John Schneider speaks at combine: Seahawks would like to add veteran offensive line help

Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider did his annual press conference at the 2017 NFL scouting combine on Wednesday, and as expected there were plenty of questions about the offensive line. Somewhat surprising, Schneider said that the Seahawks would like to add veteran offensive line help over the offseason.

After the season ended, Pete Carroll noted that the team would not just throw money at the offensive line problems, but maybe there’s at least a little room in the budget to get better. And not just “J’Marcus Webb” sized money, where you’re getting a player you already know is not very good but sign him simply because he’s a veteran. I’ll have a full list of potential Seattle offensive line targets next week once I conclude my free agent round-up, but you can check my progress on all of that right here:

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Some potential names include Russell Okung, Ryan Clady, Kelvin Beachum, and Ronald Leary, but there are at least a couple dozen more that will be considered.

Schneider added that in hindsight maybe they should not have released guard Jahri Evans. I think that’s obvious to everyone by now. Evans returned to the New Orleans Saints and started all 16 games at guard. The Seahawks had bigger needs at tackle than guard, but perhaps Germain Ifedi would’ve been just as good (“bad”) at right tackle as he was as right guard, or maybe it could’ve helped upgrade the spot at left guard with Mark Glowinski. Schneider also admitted that maybe they were too young at offensive line last season.

Other notes of importance were that the Seahawks weren’t necessarily parting ways with Steven Hauschka just because they signed Blair Walsh. He says they will definitely add competition at the kicker spot whether it’s Hauschka or someone else. Hauschka will enter free agency next month.

He also said that it is very doubtful that DeShawn Shead will be ready at the start of the 2017 season and that it does impact their need to draft a cornerback, i.e., earlier than day three. Schneider added that Kam Chancellor’s surgery went well (ambiguous leg surgery), and that Tyler Lockett and Earl Thomas were also recovering well their from broken legs. He added that Jimmy Graham was absolutely going to be back next season, but not everything he said will please Seattle fans:

There will be change on the offensive line, but not to the person who coaches them.