FanPost

The Way We Were

Starring: The Seattle Seahawks Offensive Line


I know that nobody on Field Gulls has a particularly strong opinion regarding the team’s offensive line, but I thought I’d try a FanPost on the topic anyway. Since we are in the Oscars period of the season I thought it might be instructive to look back to where things stood at this time last year and reflect upon The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.

Let’s pan from right to left.

Right Tackle: The Where We Were

It’s easy to forget now but Gary Gilliam finished the 2015 season as the most highly thought of lineman certain to return. His debut season was considered a success to the point that the team and many fans were eager to plug him in as the new Left Tackle should Russell Okung leave. Many thought his athleticism and relatively quick feet would suit him well on The Blindside.

Right Tackle: The Way We Went

The Hawks were confident enough in Gilliam’s first year audition that they decided to make Giant J’Marcus Webb their highest paid lineman through free agency with the idea that he would play right tackle. Seattle reinforced the future of the position by drafting Germain Ifedi, a right tackle from Texas A&M in the first round.

Right Tackle: The Way It Actually Went

Oops. Best laid plans. Gilliam whether because of a knee problem or not, never put up much of a competition at left tackle and by the start of preseason had been returned to his former position. He appeared to regress and part way through the season lost his job to the man he couldn’t beat out at left tackle in the preseason, Bradley Sowell. To his credit, Gilliam didn’t accept the Platoon situation as described by Tom Cable and after a rare calling-out for his toughness, Gilliam won the job back and held it through the rest of the year.

Review: Mixed at best. It will be clearer what the team thinks of the position by what tender offer, if any, is made for Gilliam. Coming attractions don’t look good. Free agency is weak and expensive. The draft looks just weak at Seattle’s drafting position. ★

Right Guard: The Where We Were

At the close of 2015 The Seahawks had a four-year starting Raging Bull, J.R. Sweezy, who Tom Cable once described as, "...as good as anybody in football at what he’s doing right now." - in 2014! Sweezy would be a free agent and the team had to decide what kind of an offer, if any, they would make to their second most experienced lineman. Behind Sweezy on the depth chart and the heir apparently was Mark Glowinski, who had started the late season Arizona game in a rare Sweezy absence.

Right Guard: The Way We Went

Sweezy signed with Tampa Bay for 5 years and $32.5 million, with $14.5 million fully guaranteed and a 2016 cap hit of $9.5 million. Psycho! Whatever the Seahawks did or didn’t offer, Sweezy was Gone with the Wind. Most observers assumed that the fourth round draft pick, Glowinski, would fill the slot. Instead, when the Seahawks drafted Ifedi, after some initial verbal twisting, Pete Carroll said, "We’re going to bring him in here and put him at right guard and get J’Marcus Webb at right tackle and get as big as you can get in football…"

Right Guard: The Way It Actually Went

Well, as for the Ifedi part of the above quote that’s what the team did. Ifedi did suffer a high ankle sprain prior to game one and was replaced by Webb until Ifedi returned healthy. Ifedi had plenty of rough games, but by late in the season after the second Arizona game, Cable said that he had been, "fairly dominant" the past few weeks. By that point Webb had already been given Das Boot, having never started at right tackle and starting three games at guard during Ifedi’s injury.

As for the loss of Sweezy, even if he had stayed For a Few Dollars More, Seattle would have felt The Sting. He never practiced last year, let alone played.

Review: Disappointing debut, but hopeful for the sequel. Given what would have resulted had they paid for Sweezy AND not drafted for the position? Hope Floats. ★★

Center: The Where We Were

At the end of the season the center position had been clearly won - by Patrick Lewis. But the coaching staff also clearly wanted an upgrade so they announced in the Spring that Justin Britt would compete at center, his third position in three years. Britt began his career at right tackle, but like Sandra Bullock he consistently had trouble in space. He was switched to left guard the next year in the hopes that playing in tighter confines might improve his play, but like Tippi Hedren in a phone booth, the situation went from bad to worse. The team decided another move was in order, this time to center. Seattle would also draft Joey Hunt from TCU in the sixth round.

Center: The Way We Went

Satisfied with both Britt and Hunt in training camp, the Seahawks somewhat surprisingly waived Lewis in the first round of cuts in late August. Britt became the starter at center.

Center: The Way It Actually Went

Britt’s first two years may have been Rocky, but his third was The Thing. He continued to be durable, missing only one game and was selected as a Pro Bowl Alternate. Britt went from probably the most criticized to the most praised lineman on the team. It will be interesting to see what kind of contract offer is made to him and when. He appears to be the model for progress the team hopes for in their other young linemen.

Review: Unqualified success!★★★★

Left Guard: The Where We Were

Justin Britt ended last year as The Unforgiven left guard. He had been placed there from right tackle late in training camp. In a move that gave fans Vertigo Gilliam replaced Britt at right tackle. When Britt was Spirited Away once again this time to compete at center it wasn’t clear what Seattle would do at left guard.

Left Guard: The Way We Went

The team decided to get The Help they needed from within. They moved Glowinski to left guard to replace Britt.

Left Guard: The Way It Actually Went

Glowinski played the full season. He seemed clearly an upgrade over Britt. While not a ringing endorsement he did seem to manage to Do the Right Thing most of the time. He is only in his third season and as we saw with Britt, careers can trend Up.

Review: Solid start to a career with a bright future. ★★★

Left Tackle: The Where We Were

Russell Okung had just completed another injury-riddled year. He was at the end of his contract. He would represent himself. He had taken plenty of Heat for his lack of durability. As with Sweezy, Seattle had to decide what, if any, kind of offer to make.

Left Tackle: The Way We Went

It appears Seattle did offer Okung, but Okung became another (Giacomini, Carpenter, Unger, Sweezy) of The Departed from the Seattle Super Bowl winning offensive line. Seattle brought in journeyman offensive lineman Bradley Sowell for cheap to compete with Gilliam for left tackle. Way under the radar the team signed undrafted free agent and former Western Kentucky basketball player, George Fant, to the roster for training camp.

Left Tackle: The Way It Actually Went

Sowell surprisingly beat out Gilliam early in camp and played left tackle until getting hurt in the first Arizona game. And suddenly, instead of just Being There, George Fant became the starting left tackle. And he stayed the starting left tackle. And it appears going forward he will be the starting left tackle. As Notorious as this decision was, beyond A Shadow of a Doubt, it shows the coaches are willing to take The Big Heat when they see potential in a player. Fant was both The Bad and the Beautiful at times but he wreaks of the possibility of The Sweet Smell of Success.

Review: I’m a sucker for a Cinderella story. ★★


Putting together an offensive line isn’t made up of Five Easy Pieces. John P. Gilbert previously wrote articles about what free agent moves were actually available and described how they would have turned out. As much as fans turn analysis of the offensive line into The Crying Game, I’m personally intrigued. Things may still go Sideways, but I’m going to choose Hope and Glory. It’s more fun. (Seriously. If you haven’t seen it, rent it.)