OF HEARTS I SHOULD NEVER BE JEALOUS OF FITZY ANYTHING EVER.

CodeWarrior":2fz8hxig said:

MontanaHawk05":2fz8hxig said:

mrt144":2fz8hxig said:

MontanaHawk05":2fz8hxig said:

Y'all hated the OL when it was expensive, too.

Click to expand...

We had no frame of reference of how bad it could be.

Click to expand...

Eh. If I'd said "It could be a lot worse" back then, I'd have been laughed off the toilet.

Besides, mediocre offensive lines have appeared in and won Super Bowls before. Colts, Steelers, Packers, Cardinals, 2013 Seahawks. It happens more often than you think.

Click to expand...

In 2013 Seattle had the highest paid line in Football. In 2014 that fell to 11th, but still above average.

Click to expand...

People were griping about the OL in 2013, in 2014, and pretty much every year since 2005.

MontanaHawk05":2oi3ysum said:

People were griping about the OL in 2013, in 2014, and pretty much every year since 2005.

Click to expand...

It's part and parcel with being an NFL fan, innit? But it's hard to deny that we have hit rock bottom. Although I say that and who knows, maybe it will be even worse next year.

CodeWarrior":y61oiahp said:

MontanaHawk05":y61oiahp said:

mrt144":y61oiahp said:

MontanaHawk05":y61oiahp said:

Y'all hated the OL when it was expensive, too.

Click to expand...

We had no frame of reference of how bad it could be.

Click to expand...

Eh. If I'd said "It could be a lot worse" back then, I'd have been laughed off the toilet.

Besides, mediocre offensive lines have appeared in and won Super Bowls before. Colts, Steelers, Packers, Cardinals, 2013 Seahawks. It happens more often than you think.

Click to expand...

In 2013 Seattle had the highest paid line in Football. In 2014 that fell to 11th, but still above average.

Click to expand...

Exactly! And when you compare spending on oline, to the teams record and success each year, you will see exactly what the stronger oline advocates have been saying. Our success has been directly proportional to the spending ie (experience) on the oline. Obviously not a sure thing, but a strong indicator for sure.

The starting OL played extremely well in 2013.

Of course, they struggled mightily when McQuistan and Bowie were filling in at Tackle. Russ injured his shoulder during that stretch. That said, the starters were healthy for the playoffs and we rode them to a championship. Zero chance we beat SF in the NFCCG with McQuistan (or a Sowell) at LT. While I'm sure many will harp on how "injury prone" the starters were, at least we could count on them to be back at some point. You don't get that optimism when the bargain basement guys are your default starters.

MontanaHawk05":33ywjpzv said:

People were griping about the OL in 2013, in 2014, and pretty much every year since 2005.

Click to expand...

Ignore that. Besides, It's McQ's fault and I'm pretty sure he's a step child.

A power running team with a bargain basement OL is incongruous.

This stat also vindicates Cable; he isn't given sufficient resources to work with. This team has zero respect for continuity on the OL. Who is the anchor? There isn't one. If I had to pick I'd say Britt, and that's a joke.

Seymour":3jm82w88 said:

MontanaHawk05":3jm82w88 said:

People were griping about the OL in 2013, in 2014, and pretty much every year since 2005.

Click to expand...

Ignore that. Besides, It's McQ's fault and I'm pretty sure he's a step child.

Click to expand...

Pretty sure thats Rocky Dennison.