Change? Why? This offensive line is growing into a formidable group
The Seahawks have an accomplished offensive line.
Yes, that is true, despite arguments to the contrary. Only San Francisco and the New York Giants ranked higher in the run game last year according to Football Outsiders. They were ranked #2 in second level blocking, had more success in a ‘power’ formation than any other team barring New Orleans and had the least number of stuffed runs in the NFL.
For a team that wants to run the ball as much as the Seahawks (nobody ran more often in 2012) that’s some impressive work.
Against the pass they were average, giving up 33 sacks (middle of the road). The official ranking according to FO is #20 in the league. I’m not trying to pick and choose my stats here, but considering the Raiders were ranked #4 for pass protection, Detroit 1st and San Francisco 29th (!!!) I’m not too concerned to see Seattle at #20. This is a run first team, just like the 49ers. And they run block as well as any O-line in the league.
I take some comfort seeing the Giants ranked #2 for the run and #3 in pass protection — giving up the least amount of sacks. This isn’t a team that has pushed a ton of stock (money and picks) into their line. They’ve relied on consistency and familiarity. True, they just spent a first round pick on Justin Pugh. A lot of teams ranked him near the top of their boards. If it wasn’t New York, it was probably Chicago. And many feel the time is right for the Giants to recharge their O-line. But the point stands. They built a rapport, and used it as the foundation for two title runs.
And so it will be for the Seahawks.
For the first time since Seattle’s only Super Bowl run, there’s a level of consistency up front. Do not underestimate that. It is, for me, the most important part of any offensive line. You can pump as many high draft picks into a line as you want. Eventually, you have to stick with five guys. And those five have to work as one. Sure, talent matters. Of course it does. But the Seahawks aren’t lacking talent. They have Pro-Bowlers at left tackle and center — the two premium positions. The numbers above prove as a group they’re a productive bunch, especially in the run game. A lot of that is down to familiarity.
“We’re able to just kind of plug in where we left off. Then the newness and the new things we want to add to it, we’ll put some focus to that. But it’s really been pretty good how they’ve competed just to bring it back with them. It’s made it a lot easier for us.”
The quote above is from Tom Cable, speaking to Seahawks.com after the players reported for a recent off-season workout. No learning curve. No time consuming lessons and basics. Just get out there and play. Perfect. Just what you want to see at this time of year.
The starting line during those workouts was Okung-McQuistan-Unger-Sweezy-Giacomini. John Moffitt, James Carpenter, Lemuel Jeanpierre, Rishaw Johnson and Mike Person were named as the backups.
We’ve had many debates about the offensive line this off-season. Some wanted to invest even more draft stock into this area of the team. Others had a different take. The simple fact is the Seahawks didn’t spend high on the offensive line in this draft. They drafted three guys in round seven. One of those guys played defensive tackle in college. These were three guys they weren’t sure they could sign in UDFA. Here’s what that tells me:
1 – The Seahawks are content with their starting lineman.
2 – The Seahawks are comfortable with their scouting/coaching and probably don’t feel they need to ‘go big’ on this unit going forward.
3 – The Seahawks are happy to draft players who fit a certain physical criteria, then let Cable get to work.
I’m not trying to argue we won’t see another first or second round pick spent on the offensive line any time soon. Why would you rule anything out? You never know what’ll happen. But if the offensive continues on it’s current trajectory, I think they’ll be more than happy to put their faith in Cable’s vision.
And that’s essentially what we’re seeing here. Players hand picked by Tom Cable. Guys he knows will fit his scheme. Fit his attitude. Fit the identity of this squad. They don’t need high picks. They just need to be Cable’s guys.
That’s why you pay someone like Cable to run your offensive line and running game. You trust him. Other teams don’t have a Cable. Seattle is fortunate in that regard. It’s already paid dividends.
Ryan Seymour, Jared Smith and Michael Bowie are the latest trio to pass the Cable eye test. And they might stick on the team and eventually start like Sweezy. They may provide solid depth. Or maybe they’ll end up on the practise squad or worse. Either way, I suspect that is how this team is going to move forward. Looking for the rough diamond to compliment and compete with a consistent group of starters.
A lot of people have talked about Breno Giacomini being out of contract next year or the possibility of cutting the relatively expensive Paul McQuistan. You could make a saving by replacing both with second or even first round salaries. If those guys are going to be replaced, I’d put money on it not being another high pick unless it’s a guy you just have to get. No, I’d throw my cash behind it being another problem Cable can solve. That seems to be the degree of faith they have in his judgement and coaching. Clearly.
And hey, I wouldn’t rule out Giacomini and McQuistan receiving extensions. Yes, this is about cost effective football. Saving money where you can, playing the rookie market well. But this front office also rewards players who deserve it. They could’ve let Kam Chancellor walk in a year, receive a decent compensatory pick and tried to replace him with another cheap rookie. They didn’t. They paid the man. Same for Chris Clemons, who was rightly rewarded despite the first round pick spent on Bruce Irvin last year. Max Unger, Red Bryant and Brandon Mebane were paid. If Giacomini and McQuistan deliver, they’ll probably stick around. Why not? You find a way to make it work.
Are there improvements to be made? Sure. Russell Wilson will learn to turn a blitz into a major positive instead of a reason to worry. Teams rarely blitz the greats because a guy like Peyton Manning knows how to exploit it. Wilson will get there eventually. So the heart attack protection witnessed against teams like Arizona (week 1), St. Louis (week 17) and Washington (Wild Card) should become a thing of the past. For the most part it’s just little tweaks and further experience. And anyone seriously worried about the pass protection should go back and watch the tape from last year. A who’s-who of elite NFL pass rushers were shut out. Don’t forget that.
An effective offensive line is all about knowing how to act as a cohesive unit. So don’t expect any major changes or high investment over the next few years. That’s already taken place. Alex Gibbs, Cable, Okung, extending Unger, Carpenter. Now they’re putting their trust in Cable to keep this line at the top of the game.
love this article!!!
Every new rookie body you add you’re probably looking at one season at least to really get up to speed together and in sync. Perhaps a little less for a vet, but no guarantee for that. (Remember Mike Wahle?)
I think Wahle was just D.O.A.– Done On Arrival.
I’d have to think that outside of LT, you’re probably spot on here. Particularly if you consider the outstanding talent and depth of the OL class this year — coupled with perceived need at RT and at the very least — very real cap savings potential at RT. Seattle still traded out and subsequently ignored the position altogether in order to acquire zero players that one would consider likely day one starters.
From what we know of how Seattle drafts, they grade based on how the prospects compare to existing players. It would follow, that a 2nd/3rd string back and a rotational 3 tech prospect would not have graded more valuable than a starter replacement at RG/RT or LG.
At 56, we traded down to get picks. At the tail end of R2, with the likes of Terron Armstead, Dallas Thomas, Hugh Thornton and Brennan Williams — all prospects that I thought would generate interest in Seattle if there was any to be had — we opted for Michael instead. We even passed by Williams a second time to take Hill.
I have to say the proof of the pudding is in the eating. And in this case, I don’t see any alternative conclusion other than Seattle does not view the OL as needing upgrades at all. Even less than part time/depth/nonstarters at other positions.
It’s sure to continue to infuriate many fans. Mainly because fans like to think they understand the solutions to what they perceive as needs. The approach of taking a bunch of players we never heard of — or guys that didn’t even play offense at all — leaves us in a state of incomprehension. We simply cannot see or appreciate the value of developing talent long term.
And yet, the proof is easy to recognize. Seattle is going to churn a quantity of development projects going forward. We’re going to get value from the back half, because we have the talent on the development side to make them into more than the nobodies that came to us.
The early round picks — those are essentially like a bag of cookies you buy from the store. Like children — we see that as yummy and desirable. We can see them for what they are and we covet what we understand. But instead of coming from the draft store with a bunch of finished goods, we’re coming back with a bag of flour and sugar and baking soda. We aren’t going to want to eat those as is. But in the hand of a skilled baker — they turn out super tasty and for a fraction of the cost.
Love the cookie analogy, and the Seahawks clearly have some of the best bakers in the business.
I know this might be like comparing apples to oranges because of the zone blocking scheme, but do you think this O-line is better than the 2005 line with Walter Jones, Steve Hutchinson, Sean Locklear, Chris Spencer, Robbie Tobeck, Floyd “Pork Chop” Womack, Ray Willis, and others?
I’d struggle to say it’s better. In that list you have a sure-fire Hall of Famer and a possible Hall of famer who both played at a supreme elite level, paving the way for a record breaking running back performance while keeping clean a QB who didn’t have a great deal of mobility (to put it mildly). Seattle’s 2005 line was instrumental in the team making a Super Bowl. I don’t think there’s that same reliance on this unit, and there doesn’t have to be.
Yeah. The 2005 line probably had the best left side in NFL history. I mean, I just can’t think of a better guard-tackle duo than Walter Jones and Steve Hutchinson at or near their primes. Ruskell was foolish to let Hutch walk, but I digress. When you add in Tobeck, who is right up there as the best center in Seahawks history (Unger will surely challenge that assessment), with Gray and Locklear on the right side, it was an elite line. But like Rob said, the line was asked to do a lot more.
This line is asked to focus primarily on the run. I really don’t know how Cable handles his coaching on pass-blocking, to be honest with you. But while the pass protection broke down at times last year, it was thoroughly made up for by elite and I mean ELITE run-blocking. Russell Okung is also one of the best all-around left tackles in the game and while Giac may not be known for his pass-blocking and struggled against the Rams in Week 17, he did hold Mario Williams to zero sacks. That’s pretty impressive.
This was a great article. I was just thinking recently about how the continuity on this line is really the most important thing. Sure we can nitpick and say we wish Sweezy and Giac were more elite pass protectors. HOWEVER, instead of nitpicking we should embrace the importance of what we already have: an offensive line gifted with continuity and experience playing together from previous seasons. This O-line has learned to play with each other and can do some great things. The best part is they will only continue to get better!
I once read a quote from one NFL offensive lineman (I forget who it was), but he said he hated when GMs signed or drafted new offensive linemen to replace his O-Line teammates. He thought the problem with bad o-lines is not the personnel so much, but rather the lack of continuity in terms of experience and rapport between linemen.
We can nitpick all we want with this team. But at the end of they day we have an elite team from just about every aspect. This upcoming season is going to be bone chilling.
I don’t think it necessarily matters. That O Line in 2005 was outstanding. I wouldn’t say we’re better at all. But ultimately, it was largely a luxury.
Also, you’re right, it’s not directly comparable. That 2005 unit was a man blocking unit in the traditional sense. Our line is a ZBS setup. The value of that scheme, is that you get comparable value out of lesser parts.
Building a roster is often a zero sum exercise. And nothing could have exemplified that more, than losing Hutch in UFA. San Francisco is just now entering the ‘pay the piper’ stage for their super talented OL. The salaries they are putting out are going to force their hands and cost them players elsewhere on their roster.
You can’t pay everyone top salaries. SF is choosing to keep their talented OL at top dollar. That will result in losses elsewhere. The fact that we can both pay our OL less — and also use ultra cheap throwaway picks to keep the roster conveyor belt constantly flush with talent — is in and of itself good for the roster as a whole.
Think of it this way. We don’t need the best OL to get good play. And that advantage allows us to keep the best secondary in the league intact. And will also allow us to seamlessly extend our franchise QB indefinitely.
That’s an interesting ?
If Carp plays up to his potential at LG, or even as a top 8 LG, could Okung, Carp, and Unger form a better 3/5 sum? Sweezy is a preternatural physical talent for pulling… we might be able to run left better than any line in the history of the NFL…
Everyone forgets that Chris Gray was the starter at RG and the 2005 OL made Alexander a star. The leaving of Hutchinson dropped us out of the Superbowl to the NFC Championship in 2006 and then the next year it was the retirement of Tobeck and Gray that started the slide into obscurity.
One other thing I’d add here (not in the piece)… Alex Gibbs always believed he could plug guys into his system. Any guy who fit a basic physical credential. Cable and Carroll are Gibbs disciples.
He also firmly believed that it took a good season and a half in the system to be fully functional in the system. It’s probably worth understanding, the reality that unless a prospect played in the system in college — most of that talent and value you see in college is not going to resemble how that lineman is going to look in the pros. Certainly there is a set of characteristics that make one good for the ZBS. But those generally aren’t the kinds of tools that make prospects top rated in the eyes of the NFL as a whole. Getting a top rating as an OL prospect can easily be the result of being good at a system that we don’t run, with talents that don’t translate either.
I expect that will mean Seattle is going to be extra choosy when/if they consider an OL prospect early. He’d have to be someone with awesome talents in the areas we want from our guys.
Off topic, but I love that top picture of Breno and Sweezy.
Regarding the Oline moving forward, I’m more than fine with the starters and depth we have now. In fact, im glad they are letting the position battles play themseleves out, however, they still have to prove they have the talent to justify sticking with them for the sake of consistency versus upgrading with a high draft pick at the risk of breaking up that consistency.
Carp, Moffitt, Sweezy, and the rooks have a long ways to go still, IMO, to do that. This is their make or break year in securing a starting spot. We can’t keep going back and forth mixing in Sweezy and Moffitt at RG, hoping the upside Sweezy eventually figures it out enough to win the starting job.
The centerpiece of the Seahawks universe to me is Carpenter. He gets a real advantage to line up between Ung and Ung. This should give him the opportunity to spearhead a vicious offensive onslaught that teams will not be prepared for, even if they played the ‘Hawks last year. And this posse of running backs will make him look like an All Pro.
If he has a great year, he will be in line for an extension as 2014 is the final year of his rookie deal. This may be where it becomes too expensive to re-up Giacomini and/or McQuistan, especially if they’ve found some diamonds in these o-line prospects.
It would be a tremendous competitive advantage not to worry about the o-line with high draft picks in the next few years. With the guys they’ve brought in, they might be able to say that about even more positions.
Okung had such a good season, that we have almost forgotten that his first two years were wiped out by injury. He showed his talent briefly, as against Peppers and the Bears, but it was not until this past year that he rose to the top. I hope it will be the same for Carpenter. He has overwhelming talent for an OG, can absolutely blow anyone off the line, as he briefly showed flashes between the sick list; but like Okung, his first two seasons were basically lost. If these two guys, playing side-by-side, stay healthy, they will be provide the perfect balance and be absolutely dominant.
On ESPN’s NFC West blog:
“Note that the Seahawks could consider making a roster move involving Greg Scruggs. The defensive lineman suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament before the draft. He’s undergoing surgery this week and could miss the 2013 season.”
Is this news only to me?
How is it that none of the local reporters have picked up on this? Sando doesn’t make a mistake of this sort, it must be true; but first I’ve heard of it. It surely makes the drafting of Jordan Hill, and the acquisition of Michael Bennett, that much more crucial. An ACL in April is almost certainly a lost season. There was going to be at least one odd-man-out on the DL among Mebane, Bryant, McDaniel, McDonald, Bennett, Scruggs, Howard, Hill and Williams. I guess it is Scruggs by default.
Unfortunately, news about Greg Scruggs is confirmed by Prof Clayton.
Strange… Carpenter’s ACL was from non-contact work as well.
The amount of momentum they generate even just training or running through drills places an enormous strain. Sadly, this particular injury happens far too frequently.
One of the more interesting conversations I had in the last few years was with a former OSU Wr/NFL Wr and current NASM core trainer (Personal Trainer). He contended that when you see a rash of specific-like injuries occur, they are a result of substance and or training modalities du jour.
The run on patellar injuries the last few years was thought to be related to HGH use. Maybe the ACL can’t handle Deer Antler Spray or something I don’t know. What I do recall was in conversations I had with the Chief Pharmacologist of the US Olympic Team who was in charge of testing was that, it was an “ongoing challenge” to devise tests to catch those uses of new products developed to avoid testing.
Couple the above with training routines where most everybody has a trendy trainer with a new technique without long term outcome data, then overlay it all on relative short careers, you get a lot of questions and few answers.
Actually, when you think way back to Seahawk Curt Warner, last year’s RGIII and Chris Clemons the common denominator there was the playing surface. I don’t discount that HGH or other performance enhancers might also play a role but I think ACL tears are a conglomeration of factors. Genetic predisposition may play a role, age probably contributes, clearly being 300 pounds might contribute to the risk as well. If you could figure out how to get rid of concussions and ACL tears, the NFL would be a much safer place to work.
I wish there was a third option between forcing picks on the o-line (ala James Carpenter) and avoiding high picks on the o-line. Namely to draft o-line when it offers the best player available. Had we held on to the pick and Warmack or Cooper somehow fallen to us, I would hope we would pick them.
Barring that outlandish scenario, though, I agree.
I think it was Homer Simpson who said, “if you back a truck full of money up to my door, I’m not made of stone, okay?”
Actually it was Krusty the Klown
Ahh, true, I get my Homers confused, thanks.
Dang, the Scruggs injury really bums me out. I really thought he was in line for a good season, but I guess that will have to wait another year.
It’s a good reminder of why you bring in 2-3 guys for every spot on the team if possible. Sadly there are a few guys who would offer a much bigger drop off to he team if they get dinged up (knock on wood).
I’ve been singing about Tom Cable the day we signed him. He worked wonders with the Oakland Raiders OL that got them to 8-8 his first year as the Head Coach, all due to a rushing attack. Then he was fired by Al Davis and Pete clearly seeing his potential snagged him off the market immediately. We didn’t just make him a OL coach but he’s also the Assistant Head Coach.
This line this year is going to get better. Carpenter, I always thought should have never been moved to T he was so much better at G in his junior year in college and showed dominance at that position then but due to injuries was moved to ROT by Alabama. It really comes down to can he stay healthy.
I am really looking forward to seeing Sweezey this year with a year under his belt after not only changing positions but also the change from defense to offense.
This OL doesn’t have problems with the basic rush, its the blitzs package that they’ve been having troubles with and I believe this year there going to take care of that. In my mock draft I only drafted a 1 OL, Marquardts from a smaller college knowing that he wouldn’t start but would need some coaching so I not really surprised with what Seattle did with the OL in the draft this year.
I’m an Alabama alum, and I believe you are confusing James Carpenter with DJ Fluker, who did play OG initially and then was moved to ROT. Fluker just went in the first round this year. Carpenter was a junior college guy who had played LOT his entire career. He came to Bama after his soph season, and started at LOT immediately upon arrival and started there his full two years. He played exceptionally well and won a national championship. Although he handled the SEC speed rushers just fine, he was never thought to have the athleticism of an Okung, and was projected at ROT, where the Seahawks drafted him. Carpenter really struggled with moving from the left to the right side of the line and was thrown in to start before he had adjusted. He did not show the feet to play ROT, although I believe with an off-season he probably could adjust just fine. However, due to Carpenter’s incredible strength, Cable recognized a pro bowl caliber LOG and moved him there. He was already beginning to dominate when he tore his ACL in a non contact practice. If he can stay healthy, he will be an elite LOG alongside Okung.
Couple of thoughts…I remember reading somewhere that the superior athletes in the big uglies category (ie OL & DL) tender to play defense so I love the idea of converting some of these better athletes (Sweezy & the Fat Rabbit) to play OL. Seems like the Hawks are thinking ahead of the league here (like with their now en vogue big corner strategy). Especially like this strategy because of the teaching ability of Cable (also he won’t have to break bad habits guys playing man might develop) and because ZBS requires better movement/2nd level skills and that’s what we’re getting with these converts. 2nd thought is I think one thing that is overlooked about Pete Caroll is his management style – he recruits guys like Cable and John Schneider and then let’s them use their strengths without meddling overly much…I think some head coaches are or become control freaks and end up stifling the talent around them. Pete is the opposite. I like it.
Yep, they need to keep coming up with ingenious strategies with 2-3 teams hiring Seahawks coaches/management away every year plus all the teams that are watching every guy Schneider is interested in. He can’t keep finding 5+/- contributors in the draft every year and not have failing or even successful teams take notice. I honestly think the ‘Hawks success with the run last year was one of the primary reasons for the run on offensive linemen at the top of the draft. They are all thinking build up the foundation of the offense and hope to get lucky finding some talent at QB at some point in the draft.
It will be very interesting to see who gets the nod at the guard spots. I think we all hope that Carpenter can reach his potential (which in my opinion is as high as being the best run blocking guard in the NFL) but it may not happen because of health or attitude or any number of things. But assuming he gets a chance to start at LG, my preference would actually be to see McQuistan win the job at RG, unless someone else is obviously just killing it. I really like his quiet veteran leadership, and my impression is that he is well-respected. I think there is a lot of value in having the savvy vet on the field out there as long as hes still performing
I like McQuistan too, and not just for his veteran leadership; he’s one of the more versatile OLs in the League. Nonetheless, Sweezy is a MUCH better athlete, and really started to shine at ROG towards the end of last season. He should earn the starting job again.
Yeah, the future is all about Sweezy with Moffitt becoming consistent enough to be a good backup. McQ is a big guy who understands and plays well in Cable’s version of the ZBS, but he doesn’t have Pro Bowl/All Pro potential like Sweezy does. Plus undrafted guys playing through the full length of their 1st contracts are extremely efficient in terms of bang for the buck. They are what will allow the team to keep more superstars at the cost of 2nd contract replacement level guys. Backup offensive linemen should never be in the top 15-20 salaries on the team. Ideally, these roles should always be filled by young guys with low contracts and high ceilings.
nice article. two responses
1. You do appear to be picking your stats from 1 established website that supports your argument, but ignoring evaluations from another prominent website that ranks the Seattle O line as 20th in the league. That’s not to say things can’t improve, but the fact remains there is a universe of data contrary to your point that you routinely leave out of the discussion. Pro football focus has Seattle ranked in the lower 3rd of the league.
Why the difference between the two measures? , well, here’s a crucial difference between Football outsiders (which I like) offensive line evaluations, especially as it pertains to Seattle and Marshawn Lynch:
“However, it is important to understand that these ratings only somewhat separate the offensive line from the running backs. A team with a very good running back will appear higher no matter how bad their line, and a team with a great line with appear lower if the running back is terrible.”
PFF (which I also like) doesn’t have this methodological issue, and therefore, including it in your assessment would improve the strength of your assessment. They evaluate each individual player and play, individually-they look at assignment as best as possible. Their assessment is summarized as follows-
” The Seahawks have two extremely talented players in Unger and Russell Okung. The rest? Not so much. Not yet anyway. As was to be expected, J.R. Sweezy has some rough moments in his conversion to offensive lineman as the Seahawks really struggled to get much production out of the right guard spot. Some natural development in their young guys could see this change very quickly.”
That, along with most of their other team evaluations, passes the ‘eye test’.
2. You make an argument of Cable that is at cross purposes. On the 1 hand, Cable is able to turn late round picks into starters- thus not needing to invest high round picks to improve the roster. and that’s the value of a great coach. Agreed. On the other hand, you argue that because they didn’t invest high round picks, they’re content with their O line.
This is a nice article and a good discussion. I’m just trying to provide a counter perspective for the sake of discussion.
Interesting points. The potential is there to put up statistics similar to ’05 this year. The kinds of numbers that will translate well on all the analysis websites. When you put a dominating run blocker like Carp in between two Pro Bowlers with Lynch and the rest creating the opportunity for the passing game to bring the devastating hook, this offense will be really poised for some high scoring games. When you have 3 superstar threats in Lynch, Harvin, and RW, and then you have guys standing just outside of the spotlight that are extremely capable of taking advantage of not being the focus like Miller, Rice, Tate, and Baldwin, you can understand why the prognosticators are predicting big things from the team that was 30 seconds away from the NFC championship game. And that doesn’t even get into how much better the defense will play when they are on the field less because the offense moves the chains, scores the TDs, and puts the other team into “must pass to get back in this game” mode.
Interesting interview with coach Cable today, where he indicated that Seattle was indeed targeting OL prospects in the 4th/5th round range. He admitted there were guys they had on their board targetted, but that the way the draft fell, where a severe and sustained run on tackles developed, the guys they wanted weren’t available at the spots they wanted them.
In this particular case, he was thrilled that he had his pick of project tackles that they earmarked. And they went hard in R7 to compensate. But according to Tom, it was simply a case of them refusing to overdraft and reach for day 2/3 prospects.
They did intend on picking up some late day 2/early day 3 talents.
I’ll link it later if the interview becomes available. It looks like Brian was close to dead on in his wonderings aloud about prospect meets draft value.
It would certainly muddy the waters about not picking early. Although it would take a very special talent to drop in round 1 for us to take him — and I’d have to presume it would be a guy capable of playing LT even if he’s started elsewhere. Seattle is a team we’ve come to know — where really nothing is impossible and no positions are rigidly compartmentalized and Verboten.
right…in fact he intimates that they potentially could have grabbed an OL in second or 3rd round. Cable quote(over at field gulls) “”Well, yes. We had some guys targeted that blew up into the first round, and we had thought we could – that they’d be there – in the 2nd or 3rd. And, obviously, as everyone is aware of, this was a very abnormal year. People got nervous, so they over drafted the offensive line.” He also says he’s comfortable with what they have, and didn’t want to over draft after the run on OL.
That indicates to me they have no position against drafting OL early if the talent is there. And that’s how it should be on a good roster- BPA.
Haven’t had a chance to read this article, yet. I’ll get to it in a few minutes. I had a question that I wanted to ask you. First, a lil’ background:
I didn’t like Gabe Carimi. I thought that he was over-rated, I know one of the two of you, Rob and Kip, didn’t like him. I can’t remember if you thought that he was over-rated or just didn’t fit the Seahawks scheme.
My question is: Since he’s been released by the Bears, would you like to see the Hawks take a flyer on him? Why, or why not?